Help! - I installed SP2, and now have a computer that won't boot. First problem was a USB powered scanner crashing it.Unable to start it in safe mode, it rebooted constantly during boot up process. Now having tried to re-install Windows XP, it just boots to a black screen. I have a dual boot system and can boot to the second system, but that now crashes when I plug the USB modem, despite reinstalling drivers. I 've only managed to get on the net by digging out an old computer. I've tried Recovery console getting two choices 1: C:windows or 2:G:windows Entering '1'and 'enter' does nothing, neither does any other key! Ideas, anyone? tech spec: Athlon xp2600, Asrock K78SX m'board (via chipset), sagem b'band FST 800 usb modem

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Thanks but that seems to relate to intel cpu/m'board BIOS issues. Also looked at setup and no option to disable LI and L2 cache as suggested

Heh. I got a Virus on my computer after downloading a Win2000 update. My second OS saved my butt. Try formatting the HDD and reinstalling widows. Disabling either Cache will kill the performance of your computer. Try putting on another windoze would be my nest guess

Hi- I just had the same thing with a usb scanner, cdr/w drive and a cd romdrive. You don't say how many secondary ide devices you have. Depending on your motherboard, you may need to disable second storage device(not other hard drive or os)from boot. Look under peripherals and storage devices in bios and disable any wrong selections. Also, Some mboards require you to enter bios to detect ports in use and any ide devices. I don't know if that is necessary for usb devices.

Having reinstalled XP slipstreamed with SP2, I'm now back to where I was two weeks ago just before my computer refused to boot after SP2. It now crashes every time I try to install the USB modem, or scanner. I've tried Updating the drivers, but just as the installation is completing, all power is lost, and can only be restarted once the power lead has been removed for about 20 seconds, and USB devices disconnected. Anyone have any ideas? Athlon 2600XP, Asrock M/board (via chipset), Sagem f@st 800 USB modem. DVD-rom, DVD writer, 1 HD

Problem solved!. turned out to be the low noise PFC power supply (400 Watt and only six months old). It was a bit cheap for it's spec, there's a lesson there I suppose. The 300 W one I got with the computer is a bit noisy but OK for now. Before installing SP2, plugging the modem had caused the power to fail, that - but I thought that was due to a virus, according to my ISP. It still seems strange to me that plugging/installing the modem could have consistently caused the power supply to fail, but that seems to have been the case, as all is well now. thanks to everyone for their suggestions/comments