BSOD at boot is defeating all my repair attempts

[Nigel Andrews]

Can anyone suggest a fix?

I get a BSOD flash just a second or two after the Windows logo appears.

I find no Repair option if I boot to the XP CD
The 'restore last good config' has no effect
I have deleted the basic system files and copied new ones in from Repair
(http://www.digitalwebcast.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658) but still
the blue screen occurs.

I want to avoid a fresh install and losing current applications.

Please?

Nigel

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Can anyone suggest a fix?

I get a BSOD flash just a second or two after the Windows logo appears.

I find no Repair option if I boot to the XP CD
The 'restore last good config' has no effect
I have deleted the basic system files and copied new ones in from Repair
(http://www.digitalwebcast.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658) but still
the blue screen occurs.

I want to avoid a fresh install and losing current applications.

Please?

Nigel

Try booting into Safe Mode.

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Thanks, I knew there was something else I had done.

Safe mode gets to an autoreboot too, tho' no BSOD appears.

Thanks anyway

Nigel

 

[Malke]

Can anyone suggest a fix?

I get a BSOD flash just a second or two after the Windows logo appears.

I find no Repair option if I boot to the XP CD
The 'restore last good config' has no effect
I have deleted the basic system files and copied new ones in from Repair
(http://www.digitalwebcast.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8658) but still
the blue screen occurs.

I want to avoid a fresh install and losing current applications.

Please?

Nigel

I'm sorry, but if the Repair option isn't available, the operating
system usually isn't repairable. Read this by MVP Michael Stevens for a
few last-ditch suggestions:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/repair_install_warning.htm

If that doesn't work, here are the steps I would take if the machine
were in my shop:

1. Boot with a rescue cd such as Knoppix to a) see if this is a hardware
issue; b) pull off any data that the client hadn't backed up.

2. If booting with Knoppix was unsuccessful, perform hardware
diagnostics to find out which component is the culprit.
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

3. Replace failed hardware and see if machine will boot into Windows. If
yes, fine. If not, do a clean install.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows -
What you will need on-hand


Malke

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Thanks for this detailed reply.

I have been able to boot the PC using UBCD4WIN and run a memory test over
many cycles without error.

So I believe the hardware is O.K. and XP is the fault.

I assume that as the BSOD occurs just after the Windows logo appears that
the PC boot is OK and maybe it is in the drivers or services being loaded by
XP that is the problem.

Nigel

 

[Nigel Andrews]

I have tried a bootcfg /rebuild which says it failed to scan disks for
Windows installations. I wonder if this gives a clue to what is happening?

Nigel

 

[Guest]

Try to run chkdsk /f /r from SR and see if that will help.
You may your only option is clean install this HDD is screwed up, my guess
by Overheating.
I did have the same scenario on a machine as your's, nope no way, backed up
the goodies and clean installation.
Be sure to check the Power supply and the cooling Fan they don't get Hot
quickly?.
HTH.
Regards,
nass

 

[Nigel Andrews]

nass,

Thanks

I have done chkdsk /r which is all that's available to me from within the
Recovery console command prompt.
I'm not sure what you mean by "from SR", perhaps you could explain.

Nigel

 

[Guest]

Sorry Nigel, it is System Recovery Console (SRC) .
So did the check disk done any progress or still stuck. As I said your only
way may be a clean Install, I saw it before it is ugly and time consuming and
drain you out.
If this machine have Data you can Hook it as a slave to another machine in a
USB enclosure and recover the data (That if you can't log in after the BSOD
error message.
HTH.
Regards,
nass

 

[Rock]

I have tried a bootcfg /rebuild which says it failed to scan disks for
Windows installations. I wonder if this gives a clue to what is happening?

"Malke" wrote

You could download a drive diagnostics utility from the drive manufacturer's
web site. That will create a bootable floppy or CD. Boot from that and run
the diagnostics to make sure the drive is healthy.

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Rock,

Thanks for that suggestion. I will try it, tho' I haven't had any indication
that the drive is failing.

Nigel

 

[Rock]

Rock,

Thanks for that suggestion. I will try it, tho' I haven't had any
indication that the drive is failing.

Understood. It's just something good to be sure of.