Boot Error..Please Help

14 years ago

I need some files off an old desktop, but when I try to boot up I get an error message:

Boot Error System Halted

Can anyone give me some advise on how to get the PC to boot up

so that I can retrieve my files? Any help is appreciated!

This is a Gateway PC with Windows XP

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Comments (5)

zep516
14 years ago
You could check all cable connections to Hard drive by taking the side off, the error usually indicates the drive has failed.

If you don't have an XP Retail version cd, then,

"Windows just crashed. The computer won't boot back up. Those "System Recovery Disks" that came with your computer will erase all of your data. In most cases, when Windows breaks and will not start up again, none of your data has been lost, you just don't have a way to get to it."

Here is a link that might be useful: knoppix
bpgreen
14 years ago
Another option is to get an external drive enclosure, put the old drive in that and copy things from it.
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mikie_gw
14 years ago
if you leave a cd in the drive and it tries to start from that drive first.. that's the 'error' message.
don_na_na
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the replies everyone. I was finally able to boot the PC up and retrieve my files.
Mikie I didn't have a CD in but I think that it was trying to boot from one. I read that I could boot up from the Windows XP disc if I changed the settings by hitting F1 when trying to boot the PC. When I went into setup, it appeared to have already been set to boot from the disc and I wasn't inserting the disc. I'm not sure how this setting could have gotten changed (the computer was working fine last week)or if maybe I read the settings wrong in setup, but I changed it to boot from the HD and it booted right up.

I am definitely ordering an external HD enclosure. Thanks again for the help!
mikie_gw
14 years ago
cool.
Not sure if all, but some computers boot order will by default look at cd drive first, then next at the hard drive. But usually if no cd is inserted it moves to the hard drive.
I'm thinking possibly/maybe you have a fault in the cd drive.

My laptop powers up and looks at the cd drive 1st.. if I stuck in say a recovery cd or dvd in it would boot off that without me needing to fool around with the bios boot order settings.

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Boot Error..Please Help

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zep516

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