Hives won't load - Sort of urgent?

[Slip Kid]

You may have seen an earlier thread? Things got worse...

I run XPPRO on an older box (p233/256mge ram). It's a secondary
machine, more of a jukebox.

It has been flawless, running W2k since the release. I slapped XP on in
February or so when SP was in the package - -It was a "work related"
deal - -I had nuttin' to lose!). I already run it in a new (Sp4 half a
gig of ram) machine - - pre SP which I "added" later (with no prob)
last fall so I spapped it on my old box.

All was fine for months in the old box ,til last week. It wouldn't
boot. I figured it was corruption as (a kernel error) chkdsk from the
console got it going.

As days went by - - I also had errors on every boot. it couldn't find
Software or couple other files in the config folder. Chkdsk repaired it
as they came up each time for a few days.

Then, it came up with a "Software" couldn't be found & chkdsk didn't
bail me out. It was there...I replaced it. Nuttin'. I ran every repair
possible.

After several "inplace upgrades" ( not fast on an older machine) I gave
up - -

I figured the partition was bad. However I ran every disc checking app
and it passed. The disc is only a few months old. I have a boot image
of C:\ and that didn't even get me to run. Funny thing? It seemed to
have older versions of Ntdetect and ntldr? I did the copy from the
console, it said they were overwritten but the dates didn't change? I
showed pre-sp version (I think?) of the files! It never had anything but
the newer XPPRO - -I have no clue where those earlirer XP sysfiles came
from - -They aren't from the W2K OS?!

So, I wiped out and reformatted the partition. There was nothing on the
partition but the clean install of the OS. (I dual-boot and have W2k on
another disc.)

Well, yesterday after the clean install on the new , fully reformatted
partition it started fine, I installed the FW and AV and shut it down
for the night. I wake up today - - -and it stalled - - "Software
couldn't be found". I did install the console last night - - booted to
it and chckdsk ran once and fixed one error.

BTW, I checked (in the console) and all the config files seemed to be
fine - - they were there anyway, and the dates were correct.

1. Why am I having this problem loading the hives after several months
of no prob?
2. I wiped the partition and did a clean install - - the first boot was
fine - - the second one failed to find the "Software" hive - - Yeah, the
console/chkdsk did "fix" it - - (the reason for the wiping and clean
install is because chkdsk "quit" repairing it after a few days, last
week. What can be the problem now with a drive that checks out and a
partition that is clean and a clean install?
3. What is my best fall back if this is chronic? How should I prepare a
CD that can help me recover if the console fails to resolve the problem
as it did last week (prior to the wipe/install)?

I'm guessing I need to copy C:\ on a disc and the Config and Repair
folders. Anything else that should be on a CD?

As I can get to the console it need not be bootable - - I can copy from
it as I would any files from the install disc. I don't thing the boot
CD I made worked all that well anyway.

But, _why am I having the prob in the first place_? I never had any
prob with W2k (and ran it with 96 meg of ram!). Plus _XP ran fine for
months_. I thought the install of iTunes (never did execute) and or
Quick time may have started the prob? They're gone after the clean install?

I know what's going to happen when I shut it down and reboot! I can
hold off for awhile, but _I would appreciate some thoughts before I face
my next re-boot_.


--
"If you're not in the recording studio you might as well not do it,
because you might get it.
And if you get it, hell stop.
Because it's not a question of how well you play, it's a question of how
well you play once."

Jim Dickinson - American record producer, pianist and singer.

Please use the following to reply, directly:
WGFA
@#waste#
image-link
..com
I hope that has slowed the Usenet e-mail harvest - - by a few days?

 

[Malke]

You may have seen an earlier thread? Things got worse...

I run XPPRO on an older box (p233/256mge ram). It's a secondary
machine, more of a jukebox.

It has been flawless, running W2k since the release. I slapped XP on
in February or so when SP was in the package - -It was a "work
related"
deal - -I had nuttin' to lose!). I already run it in a new (Sp4 half
a
gig of ram) machine - - pre SP which I "added" later (with no prob)
last fall so I spapped it on my old box.

All was fine for months in the old box ,til last week. It wouldn't
boot. I figured it was corruption as (a kernel error) chkdsk from the
console got it going.

As days went by - - I also had errors on every boot. it couldn't find
Software or couple other files in the config folder. Chkdsk repaired
it as they came up each time for a few days.

Then, it came up with a "Software" couldn't be found & chkdsk didn't
bail me out. It was there...I replaced it. Nuttin'. I ran every
repair possible.

After several "inplace upgrades" ( not fast on an older machine) I
gave up - -

I figured the partition was bad. However I ran every disc checking app
and it passed. The disc is only a few months old. I have a boot
image
of C:\ and that didn't even get me to run. Funny thing? It seemed to
have older versions of Ntdetect and ntldr? I did the copy from the
console, it said they were overwritten but the dates didn't change? I
showed pre-sp version (I think?) of the files! It never had anything
but the newer XPPRO - -I have no clue where those earlirer XP sysfiles
came
from - -They aren't from the W2K OS?!

So, I wiped out and reformatted the partition. There was nothing on
the partition but the clean install of the OS. (I dual-boot and have
W2k on another disc.)

Well, yesterday after the clean install on the new , fully reformatted
partition it started fine, I installed the FW and AV and shut it down
for the night. I wake up today - - -and it stalled - - "Software
couldn't be found". I did install the console last night - - booted
to it and chckdsk ran once and fixed one error.

BTW, I checked (in the console) and all the config files seemed to be
fine - - they were there anyway, and the dates were correct.

1. Why am I having this problem loading the hives after several months
of no prob?
2. I wiped the partition and did a clean install - - the first boot
was fine - - the second one failed to find the "Software" hive - -
Yeah, the console/chkdsk did "fix" it - - (the reason for the wiping
and clean install is because chkdsk "quit" repairing it after a few
days, last
week. What can be the problem now with a drive that checks out and a
partition that is clean and a clean install?
3. What is my best fall back if this is chronic? How should I prepare
a CD that can help me recover if the console fails to resolve the
problem as it did last week (prior to the wipe/install)?

I'm guessing I need to copy C:\ on a disc and the Config and Repair
folders. Anything else that should be on a CD?

As I can get to the console it need not be bootable - - I can copy
from
it as I would any files from the install disc. I don't thing the boot
CD I made worked all that well anyway.

But, _why am I having the prob in the first place_? I never had any
prob with W2k (and ran it with 96 meg of ram!). Plus _XP ran fine for
months_. I thought the install of iTunes (never did execute) and or
Quick time may have started the prob? They're gone after the clean
install?

I know what's going to happen when I shut it down and reboot! I can
hold off for awhile, but _I would appreciate some thoughts before I
face my next re-boot_.

Thanks for the very complete post. It seems that your old hardware is
reaching the end of its life. There's a lot more hardware to a computer
than just the hard drive. Suggestions to try, doing one thing at a time
and testing after each change:

1. Test the RAM. I like Memtest86+ from www.memtest.org. Obviously, you
have to get the program from a working machine. You will either
download the precompiled Windows binary to make a bootable floppy or
the .iso to make a bootable cd. If you want to use the latter, you'll
need to have third-party burning software on the machine where you
download the file - XP's built-in burning capability won't do the job.
In either case, boot with the media you made. The test will run
immediately. Let the test run for an extended period of time - unless
errors are seen immediately. If you get any errors, replace the RAM.

2. The power supply may be going bad. Test by swapping it out with a
known-working one.

3. Swap out the ribbon cables going to the drives.

4. Make sure the computer isn't overheating, is clean inside, and all
fans are working.

5. If components are good and problems still persist, the motherboard is
probably failing. There are software programs to test motherboards;
sometimes they are useful and sometimes they aren't.

Malke

 

[HeyBub]

You may have seen an earlier thread? Things got worse...

I run XPPRO on an older box (p233/256mge ram). It's a secondary
machine, more of a jukebox.

It has been flawless, running W2k since the release. I slapped XP on
in February or so when SP was in the package - -It was a "work
related" deal - -I had nuttin' to lose!). I already run it in a new (Sp4
half
a gig of ram) machine - - pre SP which I "added" later (with no prob)
last fall so I spapped it on my old box.

All was fine for months in the old box ,til last week. It wouldn't
boot. I figured it was corruption as (a kernel error) chkdsk from the
console got it going.

[...]

You have the "wife syndrome:" It's indifferent when cold, but more
accomodating after warming up.

Be clean. Murmer sweet nothings. Take everything longer than it is wide and
poke it into the appropriate socket. Several times.

If it still bitches, toss it and get a newer model.

 

[Slip Kid]

Slip Kid wrote:

Thanks for the very complete post. It seems that your old hardware is
reaching the end of its life. There's a lot more hardware to a computer
than just the hard drive. Suggestions to try, doing one thing at a time
and testing after each change:

Thank you for the comprehensive response. I'm usually accused of being
verbose (true). I'd rather give you too much than waste your time with
a response which is mostly questions.

1. Test the RAM. I like Memtest86+ from www.memtest.org. Obviously, you
have to get the program from a working machine. You will either
download the precompiled Windows binary to make a bootable floppy or
the .iso to make a bootable cd. If you want to use the latter, you'll
need to have third-party burning software on the machine where you
download the file - XP's built-in burning capability won't do the job.
In either case, boot with the media you made. The test will run
immediately. Let the test run for an extended period of time - unless
errors are seen immediately. If you get any errors, replace the RAM.

It may be the dimms? They are new as of the first of the year. The
upgrade from simms was from 96 meg to 256 - -- I went with a brand name
(meaning little) but I did see ram as a possible reason for the error
when I checked the archives. I must have been in hardware related
denial...

2. The power supply may be going bad. Test by swapping it out with a
known-working one.

Yeah, the box is circa '97 - all upgraded execpt the MOBO and PS.

3. Swap out the ribbon cables going to the drives.

They are new as of the new ROM and HD (last six months).

4. Make sure the computer isn't overheating, is clean inside, and all
fans are working.

I have air-con and It's fine while it's up. It only fails to load the
files at a cold start. I have had a couple crashes (no blue screen)
after long/large backups and during a defrag - -I figured it was
pushing the CPU too far - - otherwise if it is up, it stays up.

5. If components are good and problems still persist, the motherboard is
probably failing. There are software programs to test motherboards;
sometimes they are useful and sometimes they aren't.

Yeah, and I have the small case - - No choice in a better MOBO than the
233. I may see if I can get a used. mostly bare bones box/mobo and see
what parts I can yank out of this one. If the ram is OK and I think the
cables are - - & It's prolly the MOBO - - PS. Then it's a matter of how
much to spend for an old (yet better) box/MOBO/PS.

Again, It's largely a music machine and I don't want to throw $300 in it
if I can get a new banger for less than twice that.

I have to leave now. I hope it isn't overheting - - - I'm going to roll
the dice and leave it on overnight. It it's the heat - - bad choice - -
But it has made it through 14 hours (today).

As the risk is at restart, I may not have a chance to run the test
tomorrow if I shut her down.

Sorry I didn't get to this till now, I've been out - I just can't
start the diags now.

Thanks. I'd have preferred a software/config or repair option. The
girl has served me well but eight years on some key parts is more than I
can ask.

Thanks a bunch. If she make it till morning and I can run some tests -
- I'll know how sorry she is.
~~~~
Michael



--
"If you're not in the recording studio you might as well not do it,
because you might get it.
And if you get it, hell stop.
Because it's not a question of how well you play, it's a question of how
well you play once."

Jim Dickinson - American record producer, pianist and singer.

Please use the following to reply, directly:
WGFA
@#waste#
image-link
..com
I hope that has slowed the Usenet e-mail harvest - - by a few days?

 

[Malke]

Slip Kid wrote:

I also will answer inline, with snipping:

It may be the dimms? They are new as of the first of the year. The
upgrade from simms was from 96 meg to 256 - -- I went with a brand
name (meaning little) but I did see ram as a possible reason for the
error

The newness of hardware is irrelevant. In fact, if hardware is going to
fail, it usually does so right away (or in the first few months) or
then goes on for years. Testing the RAM is easy, so I'd do that.
However, from what you've posted (see below) I don't think that's the
issue - or at least I don't think it is the *only* issue.

Yeah, the box is circa '97 - all upgraded execpt the MOBO and PS.


I have air-con and It's fine while it's up. It only fails to load the
files at a cold start. I have had a couple crashes (no blue screen)
after long/large backups and during a defrag - -I figured it was
pushing the CPU too far - - otherwise if it is up, it stays up.

Here's the part ^^^^ that gives me the biggest clue (considering I can't
*see* your machine). Whenever you get a machine that won't load from a
cold start and then will on subsequent starts, you know it is one of
these things:

1. The power supply needs to be replaced. A classic symptom is that the
psu doesn't have enough juice to get the hard drive(s) spinning all the
way on the first start, but the momentum of the drive(s) helps with the
second or third start.

2. And/or some component has a connection that isn't being made until it
is warm enough for expansion to take place.

Again, It's largely a music machine and I don't want to throw $300 in
it if I can get a new banger for less than twice that.

Swapping out the psu is a cheap test*, so I'd do that. If you continue
to have problems, your thinking above is spot on and you should just
replace the old machine.

Cheers,

Malke

*Unless this is one of those nasty little proprietary machines like a
Compaq or HP. In that case, you probably can only use a psu bought from
the OEM and it will cost twice as much as a regular psu, making this
Not Worth It. Case in point - I had a client with an old HP (Win98)
where the psu had failed. She decided to replace the psu and it cost
$100usd instead of $35-40usd because the only psu that would fit in
that case was the one made for the machine by HP. However, you can
determine whether it is just the psu by attaching a known-working one
outside of the case and running the machine.

 

[mxh]

Slip Kid wrote:


Here's the part ^^^^ that gives me the biggest clue (considering I can't
*see* your machine). Whenever you get a machine that won't load from a
cold start and then will on subsequent starts, you know it is one of
these things:

1. The power supply needs to be replaced. A classic symptom is that the
psu doesn't have enough juice to get the hard drive(s) spinning all the
way on the first start, but the momentum of the drive(s) helps with the
second or third start.

I have to agree. The PS is a very likely suspect in this circumstance and
would be my first stop.

mxh


<snip>

 

[Slip Kid]

Malke wrote:
Slip Kid wrote:

Here's the part ^^^^ that gives me the biggest clue (considering I can't
*see* your machine). Whenever you get a machine that won't load from a
cold start and then will on subsequent starts, you know it is one of
these things:

1. The power supply needs to be replaced. A classic symptom is that the
psu doesn't have enough juice to get the hard drive(s) spinning all the
way on the first start, but the momentum of the drive(s) helps with the
second or third start.

Well, I may have misspoken. _No amount_ of rebooting_ gets/got me
going - - - the System, Software hive or sys (a kernel error) file did
not load because of multiple boots.

When I was able to reboot is was _only_ because chkdsk via the console
"repaired" corrupt files".

So, I wasn't even thinking (the original post) of hardware - - - As it
was files that were being "repaired" or at least said and did a repair
via chkdsk.

Is the failure to load the file corrupting them? Or, is the file not
being written at shutdown? Again, I was thinking "corruption" (and why
not?) as the _only_ fix (and even that quit working after several days)
was chkdsk via the console.

2. And/or some component has a connection that isn't being made until it
is warm enough for expansion to take place.

And as you read the below remarks? The biggest red flag: _The
performance and benchmarks are lousy_.
----

You're a gem!

This is what I know (you may have guessed).

Cables are fine.
Ram is fine.

However, the machine is prolly demented/senile?

I ran my benchmarks? It usually tested well above a 233? I prolly last
checked it after the new ram/XPPRO install 3-4 months ago.

In read, write & latency it now barely hits a 166 and is close to a 100?!

But? When this was my main machine? (Always with W2k, then) I could
run multiple apps - PShoppe, Fpage, a browser and Office! All on 96meg
of simms! I bragged!

It wasn't a race car? But my CPU usage only "spiked" if I was saving a
large file or the obvious. I never played much music? This spring I
ended up with a free burner. (The original player was only 2X!) I
slipped it in and voila, the jukebox because the 2X player sucked!

However - - (pure coincidence?) I noticed with only a minimal (name one)
player running I was maxing at 100% CPU.

Knowing it woudn't help, I slapped in the dimms (96 meg up to 256mg).

No, the CPU didn't like playing music.

I took a peek now. The player (FOOBAR, very stingy) is idle - - I'm at
about 13% CPU. As it's a new install I only have the firewall and av
active. Wait till is tell you what happens when I hit Play. (Tension is
mounting)

But I realized it wasn't just the player. All apps demand more CPU than
"before" and with no load it seems like a 386 or worse. Any activity is
very slow. (Well, the read, write and latency is not what it was!)

I thought I'd add that. I have no problem with a new PS or even a cheap
used board or CPU? Skip to the end, I think $'s wise I may make a wiser
leap)

But?!

Right now I'd like to _do anything I can withought shuttiing down_ as _I
doubt it will reboot_ without (if I'm lucky) the ol' chkdsk which worked
for a week and then did not (requring a clean install)

Plus? The install took forever. "39 minutes" was an hour and a half?
The last ten minutes must have been an hour. Seriously, I'm guessing an
install was three+ hours, easy and I've done bunches on that box and an
hour was "long".

So, is the "ETA" bogus on the install GUI? Does it base it or
anticipate the progress? And, why would it stay a (name a minute) for
ten minutes or fifteen?

I hate to be a pain in the ass...If it's PS, MOBO/CPU...fine!

Given that I'd rather not shut it down (further testing may not be easy
- not another four hour install!)

Worse? Jeeze it may not accept an install! - - Yeah, if she doesn't boot
or accept an install, my testing days may be over?

Is the benchmark (and one in the same(?) slowness + higher CPU usage any
clue to narrow things down?

The good news Is it doesn't demand much ram?! She can be steady at 100%
CPU and my swap file is barely being used.

EX: I hit "Play" the CPU just shot to 100% and stayed there - - - and
the PF was at 142MB and did not budge. I "Pause" - - -CPU goes to 11% -
- -PF stayed at 142 MEG.

So, if we (a guess) have narrowed it to MOBO (but what else could it be
on the board but the processor) an PF? Did all my stem winding give a
better clue?

If we are certain it's hardware?

This is the plan:

I'm certain my tower limits me to a 233 MOBO? Dollar wise I'm guessing
a computer store can give me a better box (with PS) and a faster CPU in
a MOBO which is upgradeable?

I don't need: RAM, drives (HD, ROM) cards...

I only need (should have) a box to accept a P-2, anyway! So I get the
MOBO/PS _&_ the tower (as stripped as I can?)

So, any guesses what a low ball price might be?

Again, if you respond you have the patience of JOB!

~~~~~
Michael




--
"If you're not in the recording studio you might as well not do it,
because you might get it.
And if you get it, hell stop.
Because it's not a question of how well you play, it's a question of how
well you play once."

Jim Dickinson - American record producer, pianist and singer.

Please use the following to reply, directly:
WGFA
@#waste#
image-link
..com
I hope that has slowed the Usenet e-mail harvest - - by a few days?

 

[Malke]

I've snipped quite a bit but I want to leave in the details for Google
archiving. See my comments at the very end of your post.

Slip Kid wrote:


Well, I may have misspoken. _No amount_ of rebooting_ gets/got me
going - - - the System, Software hive or sys (a kernel error) file did
not load because of multiple boots.

When I was able to reboot is was _only_ because chkdsk via the
console "repaired" corrupt files".

So, I wasn't even thinking (the original post) of hardware - - - As it
was files that were being "repaired" or at least said and did a repair
via chkdsk.

Is the failure to load the file corrupting them? Or, is the file not
being written at shutdown? Again, I was thinking "corruption" (and
why not?) as the _only_ fix (and even that quit working after several
days) was chkdsk via the console.

Cables are fine.
Ram is fine.

In read, write & latency it now barely hits a 166 and is close to a
100?!

Right now I'd like to _do anything I can withought shuttiing down_ as
_I doubt it will reboot_ without (if I'm lucky) the ol' chkdsk which
worked for a week and then did not (requring a clean install)

Plus? The install took forever. "39 minutes" was an hour and a half?
The last ten minutes must have been an hour. Seriously, I'm guessing
an install was three+ hours, easy and I've done bunches on that box
and an hour was "long".

Is the benchmark (and one in the same(?) slowness + higher CPU usage
any clue to narrow things down?
So, if we (a guess) have narrowed it to MOBO (but what else could it
be on the board but the processor) an PF? Did all my stem winding give
a better clue?

If we are certain it's hardware?

I'm certain my tower limits me to a 233 MOBO? Dollar wise I'm
guessing a computer store can give me a better box (with PS) and a
faster CPU in a MOBO which is upgradeable?

I don't need: RAM, drives (HD, ROM) cards...

I only need (should have) a box to accept a P-2, anyway! So I get the
MOBO/PS _&_ the tower (as stripped as I can?)

I can't tell you with any certainty that it is hardware without seeing
the machine. If you want a second opinion, take the box to a
professional computer repair shop - not some big computer store. Have
the people there test it for you. I think it is time to move on, but
that isn't my call. A new motherboard will require new RAM since the
old style won't work. I don't know how old your optical drives and hard
drives are (if you mentioned it, I've forgotten - sorry). But even if
all the drives are brand new, you're still looking at a couple of
hundred dollars for a new m/b and RAM.

If all the components except the m/b and psu are new, then buy a new
case for around $60 (all prices usd since that's where I live), new m/b
and new RAM. If any of the other components are elderly, buy a new box
for $500 and be done with it. Or buy a bare bones Dell server (bottom
of the line but great machines) for $400, including RAM. I use one for
my main desktop and I love it.

This is just my opinion, Michael. Again, you have to remember that I
haven't seen your box and you need to take my opinion as just that: an
opinion based on experience.

Good luck,

Malke

 

[Slip Kid]

I can't tell you with any certainty that it is hardware without seeing
the machine. If you want a second opinion, take the box to a
professional computer repair shop - not some big computer store. Have
the people there test it for you. I think it is time to move on, but
that isn't my call. A new motherboard will require new RAM since the
old style won't work. I don't know how old your optical drives and hard
drives are (if you mentioned it, I've forgotten - sorry). But even if
all the drives are brand new, you're still looking at a couple of
hundred dollars for a new m/b and RAM.

If all the components except the m/b and psu are new, then buy a new
case for around $60 (all prices usd since that's where I live), new m/b
and new RAM. If any of the other components are elderly, buy a new box
for $500 and be done with it. Or buy a bare bones Dell server (bottom
of the line but great machines) for $400, including RAM. I use one for
my main desktop and I love it.

This is just my opinion, Michael. Again, you have to remember that I
haven't seen your box and you need to take my opinion as just that: an
opinion based on experience.

Good luck,

Malke

After five days and all a couple of boot discs at the ready, an all the
repair tools handy and back-up available? I decided to re-boot.

I thought it would be best to do while warm - - the previous failures
were in the a.m. after sitting idle.

You clue that it would be less "work" while warm seemed it be best to try.

Voila! It did boot to the OS. Well, it got beyond the point where it
"was" failing!

However, after the splash screen it called of a check of M:\...the newly
formatted, 8 gig volume were I re-installed XPPRO and only that app -
-five days ago. I wasn't too worried - - Until I saw how busy it was
and what it was doing.

There wasn't much to check? Only the OS on that volume?

It seemed to plow through the System32 folder and find
unlinked/corsslinked and unlined files - Well, it was that folder so
it was mostly .dlls, but it didn't seem to find anything right! And also
then went and saw problems with the GUI related files.

So? It had a seemingly smooth boot? (It had run chkdsk on the previous
boot when it failed and I got it going with chkdsk with the console.(

It isn't that I don't "buy" the PS, or hardware prob? But this time it
was a smooth transition to the OS. It didn't hang on a sys or hive
file? I had not probs or glitches in five days - -now new installs - I
only used FOOBAR to play music - -and explorer to check some files.

I'm glad it booted? As I did nuttin for five days (the resources stayed
high), it had a smooth, fast and error free re-boot? But ony till the
splash...

I can't account for why on a clean install with only the OS in the
volume it found so many errrors in the System32 folder. I know it's
full of files? It didn't seem to find anything right!

Any chance my prob is a shutdown problem? I understand hardware can be
still causing this? But it did boot fine - my problem before was not
loading a sys or hive? (Then chkdsk was the only fix).

So, it seems that with no indication of a bad boot (and no problem and
no tinkering for five days) I didn't expect "corruption". Yes, no-boot
would not have surprise me!

But if it got to the splash I was surprised (not that it ran chkdsk)
that it was so full of errors?

Foolish me, I should have tagged the .ini for a bootlog - - It would
prolly only show the butload of .dlls not loading? Is there something
early in the bootlog which would indicate something, a clue?

Again - - Being the stupid sort I wonder if the prob might be writing
upon shutdown? The previous five days and the start seemed to go
without a glitch - till I hit the splash screen and ckhdsk found
"little" which was not "linked" wrong/or not at linked at all?

Seemed to be worth the the update fer ya...thanks!

Prolly still hardware, eh"?

But, it did boot!

~~~~~~
Michael


--
"If you're not in the recording studio you might as well not do it,
because you might get it.
And if you get it, hell stop.
Because it's not a question of how well you play, it's a question of how
well you play once."

Jim Dickinson - American record producer, pianist and singer.

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[Slip Kid]

After five days and all a couple of boot discs at the ready, an all the
repair tools handy and back-up available? I decided to re-boot.

I thought it would be best to do while warm - - the previous failures
were in the a.m. after sitting idle.

You clue that it would be less "work" while warm seemed it be best to try.

Voila! It did boot to the OS. Well, it got beyond the point where it
"was" failing!

However, after the splash screen it called of a check of M:\...the newly
formatted, 8 gig volume were I re-installed XPPRO and only that app -
-five days ago. I wasn't too worried - - Until I saw how busy it was
and what it was doing.

There wasn't much to check? Only the OS on that volume?

It seemed to plow through the System32 folder and find
unlinked/corsslinked and unlined files - Well, it was that folder so
it was mostly .dlls, but it didn't seem to find anything right! And also
then went and saw problems with the GUI related files.

So? It had a seemingly smooth boot? (It had run chkdsk on the previous
boot when it failed and I got it going with chkdsk with the console.(

It isn't that I don't "buy" the PS, or hardware prob? But this time it
was a smooth transition to the OS. It didn't hang on a sys or hive
file? I had not probs or glitches in five days - -now new installs - I
only used FOOBAR to play music - -and explorer to check some files.

I'm glad it booted? As I did nuttin for five days (the resources stayed
high), it had a smooth, fast and error free re-boot? But ony till the
splash...

I can't account for why on a clean install with only the OS in the
volume it found so many errrors in the System32 folder. I know it's
full of files? It didn't seem to find anything right!

Any chance my prob is a shutdown problem? I understand hardware can be
still causing this? But it did boot fine - my problem before was not
loading a sys or hive? (Then chkdsk was the only fix).

So, it seems that with no indication of a bad boot (and no problem and
no tinkering for five days) I didn't expect "corruption". Yes, no-boot
would not have surprise me!

But if it got to the splash I was surprised (not that it ran chkdsk)
that it was so full of errors?

Foolish me, I should have tagged the .ini for a bootlog - - It would
prolly only show the butload of .dlls not loading? Is there something
early in the bootlog which would indicate something, a clue?

Again - - Being the stupid sort I wonder if the prob might be writing
upon shutdown? The previous five days and the start seemed to go
without a glitch - till I hit the splash screen and ckhdsk found
"little" which was not "linked" wrong/or not at linked at all?

Seemed to be worth the the update fer ya...thanks!

Prolly still hardware, eh"?

But, it did boot!

~~~~~~
Michael

Wait!

Big misstake! I went to check and see if I did add the boolog?

The chckdsk on M: - - That isn't the OS installl partition! I have it
on E:\ I don't think it hung at the OS partition!


Yes, there was an install on M:\ ---- I'd first tried to re-install ofer
the original OS there - -- before wiping E:\ for the clean re-intall.
I thought I'd deleted it? I can't yank it! I can't delet the Windows
folder. It hangs on various files. (Wont' even open a folder in that
Windows folder. Some it does? Fonts - -OK...System32 -- OK! Folder in
System32---won't open...

Not that I thought it would do any good but I tried from cmd (del erase)
no luck. So, my problem wasn't even with the current, (fully loaded) OS
I booted to. It had a problem with a Windows folder in another volume
that didn't "take" a few days ago. & I can't delete!

Except for that (and who knows if that is causing my main "problem"
anyway? I had a successful entry to the current OS. I'd feel much
better if I could get rid of the "old" bits of the long gone OS. (Not
only did it "only" hang on that after a smooth boot, I gotta wonder if
it is causing more problems than I might think?"

Anyway I'd like to delete it while I'm in the OS. I'd prefer not to get
out of it as long as its up?

~~~~~
Michael

--
"If you're not in the recording studio you might as well not do it,
because you might get it.
And if you get it, hell stop.
Because it's not a question of how well you play, it's a question of how
well you play once."

Jim Dickinson - American record producer, pianist and singer.

Please use the following to reply, directly:
WGFA
@#waste#
image-link
..com
I hope that has slowed the Usenet e-mail harvest - - by a few days?