Hi johnnypantz

What version of Windows?

Any clues from what was done just before the problem started?

Typical fatal error code as a result of corrupt/compromised Winlogon – blocks System Account

Possible causes are malware, system admin has modified permissions or using certain software e.g Roxio GoBack

I'm having exactly the same problem with a Dell Inspiron 1525 that expired warranty in April.

I'm running Vista and it fired up fine one morning, crashed while I was attempting to post a reply to a message on Facebook and then upon restarting, I got the blue screen of death.

It seems I've tried all the options that johnnypantz has and got nowhere. All the diagnostics testing is pointing to a harddrive problem, but I've heard things about windows update causing this error? If so, my updates have been failing around about the same time the warranty expired and haven't managed to update since then.

Any ideas?

SamanimalJane,

Read the second thread HERE.

Rick

I'm having exactly the same problem with a Dell Inspiron 1525 that expired warranty in April. I'm running Vista and it fired up fine one morning, crashed while I was attempting to post a reply to a message on Facebook and then upon restarting, I got the blue screen of death. It seems I've tried all the options that johnnypantz has and got nowhere. All the diagnostics testing is pointing to a harddrive problem, but I've heard things about windows update causing this error? If so, my updates have been failing around about the same time the warranty expired and haven't managed to update since then. Any ideas?

SamanimalJane, did you get a solution to your problem as I have exactly the same issue with my son's laptop that we bought for Christmas last year.

When he started it this morning he got the "Blue Screen of Death" with the exact same error message...

STOP: c000021a Fatal System Error .

The session manager failed to create protected prefixes system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc000003a (0x00000000 0x00000000). The system hs been shut down

laptop is an Inspiron 1525.

Cheers Jim..

I feel like you can help me, as I am having the same problem as SamanimalJane mentioned, and I tried everything she/he tried.

I read your thread in the link you posted, however I cannot even get windows to load. I don't even get to the log on screen.

A few days before the blue screen of death with the STOP: c000021a code appeared I had tried to install the updates my computer had found, however my computer went into hybernation while I was trying to download my updates, so my system update (I think it was a system update??) didn't actually update. I have read that this could be my problem.

As I said, I read your article, and it makes sense with what I just told you, but I can't even get on my desktop to get to the control panel. I ordered a service pack from Dell, because I don't have my OS backup disk. Is it possible that when I get that disk I can get to my desktop and follow your instructions without reinstalling the OS and losing all my data?

THANKS!!

Folks,

Have you resolved the issues and got the laptop back to life? I ran into the same error message with my Dell 1525 laptop. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot...Mike

We brought ours to a repair shop, and the laptop had some bad sectors on the harddrive that will stay with us till we either replace the harddrive or light this laptop on fire.

we bought a Dell dude