Win XP Pro freeze on boot after SP2

[Guest]

Long story short (yeah, this is the short version),

I have a Toshiba Satellite 1805-S204 with the 1.0GHz Celeron and 256MB RAM.
I have done a format and new install of Windows XP Professional. I did the
critical updates from Micrsoft Update and downloaded the KB885626 and then
tried to install Service Pack 2 (which Toshiba says this model is compatable
with SP2), but when it reboots at the end of the install, it freezes on the
XP load screen. If I try to F8 and boot to 'Last known good configuration',
it freezes on the XP load screen. If I F8 and boot from 'Safe Mode', it
freezes while loading the DRIVERS folder from Windows at file 'alim1541.sys'.

I've flashed the BIOS to make sure it was up to date, but that didn't do
anything. Does anyone know what might be causing this? I don't think this
laptop has Prescott C-0 stepping for the Celeron processor, but I think the
BIOS flash would have fixed that issue if it did.

Nothing was installed except the Windows Update files it installs before
SP2. There is no extra hardware or PCMCIA cards attached to the computer. The
only issue I've had is I think a part of the HDD is corrupt, so instead of a
20GB partition, I'm running a 14GB partition. Last time I did this,
everything ran fine (installed lots of software) and I didn't have a problem
until I tried to install SP2.

Toshiba's tech support is a joke, so I'm at a dead end at the moment. Does
anyone know if this alim1541 file is the problem, or could it be the file
that it's trying to load after that file?

I also tried Microsoft's Recovery Console to try to uninstall SP2, but when
I try to boot into windows, I have the same issue with it freezing.

I've run the Intel Processor Frequency ID and I don't have the Prescott
issue, and the BIOS is updated from Toshiba's site.

Really the only reason I want SP2 is the wireless network window (that shows
the strengh of the signal and if it's encrypted). I use this laptop on the
road, so I would perfer the update and not the old one that doesn't show
that. If anyone knows if it's possible to just get that update (for the
wireless), I could live with that.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Well, I thought I'd give SP1a a try and same deal. Freezes on load screen.

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Pls read from this link:
http://www.mydllfiles.com/errors/3287/alim1541.html

Make sure your OS is free from any virus or spywares and have installed the
latest XP compatible drivers for your mobo with the latest BIOS before
updating to SP2.
If the problem can't be fixed, boot from the XP CD and perform a repair
installing of XP.

Pls post back to NG.

 

[Guest]

Tried that file, but it was already there. Put the new one in, same problem
with it freezing. That file is for 'AGP support file for Aladdin TNT2' and
there's no AGP in a laptop. Could it be a file it's trying to load after
that?

 

[Guest]

Okay, I borrowed my neighboors XP SP2 CD, and the CD just hangs at the
"Starting Windows" when booted from CD. I think this computer just doesn't
want SP2 on it.

 

[joshkraemer]

Okay, I borrowed my neighboors XP SP2 CD, and the CD just hangs at the
"Starting Windows" when booted from CD. I think this computer just doesn't
want SP2 on it.

OK. I think this is the final and only solution to your problem (I had
the same thing, too).

1. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
2. On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
3. Under System Startup, click Edit. This opens the file in Notepad
ready for editing.
4. Find where it says /noexecute, and change that value to "AlwaysOff"
(without the quotes). In the end the whole variable should look like:

/NoExecute=AlwaysOff

5. Save and close the file.

Reboot your computer and try installing some updates. Please let me
know if this works. It did for me.

 

[joshkraemer]

Oh, I see that you can't boot win xp, even in safe mode. Get a
bootable xp cd (one without sp2 that came with your computer). Restart
your computer with the xp cd in it. When it says "press any key to
boot from cd," do just that. Follow the directions to install xp on
your computer. When it searches and finds an existing xp installation,
press "R" to repair that copy. It will appear that the cd is
installing a fresh copy of xp on your computer, but that is not so.
You will need the xp cd product key. After it installs, you should be
able to logon to windows (after activation) and then follow the
directions above.