Pc Experts! Help Please

[zeolite]

Had a hell of a week which was topped with the PC refusing to boot up. It goes to the screen that offeres you options to restart in Safe, safe with network, and restore settings options.

All of these end up with it going back to this screen.

it seems to start up to the windows logo and briefly flashes a blue screen with a message that I can't read before returning to the options.

F10 gets it to a pale blue screen with a cursor but no options and using the restore discs has the same effect (only get through disc1)

It is a HP media windows XP machine and is 6 years old but I would like to get it going again. all help gratefully received.

I realise I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. Any good advice on buying a new PC gratefully received as well.

[david_taylor]

sounds similar to my old one when it went. Turned out to be my motherboard and harddrive that went. I just went out and bought a new one!

[thewelsho]

sounds similar to my old one when it went. Turned out to be my motherboard and harddrive that went. I just went out and bought a new one!

Yip, sounds like a hardware fault. If its 6 years old, then you got good innings - time to upgrade.

[st3ph3n]

Would tend to agree that it sounds reasonably terminal.

You could try something like http://www.ubcd4win.com/ or http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ to see if you can get it into either dos or basic windows. That way you could know whether a simple restore of the OS might work.

FTR - I just ordered a new box from Dell's outlet store. They've got free delivery at the moment. The machine I just ordered specced up at £400 brand new on their site but I got it for £300. Full warranty and everything though.