REGISTRY_ERROR Stop 0x000000051

[Jerry]

When I turn my laptop on I get this error message. I
think it's a virus causing this because the network I'm
on is quite infected and my firewall was acting goofy
last time I was on it. I can't start Windows, even in
Safe Mode. Is there a way that I can use a Boot Disk to
load Safe Mode so that I can do a System Restore and
hopefully not have to reformat?

Also, I'm running Windows XP Home, and for some reason
the Knowledge Base says this error only occurs in Windows
2000. Strange...

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Please try the following link to Jim Eshelman's web site - left hand column:

http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

 

[Ted Zieglar]

The discussions of this error that were writen for Win2k also apply to
WinXP.

Why didn't your antivirus software prevent the virus infection?

If your firewall is "acting goofy" perhaps you should diagnose the problem?

 

[Jerry]

I'm not 100% sure it is a virus, but I don't see what
else it could be right now. I was using Zone Alarm Pro
and it kept giving error messages so I shut the program
down, that was the extent of the goofy firewall behavior.
I tried restarting right away and then started getting
this problem. I've gone to Zone Alarm's site to see what
they said but Zone Alarm isn't really a virus diagnosing
program so no help there. I tried booting a Linux live CD
and mounting it, but of course the System Restore and
Regedit programs wouldn't work. I backed up most of the
important data through Linux and burned it on discs so I
think I'm gonna reformat and reinstall. Or maybe just use
Linux.... am I allowed to say that on a Microsoft board?