Windows xp boot problems

Question

I am having problems with Windows xp startup.  When the computer is started, it gets to a black screen, that gives the options to start in Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Command Prompt, etc... When I have attempted all of the options, none have been sucessfull, and I always end up at a blue screen with the folllowing message. ' A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.   If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, (which it is not), restart your computer. (Which I have, numerous times.)  If this screen appears again, follow these steps:   Disable or uninstall any antivirus, disk defragmentation or backup utilities.  Check your hard drive configuration, and check for any updated drivers.  Run CHKDSK?F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.   Technical information:   *** STOP: 0x00000024  (0x001902FE, 0xF96B980C, 0xF96B9508, 0xF90A61FC)   ***   Ntfs.sys _ Address F90A61FC base at F9099000, DateStamp 41107eea   '     I have tried all the recommendations that I can find on the Microsoft Knowledge database, but have had no success. I cannot get it to boot in any mode, so I cannot perform the recommended fixes.  The recovery console option will not start, it just sets there for a couple of minutes, and then returns to the blue screen.  This is my Dad's computer, and it is his first, (at age 70), so I am not sure if it had been giving any signs of problems before this occurred, and it was about two weeks beyond the warranty and service date. It came with SP 2 already installed. Any  help is appreciated. Message Edited by klik1 on 01-11-2006 09:23 PM

klik1 · Answer

Denny Thanks

klik1 · Answer

Denny

Thanks for the prompt response. I have tried the diagnostics available at the f12 menu, and everything passes. I am not opposed to a re-install, but, I am not sure that I am using the right procedure to do this. I am unable to get to a C:> prompt in any mode, so I am not sure how to procede. I am thinking that I have tried the re-install to no avail, but, any suggestions are appreciated. I have the Operating System CD, and the Drivers and Utilities CD that came with the computer.

Denny Denham · Answer

klik1, Installation procedures are here and in the included links.

Denny Denham · Answer

klik1,

Press F12 during bootup and run the hard disk diagnostics to rule out a disk which is failing or has failed. If it checks out as healthy it appears that a clean install of Windows XP is just about your only option.

mickey the mooc · Answer

Greetings!! I have been pulling my hair out and banging my head against brick walls for the last six months over the ' NTFS.SYS' git!!  Mymachine has done all yours has and more!! Anyway, I will pass on my feeble findings as I am not very computer wise! NTFS.SYS is something to do with the sonic dla program. If you download the dell crash analysis program from this site and run it the result will probably be a shared driver thing with 'NTFS.SYS' mentioned. I mailed the makers of sonic dvd and they said it was their dla program and gave me instructions how to uninstall it and then gave me a different version of the dla program to fix it!! Well it didn't! The crash analysis program still gave me the same S**T!! Anyway, last month I discovered from a chap on the web that the sonic dvd dla program is not used for much and he just uninstalled the program and no more problems for him!!! This seemed too simple, but being desperate and not giving a toss anymore I uninstalled the sonic dla problem!!  Two weeks later I can turn the machine on with confidence and the crash analysis program shows no signs of this shared driver problem. God, I hope this is an end to it or out the window it goes!!!!

klik1 · Answer

All

Thanks for the suggestions, but none worked. I finally had to use the system restore tool, (ctrl + F11), provided by Dell on some of the newer Dimension computer. ( See http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1090151&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19) This resulted in the computer being just as purchased, and I will need to re-install any lost software.

Thanks again!

Message Edited by klik1 on 01-12-2006 08:31 PM

DJG500 · Answer

Uh-oh - I think I'm having the same problem as Klik1. I can’t start Windows after we had a power outage and, when I restarted the computer to run the disk error tool (is that CHKDSK or SCANDISK?), the power went out again. On the next reboot, I got a long blue screen error message (sounds just like klik1's, only I may have a different technical message at the bottom) when the computer attempted to load Windows which starts: “A problem has been detected and Windows has shut down...” I’m told that this is a “Stop error screen”, I should disable or uninstall antivirus programs and the like, and then “Run CHKDSK /F to check for disk errors.”

I got the same message after I restarted again, and then attempted to run CHKDSK, but I can’t seem to ‘get’ there. I’ve tried the reboot options of reboot to last known configuration, safe mode, and safe mode w/ command prompt, but I don’t get a chance to run CHKDSK in this environment.

I did try hitting F12 on reboot and started running the “built-in” system tools to check the hard drive that way, but, alas, the power went out again in the middle of that check. Since then, I've checked online w/ another computer and found these instructions on a Dell Support web page entitled:

"The system will not boot into Microsoft Windows XP"

I'll try again to test the hard drive later (after I'm sure our power is back for good!) and see if I can Windows to start, but anyone have any optimistic news or advice for me?

My computer is an XPS400 running XP Media Center Edition. I do NOT have a floppy drive, but I do have an XP OS CD. If the drive is still OK, but files are corrupt,I did get Norton Ghost and do have a Recovery Point or image on an external HD (about 10 days or so old, before I loaded some additional programs, but better than starting from scratch). So perhaps that's my fallback, or am I too optimistic? At least this is a relatively new Dell and under warranty, so if the hard drive is physically fried, I guess I can get that replaced.

Again, any advice or words of comfort welcome. Thank you.

Message Edited by DJG500 on 01-15-2006 08:32 AM

DJG500 · Answer

An update to my previous message, in case it might help someone else down the road.

I was able to recover my system where it was - did not need to use Ghost, Restore or re-install operating system. (sigh of relief!)

Ran the Hard Drive diagnostics in the Utility Partition (F12 on reboot) and the hard drive passed all of them. Next steps, according to "Journal Number: 06015KBMLQ" (the Dell Tech document I referred to in my previous message) are to attempt to boot into Safe Mode or "Last Known Good Configuration" - that didn't work. Then the next steps are to reset some BIOS settings. At the point, I contacted Dell Tech Support by phone and eventually spoke to a tech who provided some helpful thoughts on how to proceed - probably no need to run the BIOS stuff, and the hard drive was probably OK. He thought problem was likely in the file system, so I should run CHKDSK /R or /F, which can be run from the Recovery Panel when booting from the XP CD. (Fortunately, I had insisted on getting an OS CD from Dell, even though my system doesn't come w/ it - came in handy here so worth pursuing w/ Dell if a reader is looking at buying a system.) I did that - booted from CD then when into the Recovery Panel to run CHKDSK /R. Takes a long time (and had another power failure (!!) before it completed, so it ran again), but eventually my computer rebooted into "Normal" Windows XP and so far, appears to be OK.

So, lesson learned - before giving up, try checking and repairing the Windows file system using a Windows startup CD to run the utilities.

Windows General

Windows xp boot problems

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