I would appreciate advice on getting me out of what seems to be a self created loop.

One of the desktops I have is a dual Prestonia Xeon with HT, running under XP Pro 32 bit. It runs on an Intel Server MoBo, and is my main work machine. This PC is a few years old now.

I was forced to replace my all-in-one ink-jet, an Epson Stylus DX4050 as it stopped printing. I chose an Epson Stylus SX600FW as it's replacement. This printer has been set up as a standalone OK and works. But, I wanted to add it to the dual Xeon via a USB port.

Unfortunately, the 2 optical drives on the dual Xeon - a CD player and a Sony DVD player/burner - do not seem to like the CD sith the print drivers, etc, supplied with the all-in-one. That is they don't show up on My Computer, nor do they auto-run the Epson driver/scanner/other software installation.

However, the optical drives on both of my 2 quad PCs, also XP Pro 32 bit, will read and auto-run the Epson driver CD.

While fiddling around with the Xeon server the DVD drive got stuck, that is the caddy will not come out so the Epson print driver CD is stuck.

Coincidental with all this is the fact that the dual Xeon server now loops when rebooted. It boots, goes through XPs start up OK, through the chosen user and then to the normal desk top. A few seconds after the desk top settles out, but, while still loading updated databases for my anti-virus, it blue screens and restarts the reboot sequence.

It now seems to be stuck in this loop, and I cannot remove the CD. These two incidents seem connected to my mind, and I am convinced if I can extract the CD I can boot normally.

I have not located the original Win XP disc which I know I still have, for a boot from the CD (that is for tomorrow).

[b]Can I have your opinions please on how I can restore normal XP operations?[b]

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Go away, I was asleep

Try booting into safe mode, remove the CD, do what you want to do and reboot.

If you can't get into Safe mode and extract the CD. Disconnect the offending drive and try booting. you may need to disassemble the drive to get te CD out if it's jammed on the spindle.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-open-a-jammed-CDDVD-drive/step3/Stick-the-clip-into-the-hole/[/img][/url]

But you better turn of computer, before opening the caddy manually.

..... It boots, goes through XPs start up OK, through the chosen user and then to the normal desk top. A few seconds after the desk top settles out, but, while still loading updated databases for my anti-virus, it blue screens and restarts the reboot sequence.

Thats were the problem is ... CD needs removing for sure, in the end.

However, its going through boot sequence so it has gone past any bootstrap priority which may use a jammed CD. Its very probable that something inside the post-boot desktop startup sequence is bluescreening.

Run msconfig (may have to go into Safe Mode to do it if it does not give you enough time to reset msconfig) click startup, click disable all, reboot. If it boots fine and settles, re-enable the startup list one by one, rebooting each time until you hit the bluescreening again, the last re-enabled option will be the issue.

If it still bluescreens with all disabled, go to services in msconfig, tick "hide all MS services", then "disable all", reboot, if it settles, go through the services options one by one until the blue screening restarts.

If it still bluescreens after all services disabled, and all startup options are disabled at the same time, then there is highly likely a corruption crept into the base Windows install.

If the CD is reeeealy jammed in there, and the stick-pin-in-hole-method dont work, nip over to manufacturers website - Services, Downloads, select item, usually - albeit not always - elicites the needed drivers/product setup files. Download, unpack and run.

Buzz me on skype if there is still an issue

Regards
Zy

Managed to boot in to Safe Mode, with networking. I then rolled back/restored to 5th January 2010, when I placed a Restore point saying the system was stable and running fine.

This took overnight to restore fully, then I updated nearly 100MB of MS security patches. A few reboots, and desktop resolution resets all is apparently running smoothly.

Still have not managed to eject the DVD player caddy with the straightened paperclip. I think I will let the system run for a day or so, mark a new Restore point then close down and remove the DVD drive for manual extraction.

Many thanks to all for the advice and guidance, which have been helpful.

Fortunately, I copied the Sony all-in-one driver CD to a local hard drive on another PC and placed this on a 1GB USB flash unit.

I will attempt to install the print drivers and other software from this route.


Zydor

Thanks for the offer. I managed to get the Server back working, which was the important item. This is where I have several years work, and I use Outlook 2003 to monitor requests coming in from my web sites (usually very rare).

The problem now is to extract the CD jammed in the DVD drive, and it increasingly looks like a close don and drive extraction job. But that, for later.

Before the drive got stuck, I did deposit the contents on a USB 1GB Flash drive. So I am hoping to install the print drivers that way.

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Go away, I was asleep