Janine <Janine@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>IBM 2.8GhzP4, 256Mb, Windows XP Home Preload SW. Returned from hurricane
>evacuation and was only able to access dialup only, not DSL. Able to pull
>email, didnt access anything I didnt know. ONLY pertinent email. Machine
>started acting up so signed off. Later signed on and it goes thru the normal
>startup and gets to the desktop screen with icons. Appears to be ok, but it
>Stops at that point...cant access icons, cant sign off, and arrow cursor
>turns into hourglass on bottom status bar and "start button." Called IBM and
>went thru HW diagnostics. All seems to be fine. Assumption is that Windows
>OS hickup or got a bug. I had up to date virus definitions from Norton AV.
>I committed the cardinal sin. Was working on several personal files and did
>not save to disk or CD. Smack me later, ok. NEED to recover files asap.
>Also tried to put HDD as a slave to another machine, but it failed to
>recognize the HDD, even with jumpers. Suggestions... I cannot format the
>HDD and start from scratch....I NEED to recover the data. Have no idea where
>to start at this point. Please help asap..........Janine

Can you boot the computer into Safe Mode?
To start Windows XP in Safe Mode turn it on and start tapping the F8
key rapidly just as soon as the first information of any kind shows on
the screen.
Keep tapping rapidly until the Windows XP Startup Menu appears and
choose Safe Mode from the menu.

Note that many functions (such as your Internet access) will not work
in Safe Mode.

However if you can get the computer booted into Safe Mode and can open
Windows Explorer there then we can work further on fixing the problem.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm