Windows 2000 Lockup during boot

[mpschommer]

I have a laptop with Windows 2000. I can't boot past the splash
screen. It locks up and the hard drive light stops blinking and I have
to reboot, only to have the same thing happen.

I can get into Windows via Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking. My
event logs show COM+ and DCOM errors. I have taken steps to fix these,
deleting the COM3 registry node and reinstalling, but that doesn't work
- booting normally still locks up.

I have Windows 2000 Pro, Service Pack 4Free. I don't know what the
Free means, I would think it would say Service Pack 4.

I have uninstalled the video driver and it still locks up. I have done
a last known good configuration boot, still locked up. When I look at
the ntbtlog, it shows what was loaded and what was not, but I can't get
the ntbtlog to write anything when I boot normally, just in safe mode.


I have seen that many people have had this problem, but nobody has ever
written back to tell if/how they fixed the problem (at least not from
what I have read).

Any ideas?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have a laptop with Windows 2000. I can't boot past the splash
screen. It locks up and the hard drive light stops blinking and I have
to reboot, only to have the same thing happen.

I can get into Windows via Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking. My
event logs show COM+ and DCOM errors. I have taken steps to fix these,
deleting the COM3 registry node and reinstalling, but that doesn't work
- booting normally still locks up.

I have Windows 2000 Pro, Service Pack 4Free. I don't know what the
Free means, I would think it would say Service Pack 4.

I have uninstalled the video driver and it still locks up. I have done
a last known good configuration boot, still locked up. When I look at
the ntbtlog, it shows what was loaded and what was not, but I can't get
the ntbtlog to write anything when I boot normally, just in safe mode.


I have seen that many people have had this problem, but nobody has ever
written back to tell if/how they fixed the problem (at least not from
what I have read).

Any ideas?

Your problem appears to be caused by something that loads
in Normal Mode but does not load in Safe Mode. Your challenge
is to find the culprit.

Run msconfig.exe (http://www.svrops.com/svrops/dwnldoth.htm),
go to the Startup tab and remove each and every tick, then reboot
the machine. I suspect it will boot up normally. Now restore the
ticks until you find the culprit.

Since you are running without virus protection during these tests,
I recommend you disconnect the machine from the Internet.

 

[mpschommer]

Your problem appears to be caused by something that loads
in Normal Mode but does not load in Safe Mode. Your challenge
is to find the culprit.

Run msconfig.exe (http://www.svrops.com/svrops/dwnldoth.htm),
go to the Startup tab and remove each and every tick, then reboot
the machine. I suspect it will boot up normally. Now restore the
ticks until you find the culprit.

Since you are running without virus protection during these tests,
I recommend you disconnect the machine from the Internet.

I tried msconfig, but it didn't work. I still locked up about 2/3 of
the way into booting (splash screen progress bar was 2/3 to the end).
Then I disabled everything, startup, config files, went to a non-gui
boot - still nothing works. I can't figure out where the problem is.
Thanks for the reply, but I'm still searching for an answer.

 

[nesredep egrob]

I tried msconfig, but it didn't work. I still locked up about 2/3 of
the way into booting (splash screen progress bar was 2/3 to the end).
Then I disabled everything, startup, config files, went to a non-gui
boot - still nothing works. I can't figure out where the problem is.
Thanks for the reply, but I'm still searching for an answer.

Well even laptops have to have the same items as a desktop so here goes

If your computer does not boot/reboot, it sits sulking with some message on the
screen like 'hit F2 for Bios and F12 for Booting from Network' and it has
previously worked well, you have to think power unit.
If you have more than one single HD, you can disconnect the one which does not
hold the system and try again. If it boots you have either a faulty power unit
or a HD with sticky bearings.
The answer is to fit a bigger power unit (more watts) and then back up your HD's
to an external USB2 Drive for safety. You will be laughing when the faulty HD
finally stops working.
I now have a 500 watt unit and have seen the error on one occasion in 5 days so
it seems that I am on the right track and shortly will have to replace a HD.

Just a thought. I would think that a laptop will get hotter than a desktop and
therefore quickly make the lubrication on the Hard drives useless.

Borge in sunny Perth, Australia

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I tried msconfig, but it didn't work. I still locked up about 2/3 of
the way into booting (splash screen progress bar was 2/3 to the end).
Then I disabled everything, startup, config files, went to a non-gui
boot - still nothing works. I can't figure out where the problem is.
Thanks for the reply, but I'm still searching for an answer.

Remove all removable adapters such as network adapters,
sound cards, USB devices etc. etc. You should also use
msconfig.exe to disable all non-Microsoft services: Click
the Services tab, tick the box "Hide all Microsoft servvices",
then untick each and every remaining service.

Have you scanned your machine for viruses with an up-to-date
virus scanner?

If none of the above helps then you may have to do the equivalent
of a WinXP System Restore - if you can. Have a look at the
folder c:\WinNT\Repair and report the date stamp of the files
"System" and "Software".