win xp boots to blue screen

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 15:22:54

hey,

my friend has a windows xp pc that boots to a blue screen everytime. It gets so far into the boot process and then just goes to the BSOD and shuts back down.

would you say this is a hardware fault or a OS fault ?

also, she no longers has the cd for the computer, could i make a bootable cd or usb flash drive from my I386 folder ?

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 15:25:09

It could be either or both Paul, will it boot in to 'safe' mode or 'Last known good configuration'?

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 15:26:46

This may help too http://www.computerhope.com/boot.htm

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 15:36:13

It sound a bit like the problem I had recently. Had he installed any MS updates?

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 15:36:47

last time she tried, it wouldn't boot into safe mode but i dont know if she did it correctly as she's not very good with computers, didnt try last known good config options.

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 15:37:46

If it's the same problem I had, Paul, neither safe mode not a last known good worked.

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 15:38:36

Quote from: Rik on Dec 09, 2009, 15:36:13
It sound a bit like the problem I had recently. Had he installed any MS updates?

The PC hasn't been working for over a year, but i guess she kept it upto date.

She wants to get it working again as she's giving it to her mum to use.

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 15:42:29

I had to re-install, luckily from an Acronis backup. Presumably she doesn't get time to read the blue screen message?

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 15:46:00

Quote from: Rik on Dec 09, 2009, 15:42:29
Presumably she doesn't get time to read the blue screen message?

Yeh, as soon as it appears its gone again

Do you know anywhere i can get XP from? Most require you to buy a hard drive with it if you get a OEM version.

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 15:46:56

I think it's only available OEM now.

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 15:52:08

PM me your address Paul, we have a lot of HP & Dell xp disks, I'll send you one.

Fox · Dec 09, 2009, 15:53:08

Some machines have an option in BIOS that halts the machine on the blue screen and doesnt shut it down until you press a key ( have a couple of machines that have this option and a couple that dont ), it might be worth a look to see if its in there. If the machine has more than one stick of RAM you could try removing one and trying to boot, if no joy then swap the ram over and see if it will boot on the other stick, at least you could remove the RAM as the cause of the BSOD.

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 15:53:32

Quote from: Glenn on Dec 09, 2009, 15:52:08
PM me your address Paul, we have a lot of HP & Dell xp disks, I'll send you one.

Will they work on a packard bell pc though ?

PM sent.

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 16:00:01

To try to fix it yes, to re-install maybe not.

What is the model number of the PC? Pressing and holding one of the Fx keys during startup forces it to reload the OS if it is still on the hidden partition.

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 16:04:10

Quote from: Glenn on Dec 09, 2009, 16:00:01
To try to fix it yes, to re-install maybe not.

What is the model number of the PC? Pressing and holding one of the Fx keys during startup forces it to reload the OS if it is still on the hidden partition.

No idea lol. The model number is no where on the case when i looked

I will have to go and pick the tower up before christmas so i can work on it, telling her to do things and her doing something different that what i told her to do gets very stressfull lol.

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 16:04:51

We know the feeling, Paul.

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 16:09:03

And the two things aren't necessarily the same.

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 16:16:43

Quote from: Fox on Dec 09, 2009, 15:53:08
Some machines have an option in BIOS that halts the machine on the blue screen and doesnt shut it down until you press a key ( have a couple of machines that have this option and a couple that dont ), it might be worth a look to see if its in there. If the machine has more than one stick of RAM you could try removing one and trying to boot, if no joy then swap the ram over and see if it will boot on the other stick, at least you could remove the RAM as the cause of the BSOD.

I will be running memtest86 on it but if that doesnt work or brings back errors, i have her old memory from when i upgraded it, i might just stick that in and try.

Noreen · Dec 09, 2009, 17:23:36

Would Event Viewer help, if there is one in XP?

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 17:25:37

If Paul can reach it, Noreen. I couldn't get into Windows at all if it's the same fault.

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 17:29:12

Now, if you had access to ERD Commander, it could be a different story.

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 17:39:28

Tell me more...

psp83 · Dec 09, 2009, 17:43:38

Quote from: Glenn on Dec 09, 2009, 17:29:12
Now, if you had access to nERD Commander, it could be a different story.

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 17:44:46

How we all wish we had one of those.

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 17:45:12

Quote from: Rik on Dec 09, 2009, 17:39:28
Tell me more...

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=21154

Glenn · Dec 09, 2009, 17:46:37

Hmm, it looks like the link on that forum is broken

Rik · Dec 09, 2009, 17:49:18

Interesting...

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 10:20:02

Right, Got the error message from the blue screen.

0x000000ED UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

Likes like the file system has been corrupted. trying a repair now.

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 10:39:11

Ouch!

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 11:04:34

attempted a repair. only gave a full restore (dont wanna do that yet as i wanna try save the files)

now when i boot, i dont get the BSOD i get

NTLDR missing
press ctrl + alt + del to restart

kinmel · Dec 16, 2009, 11:09:42

Quote from: psp83 on Dec 16, 2009, 11:04:34
attempted a repair. only gave a full restore (dont wanna do that yet as i wanna try save the files)

now when i boot, i dont get the BSOD i get

NTLDR missing
press ctrl + alt + del to restart

Start by reading NTLDR is Missing

The other option is to start xp from the install disk and go into the recovery console, come back if you need to do that

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 11:35:52

Quote from: kinmel on Dec 16, 2009, 11:09:42
Start by reading NTLDR is Missing

The other option is to start xp from the install disk and go into the recovery console, come back if you need to do that

Read that site, burned the disk. None of the options worked just gave errors.

She lost the original disk for the pc so the one i've only got is the one glenn sent me (hp oem xp pro disk) the pc has xp home on it.

copying ntldr over now.

if this doesnt work, i will try fixing the MBR and if that doesnt work, a full reformat.

cavillas · Dec 16, 2009, 11:53:23

Have you also tried FIXBOOT from the rescue command line. When I have had this problem I use the rescue disk and type in FIXMBR then when that is done type in FIXBOOT. Normally afterthese twocommands the machine oots ok. If there is still problems thenpossibly only a complete re-install will work unless the hard drive is failing.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 11:56:11

Just tried fixboot command, copied the ntldr and ntdetect.com over and now getting the following.

Invalid Boot.ini file booting from C:\windows

then comes up with the following

windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<windows root>\system32\hal.dll

Everytime i seem to fix one thing another thing gets in the way

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 12:03:49

now rebuilding the boot.ini file.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 12:07:47

Argh, i give up lol.

Boot.ini rebuilt. Restarted the pc and get the following.

windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\minint\system32\config\system

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 12:09:37

I suspect something is badly wrong with the MBR, and as you cure each issue, the next file on the list pops up as an error.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 12:37:24

I'm going to put a linux live cd in and boot from that and try save the files that way before i reformat.

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 12:39:32

That's probably your only option, Paul.

cavillas · Dec 16, 2009, 12:53:15

Windows are fine until they are shut.

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 12:54:50

Except on cold days, Alf, when it's quite nice to have them shut.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 14:14:23

like today. bloody freezing out there!

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 15:38:11

-3 overnight and it's climbed to the dizzying heights of +2 now. Still, by this time next week, the days will be getting longer again.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 16:10:04

this computer is doing my head in. I've booted the PC from a Knoppix 6.2 live CD and it still cant see the windows files i need to backup.

screen shot

as you can see by the pic, theres alot of unallocated space i cant get to

i know theres alot of files on there, theres about 90gb of files on the HD. I really need to backup the pictures as she wont be very happy if i dont, She wants the pics of her dog that died a few months ago.

any help/suggestions would be grateful to get the files of this drive. i'm not the biggest linux user but i know some. So any help from a linux ~~geek~~ user would be great aswell.

i've been on this all day and had no luck

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 16:12:13

If you don't get an answer here, Paul, pop across to PC Pals (see Simon's profile) and ask there, we have a resident Linux guru.

Glenn · Dec 16, 2009, 17:19:33

Are you able to slave the drive into another PC?

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 17:52:39

The only PC i've got with IDE connectors doesn't power up.

I've got a IDE to USB thingy, When i connect the drive to that i only see a hidden AVG folder and the drive is 32gb, when in fact the drive is 150gb+. It also hangs my computer when trying to access this drive.

I've just ran a disk health check on it and it has 35 bad sectors.

I've tried run FSCK on it but it just moans about it.

Seriously stuck here.

Glenn · Dec 16, 2009, 18:14:39

Are you able to boot off the CD I sent?. If so, then go into repair, once at the dos screen run c:\chkdsk /r to run a checkdisc on the drive?

Steve · Dec 16, 2009, 18:22:23

Looks like the partition table's up the creek, professional data recovery??

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 18:47:05

Quote from: Glenn on Dec 16, 2009, 18:14:39
Are you able to boot off the CD I sent?. If so, then go into repair, once at the dos screen run c:\chkdsk /r to run a checkdisc on the drive?

Running now.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 18:47:31

Quote from: stevethegas on Dec 16, 2009, 18:22:23
professional data recovery??

Not worth the cost

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 18:57:09

How the hell do you stop it booting into Packard Bells Recovery Program

Its no use yet, only gives you the option to reformat back to factory default.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 19:24:50

Been searching MS and found this : http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B307545

But that doesn't even work!

Time for beer!

Round 2 tomorrow!

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 19:27:54

Would you like to borrow my hammer, Paul?

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 19:30:21

Yes please!

Computers do know how to get to you!

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 19:31:19

Tip to anyone else with this problem or gets it..

just reformat & learn to backup.. its easier lol

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 19:34:38

It's much easier.

I learnt the hard way that not backing up can be very expensive - lost a day's work and had to work all night to re-do it.

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 19:42:34

Yeh, know what you mean.

Where i do freelance work i keep all mine backed up.

This PC gets backed up to a 1TB drive, that 1TB is mirrored.
Home Server gets backed up to another 1 TB drive that is also mirrored.

Other computers are also backed up to smaller drives but not mirrored.

Rik · Dec 16, 2009, 19:45:33

I don't do paid work anymore, Paul, but I can't lose the habit - every critical piece of data exists on at least three, usually four, backup drives. It only takes a few minutes...

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 19:49:49

Quote from: Rik on Dec 16, 2009, 19:45:33
It only takes a few minutes...

Except for the very first backup, that takes alittle longer

I take snapshots of the backup drives every month. I keep about 4 months then start again.

kinmel · Dec 16, 2009, 20:12:02

ok, things are getting desperate, try this freeware PC Inspector Data Recovery - it may not get your data back, but it is worth at try.

Good luck

psp83 · Dec 16, 2009, 23:24:11

Looks like all of the work done on the HD today actually done something. I've reconnected it by the IDE to USB and i can now browse the HD without it hanging my pc.. not got the files in it when i browse thou

Quote from: kinmel on Dec 16, 2009, 20:12:02
ok, things are getting desperate, try this freeware PC Inspector Data Recovery - it may not get your data back, but it is worth at try.
Good luck

But this app has found over 50 thousand lost files.

Thanks

Now gotta wait over 400 mins for it to save them all to my computer

Hope its the files i'm looking for.

Rik · Dec 17, 2009, 08:58:32

Quote from: psp83 on Dec 16, 2009, 19:49:49
Except for the very first backup, that takes alittle longer

True.

The daily backups, though, take about 5 minutes.

QuoteI take snapshots of the backup drives every month. I keep about 4 months then start again.

A month is a long time in lost data.

psp83 · Dec 17, 2009, 12:33:06

Quote from: kinmel on Dec 16, 2009, 20:12:02
ok, things are getting desperate, try this freeware PC Inspector Data Recovery - it may not get your data back, but it is worth at try.

Good luck

Ok this software is good but it crashed when saving the files.

I used Test Disk in the end, much faster and recovered over 80 thousand files.. Time to look through them to see if its the right files.

psp83 · Dec 17, 2009, 12:34:26

Quote from: Rik on Dec 17, 2009, 08:58:32
True. The daily backups, though, take about 5 minutes.

A month is a long time in lost data.

Well i have 2 drives with the same backup, if both fails at the same time then i deserve to be in trouble

Rik · Dec 17, 2009, 15:38:38

That's why I have disks 3 & 4.

Inkblot · Dec 17, 2009, 17:12:48

Quote from: psp83 on Dec 17, 2009, 12:34:26
Well i have 2 drives with the same backup, if both fails at the same time then i deserve to be in trouble

Primary (Working) copy on server
Secondary (Backup copy) on my PC
Tertiary (Is that the word?) copy on external HDD
Fourthly (I made that one up) copy on DVD if it's something I really don't want to lose (Such as photos)
And/or
A copy zipped and emailed to a dedicated googlemail address for smallish files that I need to keep

Edit: Fixed typos!

Rik · Dec 17, 2009, 17:28:18

You're nearly as bad as me, Inky. First backup to dedicated internal HD, second, third and fourth to external USB HDs, a subset of the most crucial data to a daily set of DVD-RWs and finally a weekly backup which is then stored offsite.