We Apologize - Can't start my computer
Friday, November 24, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Windows XP Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by BILL
(92 messages posted)
I am writing this from a borrowed computer because my own has mysteriously died and
defies all my attempts to raise it from the dead. My biggest concern is that I don’t
want to lose or damage a few hundred Microsoft Word files which, sadly, I haven’t
backed up in a few months. This disaster happened shortly after I added a new memory
module. I had to unplug 3 motherboard connectors to get at the memory slot but I
carefully reconnected them in the right places. While the computer was open I dug
out fuzz balls on a heat sink fan, used a paint brush to lightly remove dust from
the mobo and smoothed out wrinkles in flat cable I had to move. However, I don’t
think any of these steps caused my problem.
When I restarted the computer it took longer than usual to boot up. After checking
a few files I decided to close it down. It went through most of the usual steps OK
but the screen froze after the icons disappeared. I had to turn off the power at
the power strip because the one on the front of the computer wouldn’t do it. When
I turned the computer on again I got the message “We apologize for the inconvenience
but windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might
have caused this. ETC. It then gave the 5 options, Safe mode, safe mode with networking,
safe mode with command prompt, last known good configuration, Start windows normally.”
None of these solutions worked for me. The windows and HP logos would appear briefly
but I always ended up with the We Apologize screen. I found several entries on Annoyances
which addressed how to deal with the blurb above but none seemed to fit my circumstance.
I found other fixes on the net including using F8 and F10 but to no avail. I always
ended up with the same We Apologize screen and I ended up with the same futile results.
I even tried using a seven disc Win XP System Recovery set but my computer didn’t
even seem to recognize that I had inserted a CD. I even took the computer apart again,
carefully removed the memory stick I had added, re-checked the 3 connectors and tried
again. Same results. I can’t even get beyond this screen to make any changes. Could
it be that by coincidence I acquired a virus from some email downloads I did the
day before I added the memory? Does anyone have a solution to this problem or am
I doomed to take it in to a service center? Thanks for any advice you might have.
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 | We Apologize - Can't start my computer (BILL: Fri, Nov 24, 2006, 7:33 pm) |
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