XP SP2 Install is successful but computer will only start in safe

[Guest]

XP SP2 installation says that the install on my PC was successful. However
when the PC restarts it will only restart in 'safe mode'. I have XP Pro
running on a 64 bit processor (Athlon 64 3200+). My Norton Anti-virus is
disabled and a scan for ad-ware/spyware says the PC is clean. What am I doing
wrong. For info. the unistall of XP SP2 works fine and my PC is returned to
its previous running condition.

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

XP SP2 installation says that the install on my PC was successful. However
when the PC restarts it will only restart in 'safe mode'. I have XP Pro
running on a 64 bit processor (Athlon 64 3200+). My Norton Anti-virus is
disabled and a scan for ad-ware/spyware says the PC is clean. What am I doing
wrong. For info. the unistall of XP SP2 works fine and my PC is returned to
its previous running condition.

Hi

Please see the "Data Execution Prevention prevents complete booting
or shutting down" section here:

http://www.michna.com/kb/WxSP2.htm#Boot_or_shutdown_problems_after_Service_Pack_2_installation

 

[Guest]

My processor is an AMD Athlon 64 so it should support Hardware DEP.

However I'm now trying to do a manually configured DEP. In step 6 of the
instructions it says to manually add the applications that are not to use
DEP. What do I put in here? Every application? Just the non Microsoft apps?

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

My processor is an AMD Athlon 64 so it should support Hardware DEP.

However I'm now trying to do a manually configured DEP. In step 6 of the
instructions it says to manually add the applications that are not to use
DEP. What do I put in here? Every application? Just the non Microsoft apps?

Hi

I suggest you disable DEP (by changing boot.ini) and see if that helps.

 

[Guest]

I've looked in boot.ini and also at the bootcfg commands. None of them refer
to a DEP parameter. What is the name of the parameter? Is the DEP switch in
the boot.ini?

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

I've looked in boot.ini and also at the bootcfg commands. None of them refer
to a DEP parameter. What is the name of the parameter? Is the DEP switch in
the boot.ini?

Hi

It's all described in the link I provided in my first post...

 

[Guest]

Sorry I hadn't noticed the paragraph on page 10. I've now tried it and my
machine will still only work in safe mode. I've reached the conclusion that
SP2 was not designed for 64 bit machines and probably doesn't woirk with
them. I've also seen the comments from Darren Curtis an MS Enterprise Support
Engineer saying that a new version of SP2 is being prepared for 64 bit
machines and will be released in February 2005.
So I'll stay as I am until the new SP2 is released.
Many thans for all your help.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Sorry I hadn't noticed the paragraph on page 10. I've now tried it and my
machine will still only work in safe mode. I've reached the conclusion that
SP2 was not designed for 64 bit machines and probably doesn't woirk with
them. I've also seen the comments from Darren Curtis an MS Enterprise Support
Engineer saying that a new version of SP2 is being prepared for 64 bit
machines and will be released in February 2005.
So I'll stay as I am until the new SP2 is released.
Many thans for all your help.

John,

this may be a misunderstanding. They are probably talking about
SP2 for the 64 bit version of Windows XP, which you are not
using.

Hans-Georg

 

[Guest]

OK so we're back to square one. Is there anywhere ( a log file) that I can
look at that will tell me what my machine does not like when it boots up.
Just being told that it will only start in safe mode is not very helpful. I
need a clue to enable me to solve the problem.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

OK so we're back to square one. Is there anywhere ( a log file) that I can
look at that will tell me what my machine does not like when it boots up.
Just being told that it will only start in safe mode is not very helpful. I
need a clue to enable me to solve the problem.

John,

have you disabled DEP?

Hans-Georg

 

[Guest]

Yes I've tried it with DEP disabled. I still get the same result that I can
only proceed in safe mode.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Yes I've tried it with DEP disabled. I still get the same result that I can
only proceed in safe mode.

John,

then the next thing to check is the processor and BIOS problem,
the "Prescott problem".

After that it's the drivers.

Which error do you get when you try to boot in normal mode?

Hans-Georg

 

[Guest]

Hans-Georg,

When I try to boot in normal mode I just get put into a safe mode with a
message saying that XP has detected a problem. Not very helpful !!

I've checked the BIOS version with ASUS and mine is up to date.

There's a wide choice of drivers to choose from. Do you have any
recommendations as to where to start. I've got a pair of 120Gb SATA RAID
disks on the machine, is this a good start point?

Regards,

John

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

There's a wide choice of drivers to choose from. Do you have any
recommendations as to where to start. I've got a pair of 120Gb SATA RAID
disks on the machine, is this a good start point?

John,

yes, I've heard about problems with SATA drives, particularly on
RAID controllers.

Others that keep making trouble are USB and Firewire (IEEE
1394), but theoretically it could be any driver.

Hans-Georg