Boot Driver Agony, a Curious Case

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I have seen a couple of complaints like this in these Newsgroups before,
but I have never personally come across this. What I would suggest
doing is to take the HD out of his computer, put it in your computer,
pull all of his data off into a folder on your computer, then put the
drive back in his computer, boot off the XP CD, choose to install XP,
format the drive NTFS (Quick), finish the Windows XP Installation, and
then go from there.

I wouldn't throw the computer out just yet though. That computer is
decent for doing simple tasks and you may want to give it to someone
later down the road. I have a similar computer I gave to my grandparents

Oh, and another thing you can try, if you can get mouse support in Safe
Mode or something, would be to boot into Safe Mode with Networking,
download Service Pack 2 and install it and see if that helps. The
download link is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads [...] laylang=en

----
Nathan McNulty


Frank Haber wrote:
> Here's a loverly one.
>
> Knowledgable friend lost both kb and mouse on one of his old machines. He
> couldn't get to base one, so I said, "Sure, bring it over." Now I have egg on
> my face, too.
>
> It's a junker Cel466 Dell desktop, Intel 810, integrated video, 256MB, XP
> Home - a relative's machine. The kb and mouse PS/2 checked out fine at the
> DOS level with two diags. But he was right - under XP, no kb, and the mouse
> dies when you hit the first key. The kb shows the yellow bang ("cannot load
> driver, code 39)
>
> o delete both drivers, detect, reinstall - no joy.
> o safe mode delete no joy. No kb in safe mode. What the ))(*?
> o attach Chicony USB kb, detected properly, no joy! Same errmsg!
> o Do same with several combos of various mice, kbs, and safe mode. Joyless.
> o Restore to last week, before he installed a new Kingston USB mouse, no joy.
> There's no evidence of anything Kingston on the machine.
> o Popped in the retail XP Home disk, do overlay install. Kb fails at the
> serial number entry point, 34 minutes to go, the infamous PCI/hwcompat "point
> of horror." It's an upgrade install over 98, what do I expect.
> o Slap in test HD, everything comes up roses.
>
> Now the better part of valor is obviously to reformat, or throw the machine
> out, which will happen. I'm curious, though. Anybody hit anything like this
> with the critical system drivers before?
>