God damn it the regular computer is busted

[HEyHEY]

The computer at my folks house is on the fritz. Last night my Dad installed a new version of Corel Draw from CD and when he went to restart the computer it wouldn't boot up...just a black screen in front of us. After a message about not being able to find an entry point.

Anyone ever had this before? What was it? ANd was it pricy to fix?

[Kellanved]

1. a little more details please

When comes the black screen? What operating system? Did you do anything besides installing Corel Draw?

It might just be a faulty Boot Sector - easily fixed - or it might be the harddisk...

[HEyHEY]

2. You start up...

Then it goes through boot up, asks "Your startup system is "screwed" this may be due to the installation of new software" Then you pick how to start it; Startup Normal, Safe mode all that.
Then it goes to the windows (new version) startup for about a second then the message about not being able to find an entry port comes up. Then it's blank.

[HEyHEY]

3. Nothing besides corel was installed

[Kellanved]

6. hmm

OK, your boot sector is fine; the hard-disk as a whole probably too.

Looks like a problem with the Windows restore function. Is there an option to restore the last working configuration?
If so, select it; you'll lose some data, but get a working system; then download and install all available new drivers before installing Corel Draw again.

[HEyHEY]

7. !

"Is there an option to restore the last working configuration?"

Yes, but it's after selecting that the thing goes blank

[Kellanved]

9. oh

Sorry, I might not be able to help you then; is there any file name (*.dll) or anything other than the the "entry point not found" message?

[HEyHEY]

10. nope

[Spinzonner]

4. A problem like that right after an install

sounds suspiciously like a virus infection, especially a boot sector virus or perhaps something that has otherwise corrupted parts of the hard disk.

Some vendors have not been careful about their install CD's and, of course, if connecting to the internet was involved in the install (for such things as registration, checking for updates, etc.) that is another possible source of infection.

SOme antivirus programs have an recover diskette or can boot off the CD to do a cleanup/repair - within some limits, of course.

[mn9driver]

5. Boot up in safe mode.

If you're running Windows me or xp, do a system restore to a point before the corel installation. Good idea to run a virus scan, too.

[trotsky]

8. Found an article which seems relevant...

http://www.tek-tips.com/gviewthread.cfm/pid/227/qid/830913

In that case, the person was running Windows XP and re-installing Service Pack 1(a) fixed the problem. Of course if you can't even get to a Desktop screen in Safe Mode, you won't be able to do that.

But if your problem is the same as described (an old version of the MAPI32.DLL system file), you could try copying it from an identical installation of Windows XP (or whatever version of Windows he's running).

[mn9driver]

11. If nothing else works:

Put the windows installation CD in the drive. At some point early in the boot process, there should be an option to "boot from cd". Have it do that, then re install windows. If you just intal over an existing installation, you shouln't lose anything. If you don't see the option, go into the CMOS and change the system settings to look for a boot cd first.