I recently experienced prolonged PC problems during which I used System Restore in Safe Mode Networking because I couldn't access Windows normally. The restores did not work even though I enabled seve

If the laptop is only loading in safe mode, it might be a recent software install or even windows update causing the problem, you should be able to access system restore in safe mode, use this to roll it back to a date before it stopped working.

Which operating system ????.....
Restart your computer repeatedly tapping the f8 key to enter safe mode while the screen is black once in safe mode where the only things working will be your keyboard and mouse allowing you to attempt to repair your computer
Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice
select safe mode with command prompt
Click start run type cmd press Enter
black screen should open DOS mode
this will vary depending on your operating system
type in net user username
For eg. If you want to change administrator password , type net user Administrator
It will prompt you to enter the new password.
Enter the new password and the password is changed
http://wiki.ljackson.us/Control_Userpasswords2
if this fails you will need to
Select safe mode with networking to download
you could download all of these or just one save them to a usb drive for later use if one fails to remove the password
Windows Password Recovery Basic
http://majorgeeks.com/CmosPwd_d239.html
A CMOS BIOS password recovery tool
Editors note: This tool should only be used by experienced computer users.

What sort of a problem ??

Restart your computer repeatedly tapping the f8 key to enter safe mode while the screen is black once in safe mode where the only things working will be your keyboard and mouse allowing you to attempt to repair your computer.
Use the system restore to restore your system to an earlier time click start all programs accessories system tools you should see your system restore option if it is a hardware issue the system restore might not work Manual restore points that you specify with the System.
Configuration utility Installation restore points that occur before you install a program or a service you can use the system checkpoints or the installation restore points to restore your computer's settings to a date when it operated correctly. This may also help determine the cause of the configuration error.

To perform a system restore, follow these steps:
1.Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2.On the General tab, click Launch System Restore.
3.Select Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next.
4.Calendar dates in bold are possible restore points. Click the most recent one to view system restore information.
5.Select a system checkpoint or an installation restore point, and then click Next.
6.Close all other programs.
7.To start the system restore, click Next.
8.Your computer restarts.
Repeat steps 1 through 8 until you fix your configuration issue.
if this hails to fix the problem
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/
restart your computer repeatedly tapping the f8 key to enter safe mode while the screen is black once in safe mode where the only things working will be your keyboard and mouse allowing you to attempt to repair your computer
Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice
Select safe mode with networking to download
you could select the option start with command prompt you should be in DOS mode black screen
type chkdsk/r/f which will scan for and attempt recovery any bad sectors and automatically fix any corrupt files on your hard drive
you should have no input while chkdsk utility is in progress any input might further damage your hard drive
or you could use another operating system
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download
which can repair what windows has ruined and is unable to fix fix the problem

What sort of a problem ?
Restart your computer repeatedly tapping the f8 key to enter safe mode while the screen is black once in safe mode where the only things working will be your keyboard and mouse allowing you to attempt to repair your computer

If done properly the user should get to a screen similar to the below screen.
Select the option for Safe mode command prompt only
Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.
To perform a system restore, follow these steps:
1.Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2.On the General tab, click Launch System Restore.
3.Select Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next.
4.Calendar dates in bold are possible restore points.
Click the most recent one to view system restore information.
5.Select a system checkpoint or an installation restore point, and then click Next.
6.Close all other programs.
7.To start the system restore, click Next.
8.Your computer restarts.
Repeat steps 1 through 8 until you fix your configuration issue.

Which operating system ? and computer type and model ?
Laptop or Desktop ? HP , ASUS , COMPAQ..........

Restart your computer repeatedly tapping the f8 key to enter safe mode while the screen is black once in safe mode where the only things working will be your keyboard and mouse allowing you to attempt to repair your computer
Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice
select safe mode with command prompt
Click start run type cmd press Enter
black screen should open DOS mode
this will vary depending on your operating system
type in net user username
For eg. If you want to change administrator password , type net user Administrator
It will prompt you to enter the new password.
Enter the new password and the password is changed
http://wiki.ljackson.us/Control_Userpasswords2
if this fails you will need to
Select safe mode with networking to download
you could download all of these or just one save them to a usb drive for later use if one fails to remove the password
Windows Password Recovery Basic
http://majorgeeks.com/CmosPwd_d239.html
A CMOS BIOS password recovery tool
Editors note: This tool should only be used by experienced computer users.
Please see the enclosed read me if you would like to run it from Windows.
Failure to follow instructions (from Windows) will cause your anti-virus to flag this as a virus.

Reboot the computer As the computer is booting repeatadly press the F8 key as the computer is booting If done properly the user should get to a screen similar to the below screen. Select the option for Safe mode command prompt only Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option: Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice select the safe mode option then run your antivirus if still cant get rid of the virus restart again Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice. select safe mode with networking download anti malware and microsoft security essentials http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/virus-malware.aspx?q=virus anti virus and malware http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials if this fails you might have to go back into safe mode you might use the system restore to restore your system to an earlier time click start all programs accessories system tools you should see your system restore option if it is a hardware issue the system restore might not work Manual restore points that you specify with the System Configuration utility Installation restore points that occur before you install a program or a service you can use the system checkpoints or the installation restore points to restore your computer's settings to a date when it operated correctly. This may also help determine the cause of the configuration error.

To perform a system restore, follow these steps: 1.Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK. 2.On the General tab, click Launch System Restore. 3.Select Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next. 4.Calendar dates in bold are possible restore points. Click the most recent one to view system restore information. 5.Select a system checkpoint or an installation restore point, and then click Next. 6.Close all other programs. 7.To start the system restore, click Next. 8.Your computer restarts. Repeat steps 1 through 8 until you fix your configuration issue. other than that you might need to do a format and then re install your operating system Hope this helps.

you can update your operating system to solve this problem, your all old document will safe.

Try booting into safe mode. If it's a driver problem, safe mode will allow you to start Windows with only the bare minimum of hardware and drivers being engaged. To get to safe mode, press the F8 button on your keyboard during the Windows boot process until it takes you to a screen to let you select Normal, Safe Mode, Safe Mode with networking, etc. I would suggest not using anything other than just Safe Mode. From there, uninstall any software or new drivers that you recently installed. Alternatively, you can use the System Restore feature to rollback to a previous restore point.

Hi Grneyes0725,

Thanks for the posting in FIXYA.

Could you please reboot Laptop in Safe mode.

Tapping F8 Key during Bootup. Select the option safe mode with networking.

Do the Error checking for each Hard Disk partition. Hope it fix the problem.

And if the problem is recent and date is known, its better to make a system restore.

1. Log on to Windows as Administrator.

2. Click Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> click on System Restore. System Restore starts.

3. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next.

4. On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list, click a restore point list, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click OK.

5. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer (normal mode now).

6. Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Restoration Complete page appears.

7. Click OK.

Best of Luck & Regards
ELLIN

You can attempt to undo this through the use of System Restore.

I am going to assume you are on Windows XP, So start your computer in safe mode without networking.

Once you are in the desktop you are going to use System Restore. Choose a date in time on your computer before the incident happened.

For more information on the system restore utility go here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx

Note : If you have Windows Vista ,read about this utility here:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/help/9f6d755a-74bb-4a7d-a625-d762dd8e79e51033.mspx