PC has gone haywire

[Jonesdaniel]

Well, just restarted the pc (using windows xp pro) and a light blue kinda dos screen came up saying windows is checking the C:/ drive, and its recommended that it does this, so i let it do it, and the pc restarts. Get back on to find it asks for my username (which it's never done before) so i just press enter, and then it loads windows up, the start bar doesn't show up at the bottom, a few icons have dissapeared off my desktop and i can only open a select few programmes (my start bar has deleted EVERYTHING off it, and the "all programmes" collum hasn't got nearly half the stuff on.

I tried a system restore, but the point i had made a few days ago isn't there, so i'm really quite worried now, since i dunno how to fix it, and i don't know whats going on.

What i need to know is - Is there a way to reverse the affects ?
I have a windows xp home edition CD downstairs, and i dunno if i stick that in when it starts up it might just kinda reinstall windows back on here (thats how i installed xp pro anyway)
The fact of the matter is, i need serious help, because i'm in a really bad situation here

 

[CM]

Umm, you reformatted? Bwahaha. Seems like you reformatted your HD.

 

[TwisteR]

**Edit**

Yea you said you already tried a system restore. >_<

 

[Jonesdaniel]

Ermm, its not funny.
I don't have a clue how to reformat, as i said, it just apparently "fixed" a load of stuff when it loaded up in like 30 seconds.

-----

Yeah, god knows where my restore point went, i started to panic once i saw i had none

 

[CM]

If you reinstall windows, it completely wipes out all data on your HD and reinstalls windows, freshly. I don't know if that's the case in upgrading from home to pro.

 

[Jonesdaniel]

Well, i haven't reinstalled any windows or anything like that.
If i can't get it fixed though, i have a xp home disk for the computer downstairs, i just wondered if it would install windows freshly onto this computer if i stick it in when i boot up (tbh, i couldn't care less about my HD being wiped)
At the moment, it seems like the only solution, if it works.

 

[owa]

Ya, just stick in the disk, and reformat do a clean install, just like make sure if wipes your HDD then it will isntall it self. Can be very helpful, but you'll need the disks that install your drivers. Like you CD-burner and such, assuming you have a Cd-burner. the CD-rom will work fine though.

 

[dOuGiE2K4]

are you sure it isnt in safe mode? this sounds like safe mode
less programs in start menu
desktop different
faster boot time.
If it is, goto start>run and type 'msconfig' and hit enter. goto boot.ini and make sure /SAFEBOOT isnt ticked. if it is, untick it and hit apply, then restart.

 

[Tassadar]

I'm not exactly sure of this, but it sounds like a Deltree, you'd have to ask someone like Cuc to confirm that though.
Yes it does sound like safe mode, but even the taskbar shows up in safe mode, so it sounds like some important files were wiped for some reason, I would suggest a format. Just make sure CD-ROM is in as a boot device (usually default, but not always) then start the computer with the disk in, meaning put the disk in while your computer is ON, then turn it off to make sure the disk is IN when your computer is started. You get to the Windows Setup screen after it asks you to Press Any Key to Boot from CD... and it's pretty self-explanitory from there. You will need drivers on a CD if you're connection is through ethernet, usually Windows dosn't have the right drivers for ethernet, at least that's what I've seen.

 

[DiebytheSword]

How many hard drives do you own? More specifically, how many are attached to that system with OSes installed on them.

This question's answer is important to the diagnosis of your problem.