windows xp problem

help please. my computer (desktop) was turned off at the mains during start up and now windows will only run in safe mode. i have tried msconfig plus other thing but i am still stuck. I have my xp product code but no cd. any advise or fixes would be grately taken.
many thanks. ( its xp proffesional service pack 3)

The menu which takes you into safe mode also contains the option .. "Last known configuration which worked......." Try that.

If that doesn't work get into safe mode and try a system restore. Start - All Programmes -- accessories --- system tools --- system restore.

If all that fails your only option without a disc is a reinstall partition which your machine may or may not have. It's doubtful. Let us know the make and model of your PC.

thanks for the reply It wont let me do a system restore and it wont boot up in last good configuration. the only info I have got about the computer is its an ABIT mother board. intel celeron processor 3.06ghz 80gig hard drive 1gb ram.unichrome pro via s3g graphix card.
hope this of use it a single hard drive inside.
thanks

what actually happens when you try to boot normally? Do you get a Blue Screen of Death? Or does it simply hang? Or what?

when you turn it on it starts to load and then gives you the option start normally, start in safe mode, safe mode with networking and safe mode with command prompts i can still use my programs in safe mode but i cant use the printer and other accessories.

OK, but what does it actually do when you try normal mode? Blue-screen-of-death, always reboots or maybe an error message?

it just keeps rebooting.

when you get to the start up menu choose the one which says something like "do not restart on system failure". If you don't see that, then keep tapping F8 as the machine starts until you DO see the (longer) startup menu
That should stop it rebooting, instead you will get an error message. Please give us that ENTIRE message

tried the above instructions I have tried every one of the options on the longer menu the only 1 working is the safe mode options all the others flash up a blue screen with white writing on but it shuts down before i can read any of the writing.

You are doing something wrong, Peter. The option "Do not restart on system failure" prevents the blue screen from flashing past.

Is this "Do not restart on system failure" option a part of all Windows XP service pack levels?

I do think it's time for Peter to call in a professional or reinstall his OS (assuming he has a backup...).

its part of the menu in ALL versions of XP

the error message is ***STOP:0x0000007f,0x00000000,0x000000000,0x000000000

Probably a motherboard or memory error but MAY be bad software - e.g. some old versions of Symantec AV can cause this
See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/137539
and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822789

However we'd get a better idea if you did what I asked and posted the ENTIRE message. After the STOP error theres usually another explanatory line of text. What does that say?

Given that the cause was suddenly cutting the power to the computer I should think it is more likely to be a software issue than hardware. The most complex and easily-upset software running on the computer is the security software so I would try removing that. You probably won't be able to uninstall it Safe Mode but most security software manufacturers also provide a removal tool and that might well run.

tried the f8 sequence all i get is the above code and a statement saying system memory dump complete.
also I have removed my Norton 360 with the removal tool and restarted but it hasn't made any difference.

If you managed to get rid of Norton, check if System Restore is now working. If not, does it say why not? If it seems to run, use the F8 key to go back into Safe Mode when the computer restarts, so it can run to completion.

system restore wont work there are no available restore points available.

try this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

If you don't like the look of it, call in help
We offer a callout service at http://www.pciq.com

But Jon, if there really are no System Restore points then the data to perform the manual registry recovery will not be there! Now why there are no System Restore points is a good question.

Peter, if you are prepared to run the risk of making matters worse, download and try "Autoruns". This is like msconfig on steroids and will enable you to disable anything you chose that runs on start-up. But a bad choice could prevent your computer from starting completely, so back it up first.

thanks very much for all the input. I have bit the bullet and bought a windows vista disk my computer wont take windows 7. I have done a clean install and all seems ok. thanks again.

I think it is very unlikely indeed that any computer that will run Vista will not run Windows 7. But as you didn't ask, then that is water under the bridge.

Alan
sometimes the problem is that the restore points are there, but windows can't find them because the recovery process is broken - in which case the manual restoration is worth a try

My own view though is that the power off has spiked something - probably the motherboard

Stop 7F is usually "unmountable Boot Volume". Often, booting to the Recovery console and running CHKDSK, and possibly FixBOOT and FIXMBR will cure it. The "official" answer is reinstall Windows, but the tricks above work in at least 50% of cases.

As we are nearing the pantomime season:

Oh no it isn't

Stop 0x0000007F is "Unexpected kernel mode trap".
Stop 0x000000ED is "Unmountable boot volume" (I think). Alan D's advice would be good if you were dealing with an unmountable boot volume error, but that was not the case here.

Apologies, misread my list!

Alan is quite correct, 7F is not the boot volume problem.