HELP!!!! windows update destroyed my system

DB

Distinguished
Apr 2, 2004
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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I have a shuttle xpc sn95g5
athlon 64 3500
windows xp pro sp2 (all critical updates installed)
1gb ram
2 SATA Seagate hard drives setup in RAID 1 (mirror)

I have my windows updates set to notify me when updates are available.
Yesterday it popped up a message saying an NVIDIA update for an audio codec
was available.
Today I made the fatal mistake of installing it.

After the install it told me to reboot. So I did.
All it does now is infinitely reboot. It gets to where the Windows XP logo
appears (with the little bar showing load progress) and reboots.
I tried safe mode - can't get there - it just reboots after loading all the
files.
I tried disabling the RAID in the BIOS.
Still won't boot
I tried running a BartPE bootable win xp. It boots ok and tells me that
drives C and D do not exist.
I tried reinstalling windows without a reformat but when I get to the part
where I should have that choice it says something about the drives being so
corrupted that my only choice is to reformat.
I can't run the seagate drive test because it requires booting from a floppy
and the only floppy drive I have is USB and the shuttle refuses to boot from
there.
And I can't seem to see the USB floppy from Bart PE either.

Yes, I know I can reformat everything and start over from scratch but it
REALLY upsets me that an audio codec would completely destroy my system with
no chance of recovery!

And no, I hadn't installed anything else or done anything out of the
ordinary on the computer prior to this. When I arrive home today, I powered
up the computer and after reading email, downloaded the update. And that's
when it died. So it really looks like a silly little audio codec is the
culprit.

Is there any hope of getting my system back?????
 
G

Guest

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

Press F8 on restart for the Safe Mode menu. There is a "Last Known Good" feature, as well as "Safe Mode with Command Prompt", which
allows you to run a System Restore from the command line.
HOW TO Start System Restore Tool from Command Prompt (Q304449): http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q304/4/49.asp

--

Mark L. Ferguson
FAQ for MS Antispyware version 1.0.509
http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm
marfers notes for windows xp http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/chatNotes.htm
..
"DB" <wingstuff@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:b9Cce.32226$5f.30305@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>I have a shuttle xpc sn95g5
> athlon 64 3500
> windows xp pro sp2 (all critical updates installed)
> 1gb ram
> 2 SATA Seagate hard drives setup in RAID 1 (mirror)
>
> I have my windows updates set to notify me when updates are available.
> Yesterday it popped up a message saying an NVIDIA update for an audio codec was available.
> Today I made the fatal mistake of installing it.
>
> After the install it told me to reboot. So I did.
> All it does now is infinitely reboot. It gets to where the Windows XP logo appears (with the little bar showing load progress)
> and reboots.
> I tried safe mode - can't get there - it just reboots after loading all the files.
> I tried disabling the RAID in the BIOS.
> Still won't boot
> I tried running a BartPE bootable win xp. It boots ok and tells me that drives C and D do not exist.
> I tried reinstalling windows without a reformat but when I get to the part where I should have that choice it says something about
> the drives being so corrupted that my only choice is to reformat.
> I can't run the seagate drive test because it requires booting from a floppy and the only floppy drive I have is USB and the
> shuttle refuses to boot from there.
> And I can't seem to see the USB floppy from Bart PE either.
>
> Yes, I know I can reformat everything and start over from scratch but it REALLY upsets me that an audio codec would completely
> destroy my system with no chance of recovery!
>
> And no, I hadn't installed anything else or done anything out of the ordinary on the computer prior to this. When I arrive home
> today, I powered up the computer and after reading email, downloaded the update. And that's when it died. So it really looks like
> a silly little audio codec is the culprit.
>
> Is there any hope of getting my system back?????
>