My desktop PC runs Windows XP Home Edition fully updated to Service Pack 3 (SP3) plus all of the subsequent security updates. It will only boot into Safe Mode and shows vertical lines on the screen. I think that it's on the way out, so I want to copy my many files to DVD-R discs on my external USB DVD writer and then transfer them to my other computer. The problem is that I can't access the USB DVD writer from Safe Mode. Is there a way out of this situation?

Answer

If the computer works in Safe Mode (you can run malware scanners, defragment the hard drive, etc.) then the problem is almost certainly software, not hardware-related, and is probably a problem with Windows itself.

You need Windows XP (or Windows Vista or Windows 7) to be running in order to be able to access USB devices, because the device drivers have to be loaded before they can function, and they aren't loaded by Safe Mode. Therefore, backups made to an external USB device are not usually of much use when Windows XP or Windows Vista/Windows 7 aren't working. However, there are several possible ways to solve your problem.

The first action you should take is to try using System Restore from Safe Mode to restore a restore point that predates the problem.

I take it that the PC also has a standard internal CD/DVD drive installed.

If using System Restore doesn't work (sometimes it simply won't work), then try performing a repair installation (of Windows XP).

A repair installation, which installs over the existing installation, is an effective way of repairing damaged or corrupt files and settings, because it leaves all of the programs and preference settings intact. The Windows Registry isn't replaced by a new version that has no knowledge of the installed programs, so they don't have to be reinstalled. As with reinstalling Windows XP over itself, detailed next, you have to reinstall any missing service packs, fixes and updates. How to perform a repair installation of Windows XP is detailed here on this website:

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/...

This page on this website provides information on repairing an installation of Windows Vista:

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/Recovering_Repairing_Windows_Vista.htm

This page on this website provides information on repairing an installation of Windows 7:

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/Use-Restore-Recover-Repair-Windows-7-Win7.htm

Reinstalling Windows XP over itself without formatting the C: (usually the boot drive) drive first is the next option you should try to get Windows itself operating in normal mode if restoring a restore point in System Restore and a repair installation failed to work.

It is possible to recover Windows XP just by reinstalling it over itself by running its setup program on its installation CD. None of the settings are lost, the files and folders remain intact, and you can use all of your programs and your Internet connection, etc. However, you will have to reinstall all of the missing service packs (SP1, SP2, SP3) and updates that Automatic Updates (accessed in the Control Panel) installed.

For example, if you have a Windows XP SP2 installation disc, you will have to reinstall Service Pack 3 (SP3) and all of the subsequent fixes and security updates. Service Pack 2 (SP2) incorporates SP1, so you don't have to install SP1 first, just install SP2. The SP3 update will update a Windows XP Service Pack 1 installation and a Windows XP Service Pack 2 installation. Windows XP SP3 aggregates all of the previously-released XP fixes, but Microsoft says that at least SP1 has to be installed on a system running the original release of Windows XP before installing SP3. It recommends installing SP2 first as well to the original 2001 release, but that is not a strict requirement.

At the time of writing (July 2010) Windows Vista had two service packs (SP1 and SP2) and Windows 7 was expecting its first service pack in September 2010. You can use the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled) to find out the equivalent order of the installation of the service packs for Windows Vista.

You can check this for yourself after you have reinstalled Windows XP over itself by opening Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel. You must have the Show updates option enabled. To do that, if the PC's BIOS supports booting from a CD/DVD drive, you must set it (in the BIOS) as the first boot drive, boot from the Windows XP installation CD, and follow the setup procedure that unfolds automatically. You cannot boot from a CD/DVD unless the CD/DVD drive is set as the first boot device in the BIOS. If there is no disc in the CD/DVD, Windows will attempt to boot from the device that is set as the second boot device.

If attempting that didn't solve the problem, check the motherboard's BIOS setup program to find out if it supports a "Boot from USB" setting for a USB CD/DVD drive. The settings for the CD-ROM drive boot priority (which includes CD and DVD drives) are usually on the second page of the BIOS, which is usually called something like Advanced BIOS Features. The older the computer, the less likely you are to find the required setting. If the option is there, you can enable it and then try booting from the external USB drive with the Windows XP installation CD in it. If the PC supports booting from a CD/DVD disc, the Windows XP installation disc is a bootable CD.

If the "Boot from USB" option is there, but won't work with your DVD writer, consider using a cheap USB flash drive. For under £10 you can buy one that can hold an operating system such as Puppy Linux from http://www.puppyos.com/, which can be used to boot the system. I purchased a 4GB SanDisk memory stick/flash drive with a retractable connector instead of a cap for £6.

Google search:

http://www.google.com/search?q=windows+xp+boot+flash+thumb+drive

Here is a page that I found using the above search:

How To Boot From A USB Flash Drive - http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm

Solving USB Boot Problems -

http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=28700158

If you can get the external USB CD/DVD writer to boot from a CD or DVD, you can also make use of a version of Linux that runs from a CD to rescue your files. You have to download an .iso file and burn it to a CD by making use of CD-burning software, such as Nero Express, which comes with many CD/DVD writers. You have to use its burn-image option.

Puppy Linux (and other distributions of Linux, such as Ubuntu) will allow you use the USB DVD writer, copy files, make backups, etc. Visit the Linux page on this website for more information on that free operating system).

An ideal way of recovering Windows XP would be if you could run a complete copy of it from a USB flash drive. The following free tutorial tells you how to do it.

"WinUSB is a tutorial which allows the user to run a complete Windows XP version on an USB device/stick. This tutorial is some kind of manual which you have to follow, in order to let your modified Windows XP run on your USB device. Therefor you have to regard some requirements which are also important to the avoidance of any infringement of the copyright of Microsoft. You only have to click on the tutorial menu-button in order to read more..."

"Copyright advice: The following tutorial requires a valid licensed copy of Windows XP. Microsoft does not authorize the owners of Windows XP licences to run the licensed Windows version on more than one computer at a time. The registration of Windows XP also prevents running Windows XP on multiple systems. Due to that, you are allowed to use your licensed copy of Windows XP on only one computer. That does not prevent the use of WinUSB on another computer after shutting down the first system." - http://www.winusb.de/index_en.html

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BOOTING FROM AN USB PENDRIVE ... AND DARED TO ASK -

http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.net/Projects/USB/USBfaqs.html

Computer diagnostics: How to solve or fix common desktop and laptop PC problems

To diagnose and troubleshoot specific and general problems with Microsoft's software (Windows 95, 98, Me, XP, Vista, Internet Explorer, and Outlook Express) using the MS Knowledge Base, visit the Diagnostics page on this site.

Click a relevant link below to visit the information it describes on this website:

1. - Recovering and repairing Windows XP when a computer crashes or fails to boot

2. - Recovering and repairing Windows Vista when a computer crashes or fails to boot

3. - Windows Vista problems: How to fix problems with Windows Vista

4. - Recover, restore and repair Windows 7 (Win7) when a computer crashes or fails to boot

5. - Windows 7 problems: How to diagnose and fix problems with Windows 7

6. - Windows XP: How to troubleshoot and fix shutdown, restart (reboot), and startup problems

7. - Typical DLL (Dynamic Link Library) device driver problems

8. - Software problems: How to fix problems with Windows, programs, and utilities

Also visit the Software pages on this site for more information on specific software-related information and problems.

9. - Motherboard and power supply problems: How to fix common problems with faulty motherboards (mainboards) and power supplies (PSUs)

10. - RAM memory problems: How to fix problems with the Random Access Memory

11. - Hard disk drive problems: How to fix computer hard disk drive (HDD) problems

12. - CD/DVD drive problems: How to fix problems with CD and DVD drives and discs

13. - Processor problems: How fix common processor (CPU) problems

14. - Video/graphics card problems: How fix common computer video and graphics problems

15. - USB and FireWire problems: - How to fix common USB and FireWire problems

16. - Network problems: How to fix common wired and wireless networking and internet problems

17. - Laptop/notebook problems: How to address or fix the most common laptop/notebook problems

How to fix problems with device drivers in Windows XP and Windows Vista and Windows 7

Although the information on the following page is specific to Windows XP, much of the advice is relevant to the earlier versions of Windows. Click here! to read Troubleshoot Device Driver Problems. Click here! to go to Tips for fixing common driver problems in Windows Vista. Those tips should also be applicable to Windows 7.

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Visit the Build a PC page for information on how to build a desktop PC and solve self-build problems, and visit the other pages, such as the Video/Graphics, Sound, Motherboards, and Monitors pages for more problem-solving information, all of which can be accessed via the menu items and jump menu on the orange navigation bar, or via the site search engine at the top of each of the main pages.

The Tips & Tricks pages of this site contain additional useful tips, tricks, and problem-solving advice.

The safest way to upgrade RAM memory: Use the UK and US Crucial Memory Advisors

Paul Mullen, who was the highly-respected computer guru of the Helpfile at ComputerShopper.co.uk - "I have recently been buying my memory only from Crucial Technology. I would rather pay the extra cost than waste time trying to track down the obscure program faults that bad memory can cause."

The best way to choose RAM memory for a brand-name desktop or laptop computer, or memory for a particular make/model of PC motherboard is to make use of the Crucial Memory Advisors (provided under the brief guideline on the minimum memory requirements for Windws XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7). If the Crucial memory you receive does not work, you are guaranteed a refund and standard shipping is free.

The memory requirements of the versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7

Most of the versions of Windows Vista require more RAM memory to run optimally on a computer that doesn't use memory-hungry applications than Windows XP. A video-editing application is an example of memory-intensive software. Only Windows Vista Home Basic has a recommended minimum amount of memory of 512MB, which is the same amount recommended for Windows XP. Windows Vista Home Premium, the most popular version, and Windows Vista Ultimate require a recommended minimum of 1GB (1024MB) of memory, which is twice the amount of minimum memory recommended to run Windows XP. Note that if you are using a 64-bit version of Windows, up to 4.0GB, it requires twice the amount of memory as a 32-bit version, which can only use a maximum of about 3.5GB. For more information on computer memory, read the RAM pages of this site, which includes information on the lower memory requirements of Windows 7.

UK - Crucial Memory Advisor - UK

USA - Crucial Memory Advisor - USA

How to Use the Crucial Memory Advisor

For example, if your computer has an Asus motherboard, open the menu, scroll down to ASUS, and click GO. If, say, you have a Dell computer, scroll down to DELL, and do likewise. You will be taken to the relevant information on Crucial's website.

If you don't know the make and model of the motherboard installed in your computer, here is a good free utility - Belarc Advisor - that creates an analysis of the hardware and software on a personal computer. Look under FREE DOWNLOAD - http://www.belarc.com/. Another utility that also provides detailed information on the memory itself is CPU-Z.

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