My computer refuses to get past blue windows is starting up screen

[Skulldragon7]

My windows media center desktop refuses to get past the windows blue screen with the words "windows is starting up"  what do I do in order to get it to start up again.  I did a few system recover test with these results"

Failed, test:  Shortself test, Error code Hd521-2w.  It also said it would not recommend a system recovery.  This problem only began one night when my windows media center desktop said it had fixed a file.  How do I fix my desktop such that it gets past the windows is starting up screen

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

Skulldragon7

Hello;

Allow me to welcome you to the HP forums!

I read your post about your PC not starting and wanted to help.

I wish I had good news for you -- but I don't, as this sounds a lot like the hard drive has failed, which is to be expected if this XP-era PC still has the original drive.

We have some troubleshooting setps for testing the drive but they only work on the newer PCs.

What might work is pressing Esc, or F1, or F2, when you boot to see if any of those get you into a Setup screen, and if they do, choose to run the diagnostics from there to check out the drive.

If the drive has failed, there is additional bad news (sorry!) -- in that HP long ago quit stocking recovery media for XP-era machines, so there is nothing you can order from HP to restore your PC to a new drive.

Since HP no longer provides Recovery Media for your model, a couple of other sites you should check are: http://www.computersurgeons.com/  and http://www.restoredisks.com/

And, if that is not enough bad news, my guess is that the hard drive in your XP machine has something known as an IDE interface.  You can tell by looking at the back of the drive where the data cable connects.  If that is a wide flat cable (about 2 inches wide) and there are a bunch of small pins where it connects to the drive, then it IS an IDE drive and those are nearly impossible to find anymore, as the drive industry switched over to manufacturing SATA drives some years back.

Sorry ... but it's time to think seriously about moving on to a newer PC.

Good Luck

I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor do I represent, HP.
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