Windows XP keeps crashing

[Guest]

Hello,

I'm trying to help fix a PC running Windows XP that has been crashing for
almost the last year.
Every few months the system crashes with the error message "File Failure -
Cannot load System32\Config\Software corrupt, absent or not writeable.
Beginning dump of physical memory."

On reboot same message appears, and unable to run in safe mode.

I have been able to recover from this by copying the config files from the
'repair' folder, and the system runs fine for a while then seems to crash
again.

I've tried reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows XP
Professional, but it hasn't fixed it.

Now last week it crashed again, with the error message "Windows could not
start because of an error in the software. Please report this problem as Load
needed DLLs for kernel".

Temporarily a 2nd copy of Windows has been installed, and the PC is usable.

I'm wondering what I need to do to remedy this. Does this sound like a
hardware problem? If so, what would be the first thing to try??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
Amber

 

[Guest]

seems a problem related
to the registry hive.

at microsoft.com there
is a defrag utility called
pagedefrag.

launch it and set it to
run at every boot time.

it is not clear if the issue
you have is attributed to
fragmentation, but it is
a possibility and one that
can be eliminated with
the utility above.

there are other causes
for issues like yours, but
it's best to take it one step
at a time.
--

<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

..

 

[John John]

How to troubleshoot registry corruption issues
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822705

John

 

[Gerry]

Post a complete copy of the Stop Error Report?amber wrote:

Disable automatic restart on system failure. This should help by
allowing time to write down the STOP code properly. Right click on
the My Computer icon on the Desktop and select Properties, Advanced,
Start-Up and Recovery, System Failure and uncheck box before
Automatically Restart.

Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure even after you have
solved the problem as it's better disabled. Check for variants of the
Stop Error message.

An alternative is to keep pressing the F8 key during Start-Up and select
option - Disable automatic restart on system failure.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Guest]

Thanks I will try the defrag program.

I'm not sure if I should start another thread for this next question or not -
Last week someone, in an attempt to get this PC up and running, installed a
2nd version of Windows. I would like to clean this up, and have 1
installation on the PC. I'm not sure how best to go about this - there are 2
versions on the PC, one works, one doesn't. The one that works has no links
to the installed programs (Office etc). I can find them and add shortcuts to
them, but I would like them all to be in the Add/Remove folder. How best do I
do this? If I get the original version back up and running, how do I have it
boot to this version instead of the newest installation?
Thanks!
Amber

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Using Windows Explorer, look at C:\. What folders are there? Not the files,
just the folders. Now go to Tools>Folder Options>View tab and uncheck the
item "Hide Protected Operating System files" and click OK. Look for
C:\BOOT.INI and double click it. Press Ctrl-A to select all, then Ctrl-C to
Copy. Then use Ctrl-V to paste it into your reply. When you're done, go back
and hide protected operating system files. Best to leave it that way unless
you need to see those files.

 

[Guest]

well, it might not be such
a bad idea to have a backup
operating system in the event
the main crashes.

with a backup o.s. you will
have access to the pc that you
would otherwise loose if the
main o.s. crashed.

however, the above is only a
thought.

in regards to this new question
if your main o.s. is not functional
but has all the third party programs
installed to it, then we could try
to repair it.

it sounds like your friend
inadvertently installed a secondary
o.s. instead of repairing the current
one using that very same windows cd.

it is an easy mistake and your friend
should be given an A for effort. hey,
you did get an o.s. up and running
anyways....

what we do not know at this time
is what difficulties you were experiencing
with the dysfunctional o.s.

if you can provide us some history
we might be able to skip the repair
install and go right into the recovery
console.

incidentally, is the issue with the
registry pertaining to
the recently installed o.s.?

--

<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

..

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hello,

I'm trying to help fix a PC running Windows XP that has been crashing for
almost the last year.
Every few months the system crashes with the error message "File Failure -
Cannot load System32\Config\Software corrupt, absent or not writeable.
Beginning dump of physical memory."

On reboot same message appears, and unable to run in safe mode.

How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from
Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

I have been able to recover from this by copying the config files from the
'repair' folder, and the system runs fine for a while then seems to crash
again.

I've tried reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows XP
Professional, but it hasn't fixed it.

How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705

Now last week it crashed again, with the error message "Windows could not
start because of an error in the software. Please report this problem as Load
needed DLLs for kernel".

Temporarily a 2nd copy of Windows has been installed, and the PC is usable.

I'm wondering what I need to do to remedy this. Does this sound like a
hardware problem? If so, what would be the first thing to try??

Probably. Start with testing the RAM. You might try MemTest86:
http://www.memtest86.com/ It's free. Then you can download and use the
hard drive maufacturer's diagnostic utility to test the hard drive. If
both RAM and hard drive test out clean, check with the motherboard
manufacturer for any diagnostic utilities.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the help.
I downloaded this defrag utility and installed it on both my laptop, and the
PC I'm having trouble with. It worked great on my laptop, but on the troubled
PC, when I run it, the dialog screen, where I can choose to run on every
boot, never appears. I double click the program icon, it seems nothing
happens, but the next time I reboot, it does run. But only the single time -
I can't get in to the settings to ensure it runs every time.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Amber

 

[Guest]

I ran the memory tester once, overnight, and it still hadn't finished the
next morning (after ~15hrs), but in that time, no errors showed up. I let it
run over this past long weekend - it ran from 5:00pm Thurs to 8:00am Tues,
and it STILL wasn't done. Does it finish? Or does it just keep running
forever?? This time, there was 1 error found. I'm not sure if posting details
is necessary? So does this mean I need to replace some RAM?

I also ran a 'chkdsk /r'. This corrected tons of errors. Should I post the
log?

Thanks for everyone's input!
Cheers,
Amber

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Amber,

That second installation of Windows is worthless unless you also reinstall
all of the apps. Just creating shortcuts isn't going to work, since app
installations usually write a bunch of stuff to the Registry, put files into
the Windows folder and use drive letters (which may have changed) to locate
things. You either need to fix the original installation or fully reinstall
the applications to the new Windows installation.

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Yes, some memory testers just run and run until you stop them. Not really
sure how critical one error is in all that, but it might be significant. The
errors found by CHKDSK *are* significant. How does the machine run now?