BSOD on boot, can't even get into safe mode

  • Thread starter Thread starter felix32
  • Start date Start date
F

felix32

I have WinXP Home SP2 on an HP Pavilion 4200 Notebook, with an AMD1600
and 1Gb RAM.

Things started to go wrong when I got error messages on boot telling me
that winlogon.exe couldn't start because shell.dll wasn't found, and
that msgina.dll failed.
Looked up the problem and Microsoft blamed one of their updates, and
told me to restore the files from the CD. I tried, and of course it
wanted the administrator password. Now, the machine is 2 years old and
I've never once used the admin p/w, but there were only two options as
to what it was and I tried them, upper and lower case. No soap,
password rejected.
So I started to go round the long way and do a complete restore from
the OEM CD. This seemd to load up OK, but when it got to the end and
rebooted for the last time, I got a split-second flash of BSOD halfway
through the boot, and a restart.
And that's all I've had since.
I've tried starting with:
Last Known Good Config
Safe Mode
Safe Mode Networking
Safe Mode Command Prompt
and all do exactly the same BSOD thing and restart. The thing flashes
up so damn fast I can't possibly read the error message.
Now I'm stuck. The only thing I can think of (unless anyone can help!)
is a complete reformat and OS reload, which will lose me 2 years of
stuff . . .
 
The password requested is the default Administrator
password, not the password you use for the normal logon. If
no password has been set (a common thing for many computers)
just tab over the password field and press enter.

|
| Will Denny
| MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
| Please reply to the News Groups
|
|
|
| >I have WinXP Home SP2 on an HP Pavilion 4200 Notebook,
with an AMD1600
| > and 1Gb RAM.
| >
| > Things started to go wrong when I got error messages on
boot telling me
| > that winlogon.exe couldn't start because shell.dll
wasn't found, and
| > that msgina.dll failed.
| > Looked up the problem and Microsoft blamed one of their
updates, and
| > told me to restore the files from the CD. I tried, and
of course it
| > wanted the administrator password. Now, the machine is 2
years old and
| > I've never once used the admin p/w, but there were only
two options as
| > to what it was and I tried them, upper and lower case.
No soap,
| > password rejected.
| > So I started to go round the long way and do a complete
restore from
| > the OEM CD. This seemd to load up OK, but when it got to
the end and
| > rebooted for the last time, I got a split-second flash
of BSOD halfway
| > through the boot, and a restart.
| > And that's all I've had since.
| > I've tried starting with:
| > Last Known Good Config
| > Safe Mode
| > Safe Mode Networking
| > Safe Mode Command Prompt
| > and all do exactly the same BSOD thing and restart. The
thing flashes
| > up so damn fast I can't possibly read the error message.
| > Now I'm stuck. The only thing I can think of (unless
anyone can help!)
| > is a complete reformat and OS reload, which will lose me
2 years of
| > stuff . . .
| >
|

| Hi
|
| Does your OEM XP CD give you a 'Repair' option as well as
a
| reformat/reinstall option:
|
| "How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
| http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
|
| --

|
 
Hi,

Do a parallel installation:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316941#4

Then you can at least recover your data. Programs will need to be
reinstalled, or you might simply use the parallel installation to replace
the files that are missing or corrupt in the original installation.

On the issue of the admin password, if you are referring to the Recovery
Console, you may have been the victim of a system installed using sysprep.
The workaround is to use the 6 floppy boot set. Using the WinXP Boot floppy
set:
http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Boot floppy

Cannot Log On to Recovery Console After Running Sysprep [Q308402]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308402

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Rick,

Have you ever seen the floppy boot per KB 308402 actually work to get
around the Sysprep problem? In my service experience this fails 100% of the
time. I suspect this KB is just incorrect, but am interested in knowing if
anyone has ever seen it work.
 
Felix,

It sounds very likely that your hard disk may be failing. Note that
damaged registry files (as well as the Sysprep problem) often cause the
password problem. I don't know if this is feasible for you, but my
practice in servicing this type of problem is to slave the problem hard
drive to a service machine before attempting reinstalls and more drastic
measures in order to recover all possible data files. Then, run chkdsk /r
on the problem drive. If the drive is failing replace it. If not, then you
may need to reformat and do a full reinstall.

If you do not have the facility to copy your files by slaving the drive,
then go with Ricks suggestion for a parallel installation, but be sure to
run a chkdsk /r after that (hopefully) works and you have backed up your
files.
 
Hi,

Yes, plenty of times. What issue are you running into when booting with
them?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

GTS said:
Rick,

Have you ever seen the floppy boot per KB 308402 actually work to get
around the Sysprep problem? In my service experience this fails 100% of
the time. I suspect this KB is just incorrect, but am interested in
knowing if anyone has ever seen it work.

--

Rick "Nutcase" Rogers said:
Hi,

Do a parallel installation:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316941#4

Then you can at least recover your data. Programs will need to be
reinstalled, or you might simply use the parallel installation to replace
the files that are missing or corrupt in the original installation.

On the issue of the admin password, if you are referring to the Recovery
Console, you may have been the victim of a system installed using
sysprep. The workaround is to use the 6 floppy boot set. Using the WinXP
Boot floppy set:
http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Boot floppy

Cannot Log On to Recovery Console After Running Sysprep [Q308402]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308402

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
When using a floppy boot set I've seen the same problem as with a CD boot to
Recovery Console where the system wouldn't accept a password (or an Enter
press in the usually default blank administrator case) for the RC login. I
know that in some cases where I've unsuccessfully tried the floppy boot
there was a corrupted registry, so it may be that was the reason for the
failure. (I generally use a Knoppix boot CD or slave the drive in a
service machine at that point.)

It's useful to know that the floppy boot sometimes works and is still worth
a try. Thanks for the info.
--

Rick "Nutcase" Rogers said:
Hi,

Yes, plenty of times. What issue are you running into when booting with
them?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

GTS said:
Rick,

Have you ever seen the floppy boot per KB 308402 actually work to get
around the Sysprep problem? In my service experience this fails 100% of
the time. I suspect this KB is just incorrect, but am interested in
knowing if anyone has ever seen it work.

--

Rick "Nutcase" Rogers said:
Hi,

Do a parallel installation:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316941#4

Then you can at least recover your data. Programs will need to be
reinstalled, or you might simply use the parallel installation to
replace the files that are missing or corrupt in the original
installation.

On the issue of the admin password, if you are referring to the Recovery
Console, you may have been the victim of a system installed using
sysprep. The workaround is to use the 6 floppy boot set. Using the WinXP
Boot floppy set:
http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Boot floppy

Cannot Log On to Recovery Console After Running Sysprep [Q308402]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308402

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

Well, since the RC does still tie into the system, some corruption could
conceivably cause it to not work correctly. Frankly I, like you, just use a
different tool. Knoppix is ok, but I prefer BartPE.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

GTS said:
When using a floppy boot set I've seen the same problem as with a CD boot
to Recovery Console where the system wouldn't accept a password (or an
Enter press in the usually default blank administrator case) for the RC
login. I know that in some cases where I've unsuccessfully tried the
floppy boot there was a corrupted registry, so it may be that was the
reason for the failure. (I generally use a Knoppix boot CD or slave the
drive in a service machine at that point.)

It's useful to know that the floppy boot sometimes works and is still
worth a try. Thanks for the info.
--

Rick "Nutcase" Rogers said:
Hi,

Yes, plenty of times. What issue are you running into when booting with
them?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

GTS said:
Rick,

Have you ever seen the floppy boot per KB 308402 actually work to get
around the Sysprep problem? In my service experience this fails 100% of
the time. I suspect this KB is just incorrect, but am interested in
knowing if anyone has ever seen it work.

--

Hi,

Do a parallel installation:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316941#4

Then you can at least recover your data. Programs will need to be
reinstalled, or you might simply use the parallel installation to
replace the files that are missing or corrupt in the original
installation.

On the issue of the admin password, if you are referring to the
Recovery Console, you may have been the victim of a system installed
using sysprep. The workaround is to use the 6 floppy boot set. Using
the WinXP Boot floppy set:
http://www.rickrogers.org/fixes.htm#Boot floppy

Cannot Log On to Recovery Console After Running Sysprep [Q308402]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308402

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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