[loover21]

My computer has kind of crashed and I can't get it to start up.
It leaves me with this message in short.

Windows did not successfully, a recent hardware or software change may have caused this.
It gives me these options to restart it but I can't figured it out
1. Safe mode
2. safe mode with networking
3.safe mode with command prompt
4. Last known good configuration
5.start windows normally

Can someone please walk me through the steps to fix this.
Thanks

[HelpinHere]

"Windows did not not successfully ________, a recent hardware or software change may have caused this."

Did not successfully WHAT?

And, what exactly can't you figure out?

If there are no negative reprocussions, you should be fine by just selecting 5 each time.

[cooch]

Try selecting #4 (last known good configuration). This has worked for me.

[Helljack6]

My computer has kinda crashed and I can't get it to start up.
It leaves me with this message in short.

Windows did not not successfully, a recent hardware or software change may have caused this.
It gives me these options to restart it but I can't figured it out
1. Safe mode
2. safe mode with networking
3.safe mode with command prompt
4. Last known good configuration
5.start windows normally

Can someone please walk me through the steps to fix this.
Thanks

Has anything changed recently in the way of hardware or software? Did you recently install a new firewall software or did you do a recent MS update? At your option screen, start the computer in Safe Mode with Networking, log into the local installation of Windows and log on to the computer. IF you get that far, you may have a corrupt piece of software or a corrupt hardware driver that's preventing the system from starting up properly as Safe Mode / Safe Mode with Networking only loads the absolute bare essentials to get into windows.

IF for whatever reason you still can't get into to windows going that route, it might be necessary to do a repair installation using the OS installation disk. This will re-write the OS system files only, it will not wipe out your installed programs or your user specific settings. You will need an original OS install disk, NOT a recovery disk. Boot from the disk, after all the files load up and you are presented with options, Select Repair Installation and follow the on screen prompts. You should be up and running in no time.

Another option is to use the recovery console from the OS installation disk. Instead of doing the repair install, you select recovery console from the list of options, log into the local installation of windows and then at the command prompt type CHKDSK /R (no need to use the /F because using /R implies that /F will done as well per MS). This process can possibly take just as long as a repair installation depeneding on the level of corruption on the drive. See here for more help on the recovery console - Using the Recovery Console - Helljack6.com