PCI.SYS error on bootup

Question

Hi,

My PC bluescreened after I installed the DELL support centre tool.When I try and bootup my PC into XP, my mouse and keyboard do not work, I am unable to select my profile to log on. I have tried a differnet mouse on different ports without success. I can boot into safe mode and my mouse and keyboard work okay.

I have tried to run the repair facility on my XP disk but the install gets so far and then bluescreens on the PCI.SYS file. I have tried to replace and extract a new PCI.SYS file but it still blue screens.

I have used to hardware check tool when you select F12 and it has not found a problem with my hardware. I have also run the Blue Screen tool in Symptom tree and it has not found an issue either.

I have tried to run the repair tool under safe mode but will not accept my licience key which is provide with the PC. I have enven tried to intergrate the SP2 options without sucess. I have replaced all the system files from the origional CD and have run SP2 on the PC again.

I have also remove the modem and usb cards from my PC and tried a different graphics card, still have the same problem.

I have upgraded the BIOS to the latest version.

Anyone got any other ideas ? I have backed up all my data but don't want to go throught the trouble of reformatting my PC and installing all my apps again.

Dimension 9100

All origional hardware

XP SP2

BIOS A3

Thanks

Noel

Message Edited by NoelRyan on 11-28-2007 11:56 PM

mombodog · Answer

Boot into safe mode, Start the windows installer service

To start Windows Installer in Safe Mode:
1. Restart your computer and press F8 before the Boot Menu or splash screen.
2. Select safe mode, hit enter
3. Open a CMD.EXE window, go to start run type cmd hit OK.
4. Type the following command and hit enter
net start msiserver

5. Close the cmd window

Now go to add remove programs and remove the support software you installed, restart the PC, see if it will boot normally.

If this does not work do the following. This will repair other problems besides a corrupt registry, since this is the offline method to perform a system restore.

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

Connect your non-bootable hard drive to another computer, as a secondary drive and boot into windows. If you can see your data on the drive, back it up Now, then follow the rest of these instructions.

Open Windows Explorer. Click on Tools|Folder Options|View. Check the box beside "Show hidden files and folders". Apply your change.

Navigate to the d:\System Volume Information folder ( d: represents the crashed drive letter).
You will see a folder named something like _restore{.........} the dots represent an alpha-numeric sequence.

In this folder you will see folders named RP0....RPnn. Find the one with the highest number.
These are your System Restore points. In the highest numbered folder you will see a folder named snapshot. In this folder are registry hive files which you need to recover your system:

_registry_user_.default
_registry_machine_security
_registry_machine_software
_registry_machine_system
_registry_machine_sam

Create a subdirectory; i.e, d:\Windows\TMP. Copy these files to the TMP subdirectory. Rename them:

default
security
software
system
sam

Note: Be sure to lose the period (.) in the file named _registry_user_.default
Delete the files in the d:\windows\system32\config subdirectory with the same names.
Copy the d:\windows\tmp files to the d:\windows\system32\config. subdirectory.
Put your drive back in its original system. Your system should start normally. If you get the same error go back and choose another folder ( RPnn-1) and repeat the procedure.

If you are denied access to any folders you will have to take "Ownership" of the folders first.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

If this procedure fails to work you must reinstall Windows.

Dskkateer1 · Answer

I am also encountering the same error on the same system (XPS 9150). I decided to upgrade my HD to 160GB Maxtor SATA HD. Trying to boot from a WIN XP CD to install, I would get the blue screen of death with the pci.sys error. I have cleared CMOS and installed WIN XP onto the HD using another computer and after plugging this back in, still getting this same message. I am out of ideas, please help.

mombodog · Answer

Dskkateer1, are you using a Xpsp2 cd?  You must.

Dskkateer1 · Answer

No I am not.  I will have to get my hands on one.  Thanks for the tip, I'll let the string know if this works.

NoelRyan · Answer

All,   I still could not resolve this issue so I recovered by OS by using the Dell Recovery option. I used the F9 key and then kicked off the Dell recovery procedure which reghosted my PC.   Thanks all.   Noel

Dskkateer1 · Answer

Since I was installing a new HD on the XPS mobo, I had to have a Dell support disk (which I no longer had). I grabbed a XP SP2 Dell Support disk off of an internet site. This worked for me, so if you are attempting to install a new HD on a Dell mobo, you must have the Dell supported software. And if you dont have the Dell support disk, start checking out sites and forums that have other people frustrated with proprietary software. Flashing the mobo could also work too.

Windows General

PCI.SYS error on bootup

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