Won't boot.

[Marko]

After a power failure I was unable to boot Vista Ultimate.
At first I got a message that no Keyboard was detected on boot. I removed
the USB keyboard that has always worked and plugged in a PS2 KB. Now I was
able to boot to where it asked me if I wanted to start normal or in Safe
mode. I tried Safe mode and got back to where it asked me again. This time I
requested to boot into the last known working config and again it got me
back to where it asks me normal or safe mode. Then I tried booting from the
Vista CD and it loaded a bunch of files but then switched to a blue screen
displaying the following line:
***STOP: 0x0000000A (0xC0020000, 0x00000000, 0x88B9E036)
A Vista recovery disk got me to that same blue screen.
I'd sure appreciate some help getting this machine going again. P I I A SO
I.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Mako

See the following

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/ms793589.aspx

or

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=930261&sd=RMVP

 

[Marko]

Thanks for the quick reply. I tried the first part of the first link without
a positive result. The second part of the first link is a little over my
head but does not appear to apply since nothing was added or changed on the
machine.
The second link does not apply in my situation.

 

[pupick]

A power failure or surge may have damaged your computer.
If you do not know how to troubleshoot hardware problems take the machine to
a repair shop.
If the motherboard was toasted they may be able to at least remove your hard
drives so you can read their data with a different machine.

 

[Pete]

A power failure or surge may have damaged your computer.
If you do not know how to troubleshoot hardware problems take the machine
to a repair shop.
If the motherboard was toasted they may be able to at least remove your
hard drives so you can read their data with a different machine.

OP may have backups.
I'd take this as an opportunity (excuse) to buy one of those new fast
machines.
Financially, it's not worth fixing.

 

[Marko]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately none of what's in the links has helped
getting this machine to boot.
Is there anything else that can be tried?
Marko

 

[Marko]

It is a new machine and I'm not going to buy another one every time
something goes wrong. I have good surge protection and there's nothing wrong
with the HDD. I can attach it to another machine and access all data.
---Does anyone have any idea as to why I'm unable to boot into Vista, or do
a repair install from the Vista CD?

 

[Colon Terminus]

It is a new machine and I'm not going to buy another one every time
something goes wrong. I have good surge protection and there's nothing
wrong with the HDD. I can attach it to another machine and access all
data.
---Does anyone have any idea as to why I'm unable to boot into Vista, or
do a repair install from the Vista CD?

There is no such thing as "good surge protection". Unless you have a name
brand Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS Battery Backup) your hardware is
succeptable to damage.

I believe your hardware is damaged. Here's what you can do after backing up
your data:

Try a different Video card.
Download and run Memtest86 for several hours.
Download and run the "Disk Test" software from the manufacturer of your hard
disk.

If all of the above fail to resolve your problem, then you may assume your
mainboard is toast.

If the machine is new and still under warranty, you may have some luck
returning it for warranty service.

 

[westom]

After a power failure I was unable to boot Vista Ultimate.
... Then I tried booting from the Vista CD and it loaded a
bunch of files but then switched to a blue screen
displaying the following line:
***STOP: 0x0000000A (0xC0020000, 0x00000000, 0x88B9E036)
A Vista recovery disk got me to that same blue screen.

First eliminate so many speculations. Power failures do not cause
damage which suggests some replies are based in popular myth and
minimal technical knowledge. You have a failure that may be hardware
or software. Until you know what has failed, any solution is only
wild speculation - and could make the problem worse.

STOP code would have been more useful had the entire message been
provided. With insufficient information, the problem may be related
to a driver. Without the entire message, we don't even know which
hardware or software driver to suspect.

Moving on. This is why more responsible computer manufacturers
provide comprehensive hardware diagnostics for free. What is your
manufacturer? That means all hardware is known without any OS loaded
or executing. The OS only complicates analysis. IOW first is to
break the problem down into parts. Then analyze each part.

Without hardware diagnostics (provided on hard drive, on a CD, and
on manufacturer web site), then download diagnostics from the few
component hardware manufacturers that can halt a loading OS. List
includes sound card, video processor, CPU, some motherboard functions,
memory, and the power supply 'system' (more than just a supply).
Simple procedures can identify any definitively - that means without
doubt.

If hardware works, then maybe a software driver was harmed. Which
one? The entire STOP message would have suggested which.

You can boot to safe mode. That means system (event) logs must be
reviewed. Again, know what has failed long before trying to fix
anything (and maybe make the problem worse). Also Device Manager.
With the rest of that STOP error message, you might know which
hardware device to remove in Device Manager. Then a reboot of Vista
would load a new driver.

Finally, if your surge protector was so good, then it lists each
type of surge and protection from each surge in numeric specs. Did
you think it was good because it cost so much? Or because that is
also a popular myth? Notice no protection claims in numbers because
it does not claim to protect from a type of surge that is typically
destructive. If it provides effective protection, then it
specifically lists that protection using numbers in a manufacturer
spec.

Other tasks can help to first find, then correct the problem. Above
are first things done to find what has failed. Only then would we
even know why.

 

[Marko]

After a power failure I was unable to boot Vista Ultimate.
... Then I tried booting from the Vista CD and it loaded a
bunch of files but then switched to a blue screen
displaying the following line:
***STOP: 0x0000000A (0xC0020000, 0x00000000, 0x88B9E036)
A Vista recovery disk got me to that same blue screen.

First eliminate so many speculations. Power failures do not cause
damage which suggests some replies are based in popular myth and
minimal technical knowledge. You have a failure that may be hardware
or software. Until you know what has failed, any solution is only
wild speculation - and could make the problem worse.

STOP code would have been more useful had the entire message been
provided. With insufficient information, the problem may be related
to a driver. Without the entire message, we don't even know which
hardware or software driver to suspect.

Moving on. This is why more responsible computer manufacturers
provide comprehensive hardware diagnostics for free. What is your
manufacturer? That means all hardware is known without any OS loaded
or executing. The OS only complicates analysis. IOW first is to
break the problem down into parts. Then analyze each part.

Without hardware diagnostics (provided on hard drive, on a CD, and
on manufacturer web site), then download diagnostics from the few
component hardware manufacturers that can halt a loading OS. List
includes sound card, video processor, CPU, some motherboard functions,
memory, and the power supply 'system' (more than just a supply).
Simple procedures can identify any definitively - that means without
doubt.

If hardware works, then maybe a software driver was harmed. Which
one? The entire STOP message would have suggested which.

You can boot to safe mode. That means system (event) logs must be
reviewed. Again, know what has failed long before trying to fix
anything (and maybe make the problem worse). Also Device Manager.
With the rest of that STOP error message, you might know which
hardware device to remove in Device Manager. Then a reboot of Vista
would load a new driver.

Finally, if your surge protector was so good, then it lists each
type of surge and protection from each surge in numeric specs. Did
you think it was good because it cost so much? Or because that is
also a popular myth? Notice no protection claims in numbers because
it does not claim to protect from a type of surge that is typically
destructive. If it provides effective protection, then it
specifically lists that protection using numbers in a manufacturer
spec.

Other tasks can help to first find, then correct the problem. Above
are first things done to find what has failed. Only then would we
even know why.

The entire STOP message is exactly what I had posted in my initial post:

***STOP: 0x0000000A (0xC0020000, 0x00000000, 0x88B9E036)
This is all that it says on an otherwise empty blue screen.
I can't get past this blue screen and therefore SAFE mode is not an option.
Starting the machine with a clean, NTFS formatted hard drive and the Vista
disk in the DVD drive I again get to where it loads the initial Vista files
but then goes to the -end of the road- blue screen. Whith the clean hard
drive there were no drivers to load and only the hdd, Monitor and the
DVDdrive are connected. The screen gives me info up to the blue screen which
probably confirms that the Video card is not the problem? Boot up info such
as processor and memory test all display normal. The machine is not a name
brand and has no hardware diagnostics. Asus MB with AMD processor.
The power failure was caused by me when I turned off the wrong breaker in
the basement. This should not cause a surge.
Based on all the help here and what I've done so far, it probably comes down
to the Mobo?

 

[Mike]

First eliminate so many speculations. Power failures do not cause
damage which suggests some replies are based in popular myth and
minimal technical knowledge. You have a failure that may be hardware
or software. Until you know what has failed, any solution is only
wild speculation - and could make the problem worse.

STOP code would have been more useful had the entire message been
provided. With insufficient information, the problem may be related
to a driver. Without the entire message, we don't even know which
hardware or software driver to suspect.

Moving on. This is why more responsible computer manufacturers
provide comprehensive hardware diagnostics for free. What is your
manufacturer? That means all hardware is known without any OS loaded
or executing. The OS only complicates analysis. IOW first is to
break the problem down into parts. Then analyze each part.

Without hardware diagnostics (provided on hard drive, on a CD, and
on manufacturer web site), then download diagnostics from the few
component hardware manufacturers that can halt a loading OS. List
includes sound card, video processor, CPU, some motherboard functions,
memory, and the power supply 'system' (more than just a supply).
Simple procedures can identify any definitively - that means without
doubt.

If hardware works, then maybe a software driver was harmed. Which
one? The entire STOP message would have suggested which.

You can boot to safe mode. That means system (event) logs must be
reviewed. Again, know what has failed long before trying to fix
anything (and maybe make the problem worse). Also Device Manager.
With the rest of that STOP error message, you might know which
hardware device to remove in Device Manager. Then a reboot of Vista
would load a new driver.

Finally, if your surge protector was so good, then it lists each
type of surge and protection from each surge in numeric specs. Did
you think it was good because it cost so much? Or because that is
also a popular myth? Notice no protection claims in numbers because
it does not claim to protect from a type of surge that is typically
destructive. If it provides effective protection, then it
specifically lists that protection using numbers in a manufacturer
spec.

Other tasks can help to first find, then correct the problem. Above
are first things done to find what has failed. Only then would we
even know why.

The entire STOP message is exactly what I had posted in my initial post:

***STOP: 0x0000000A (0xC0020000, 0x00000000, 0x88B9E036)
This is all that it says on an otherwise empty blue screen.
I can't get past this blue screen and therefore SAFE mode is not an
option.
Starting the machine with a clean, NTFS formatted hard drive and the Vista
disk in the DVD drive I again get to where it loads the initial Vista
files but then goes to the -end of the road- blue screen. Whith the clean
hard drive there were no drivers to load and only the hdd, Monitor and the
DVDdrive are connected. The screen gives me info up to the blue screen
which probably confirms that the Video card is not the problem? Boot up
info such as processor and memory test all display normal. The machine is
not a name brand and has no hardware diagnostics. Asus MB with AMD
processor.
The power failure was caused by me when I turned off the wrong breaker in
the basement. This should not cause a surge.
Based on all the help here and what I've done so far, it probably comes
down to the Mobo?

Break out a strong light and a good magnifying glass and check for pregnant
capacitors on the m/b.

 

[Marko]

Break out a strong light and a good magnifying glass and check for
pregnant capacitors on the m/b.

Thanks! I know Capacitors were a problem some years ago but I haven't heard
anything in recent years. However I did have a look and they all look
healthy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The entire STOP message is exactly what I had posted in my initial post:

***STOP: 0x0000000A (0xC0020000, 0x00000000, 0x88B9E036)
This is all that it says on an otherwise empty blue screen.
I can't get past this blue screen and therefore SAFE mode is not an option.
Starting the machine with a clean, NTFS formatted hard drive and the Vista
disk in the DVD drive I again get to where it loads the initial Vista files
but then goes to the -end of the road- blue screen. Whith the clean hard
drive there were no drivers to load and only the hdd, Monitor and the
DVDdrive are connected. The screen gives me info up to the blue screen which
probably confirms that the Video card is not the problem? Boot up info such
as processor and memory test all display normal. The machine is not a name
brand and has no hardware diagnostics. Asus MB with AMD processor.
The power failure was caused by me when I turned off the wrong breaker in
the basement. This should not cause a surge.
Based on all the help here and what I've done so far, it probably comes down
to the Mobo?

Thanks! Capacitors were a problem some years ago but I haven't heard
anything in recent years. However I did have a look and they all look
healthy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The entire STOP message is exactly what I had posted in my initial post:

***STOP: 0x0000000A (0xC0020000, 0x00000000, 0x88B9E036)
This is all that it says on an otherwise empty blue screen.
I can't get past this blue screen and therefore SAFE mode is not an option.
Starting the machine with a clean, NTFS formatted hard drive and the Vista
disk in the DVD drive I again get to where it loads the initial Vista files
but then goes to the -end of the road- blue screen. With the clean hard
drive there were no drivers to load and only the hdd, Monitor and the
DVDdrive are connected. The screen gives me info up to the blue screen which
probably confirms that the Video card is not the problem? Boot up info such
as processor and memory test all display normal. The machine is not a name
brand and has no hardware diagnostics. Asus MB with AMD processor.
The power failure was caused by me when I turned off the wrong breaker in
the basement. This should not cause a surge.
Based on all the help here and what I've done so far, it probably comes down
to the Mobo?

 

[Marko]

In your first post you mentioned the usb keyboard function had
disappeared, indicating
your Mobo bios settings had changed.
Have you tried loading the bios default settings?

I had reset the CMOS which should have done the trick?

 

[westom]

I can't get past this blue screen and therefore SAFE mode is  not an option.
Starting the machine with a clean, NTFS formatted hard drive and the Vista
disk in the DVD drive I again get to where it loads the initial Vista files
but then goes to the -end of the road- blue screen.

Nothing says the video controller is functional.

If I did not mention it, download diagnostics for devices that can
cause a BSOD failure message. Since the manufacturer does not provide
the hardware diagnostic (that they have and could have provided for
free), then find third party diagnostics such as Memtst86. It boots
without loading any drivers or OS. Test is best also executed with
memory heated by a hairdryer on high heat - the ideal temperature to
all memory. Defective memory often passes tests until heated.

Same applies to a video processor diagnostic from that
manufacturer. Like any good diagnostic, it also loads without
Windows, etc.

Of course, the one system that can cause all other components to
appear defective is the power supply 'system'. A system where the
supply is only one component. In your case, most important DC numbers
measured with a 3.5 digit multimeter are any one purple, red, orange,
and yellow wires. Probed where those wires enter a nylon connector on
motherboard. Numbers must exceed 3.23, 4.87, and 11.7 volts. If not,
you have a suspect that typically makes other components appear
defective. Then look for what in that suspect system is defective (ie
bulging capacitors).

If CMOS was a problem, the meter will identify that problem by
measuring the CMOS battery without removing it. If a 3 volt lithium,
then 2.8 volts DC says to plan replacing that battery in the next six
months. A lower voltage may explain problems on some motherboards.
Motherboard failure was really an excessively low battery.

Of course, other power supply connections to video controller board
and to a connector near the CPU exist?

Meter is necessary to confirm power supply system is definitively
good. Passing video controller and memory diagnostics mean only the
motherboard (or sound card) remains suspect. Those are the few
devices that could cause failure (without the benefit of a
comprehensive hardware diagnostic). Easy is to remove those other
components from the suspect list.

I am troubled by a stop code that does not report additional text.
Also troubled that the stop code was only followed by three numbers.
Should be four.

And finally, why do we fix things? Learning. Based upon what you
report, additional insight may be learned. Appreciate why we don't
'try this and try that'. Without 'following the evidence', I could
have listed maybe 30 things to try; if only using speculation.

 

[Marko]

Well I had another mobo around and installed it while using all the original
other hardware. I've not been able to repair the original Vista
installation. I then added another hard drive as master and installed Vista
from scratch on that one without a problem. All my files on the slaved
original HDD can be accessed.
I'll asked in a new Post if someone has any idea on how to make Vista work
on the original Hard drive. It would sure save me a lot of work.
Thanks for all the help here.

I can't get past this blue screen and therefore SAFE mode is not an
option.
Starting the machine with a clean, NTFS formatted hard drive and the Vista
disk in the DVD drive I again get to where it loads the initial Vista
files
but then goes to the -end of the road- blue screen.

Nothing says the video controller is functional.

If I did not mention it, download diagnostics for devices that can
cause a BSOD failure message. Since the manufacturer does not provide
the hardware diagnostic (that they have and could have provided for
free), then find third party diagnostics such as Memtst86. It boots
without loading any drivers or OS. Test is best also executed with
memory heated by a hairdryer on high heat - the ideal temperature to
all memory. Defective memory often passes tests until heated.

Same applies to a video processor diagnostic from that
manufacturer. Like any good diagnostic, it also loads without
Windows, etc.

Of course, the one system that can cause all other components to
appear defective is the power supply 'system'. A system where the
supply is only one component. In your case, most important DC numbers
measured with a 3.5 digit multimeter are any one purple, red, orange,
and yellow wires. Probed where those wires enter a nylon connector on
motherboard. Numbers must exceed 3.23, 4.87, and 11.7 volts. If not,
you have a suspect that typically makes other components appear
defective. Then look for what in that suspect system is defective (ie
bulging capacitors).

If CMOS was a problem, the meter will identify that problem by
measuring the CMOS battery without removing it. If a 3 volt lithium,
then 2.8 volts DC says to plan replacing that battery in the next six
months. A lower voltage may explain problems on some motherboards.
Motherboard failure was really an excessively low battery.

Of course, other power supply connections to video controller board
and to a connector near the CPU exist?

Meter is necessary to confirm power supply system is definitively
good. Passing video controller and memory diagnostics mean only the
motherboard (or sound card) remains suspect. Those are the few
devices that could cause failure (without the benefit of a
comprehensive hardware diagnostic). Easy is to remove those other
components from the suspect list.

I am troubled by a stop code that does not report additional text.
Also troubled that the stop code was only followed by three numbers.
Should be four.

And finally, why do we fix things? Learning. Based upon what you
report, additional insight may be learned. Appreciate why we don't
'try this and try that'. Without 'following the evidence', I could
have listed maybe 30 things to try; if only using speculation.

 

[westom]

Well I had another mobo around and installed it while using all the original
other hardware. I've not been able to repair the original Vista
installation. I then added another hard drive as master and installed Vista
from scratch on that one without a problem. All my files on the slaved
original HDD can be accessed.

Moving the slaved hard drive back as a master while connected to the
new motherboard, you may be able to 'repair' that original drive Vista
installlation. That would, essentially, change all drivers to match
new motherboard hardware. With Vista security, this old method may
not be permitted by Vista.

Appreicate why better computer manufacturers provide comprehensive
hardware diagnostics for free. A cheap shot at companies such as
eMachine who have those diagnostics but cannot be bothered to provide
them.

 

[Marko]

UPDATE:
Just to provide feedback, the 'other' mobo worked for a few hours and then
things were back to Vista not booting up. I then put the original mobo back.
Although the memory was tested extensively before, I next removed one memory
module at a time and found that everything works fine when one of them is
out.
It's still early but it would appear that this module is the problem. I'll
wait a couple of days before replacing it. With most tasks I can't really
tell the difference between 2gig and 3 gig anyway.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

To reinforce your finding about memory: I have had memory pass hours of
testing each with two different memory diagnostics, and yet the problems I
was having went away when I removed one of the two sticks in that
computer...

I later just replaced both sticks with new memory, rather than trust the
good one to stay healthy

 

[westom]

UPDATE:
Just to provide feedback, the 'other' mobo worked for a few hours and then
things were back to Vista not booting up. I then put the original mobo back.
Although the memory was tested extensively before, I next removed one memory
module at a time and found that everything works fine when one of them is
out.

Appreciate what was posted by one who learned this stuff generations
ago. Memory was not tested extensively until you heated it with a
hairdryer on highest heat setting. See the Bene Bloch post if you
still have not yet learned why that hairdryer recommendation was so
accurate. If memory caused failures, then the only useful diagnostic
was the one that identified that defective memory. And that meant
heat. Experience stated that heat is a diagnostic tool; not something
to solve. Did you ignore that post?

Also, without numbers from the 3.5 digit multimeter, then you still
don't know if the power supply 'system' (more than just a power
supply) is working. Your system has symptoms typical of (but not
limited to) a defective power 'system' that can still boot and run a
computer.

These suggestions are often ignored because they contradict popular
myths and assumptions. Without using heat to confirm hardware
integrity and without numbers using the multimeter, then, intermittent
failures can continue undetected. Worse is trying to fix
intermittents using shotgunning. Replace a part on speculation.
System works. Then system fails later. Eventually, most every part
gets replaced before the problem is discovered. Either use
shotgunning, or learn and solve failures using well proven diagnostic
procedures. Your choice. So far, these well proven diagnostic
methods were ignored - as most usually do. Too many want to fix the
problem rather than first learn what the problem is.