Problems starting Windows XP

Try running system file checker to replace corrupted files. Type this in the Run box:  sfc  /scannow  (note the space and have your windows cd available.) If that doesn't clear it up, use Restore to revert to before the problem started. You might want to Run msconfig and look at the startup tab for unwanted items. Running Spybot and AdAware wouldn't hurt, either.

That was the first thing I tried, it didn't find any errors.

Does it use a registry entry to determine a good startup or does it store something in a file?

Something must have become corrupted but I don't know where to start looking.

I tried reinstalling Windows (I think it was called a repair install) but that made no difference either.

I know I could get around it with a clean install but I want to avoid that if I can.

 

If you have done this, disregard. Run chkdsk /r (note the space)

Not an experienced xp user so a grain of salt is in order. You can boot to desktop with this message, confirmed ?

Suggestions:

1. Disable 2 services and try restart.

2. Check device manager.

3. Set a bootlog if none is found on Search.

4. Check Windows Update.log

5. Run virus scan.

6. uninstall/detach scanner  

7. this link may not apply http://www.broadbandreports.com/faq/3546

btw, a Repair Install only buys you time to backup your data, aka a dirty install. Sooner or later you'll likely want to do a clean one.

 

Thanks, I've just tried sfc but unfortunately it doesn't cure the problem. I tried system restore previously without success and I've already run AdAware and it found nothing of any significance. I've also tried using msconfig.

Could this be a hardware problem?

At the same time this problem appeared the task sheduler service and Windows Image Acquisition service stopped working and I can't get them to start, either automatically or manually.

Message Edited by d_b on 11-13-2003 02:05 PM

~d_b,

What is the exact error message that you are getting.

I take it you meant bootstat.dat to which your link refers.

Look in event viewer for the related errors. For possible info on those event log entries, you could try doing to

 http://www.eventid.net/

click search events, enter the eventID and Event source. If there are any, you will get some related posts extracted from their forums, without having to subscribe. Sometimes that leads to a solution. 

Also if you are connected, if you click the link to MS in the event description you will get something back, sometimes with a more detailed explanatiobn and links to MS articles.

Well the good news is I've managed to solve the boot problem. I stumbled across a knowledge base article...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;309481

Which described a similar problem. Upon investigation I discovered that Bootdat.dat had not been updated since 24th October which was when the problems started. According to the article, Bootdat.dat is used to store information that determines whether a startup has been successful. I noticed the file was read-only although I suspect that was not the problem. As the article mentioned a problem where the file is compressed (compression was not indicated) I compressed it and then decrompressed it, applying the changes at each stage. I also set the file to be read/write. I then rebooted and it initialised OK and has done several times since.

The bad news is I still can't start the Task Scheduler and Windows Image Acquiusition services. On the assumption that something corrupted the system on 24th October I searched for all files that were last updated then. I found quite a few, mostly log files. I then copied all of them to an archive directory and tried removing the read only attributes and then finally deleting the files. The two services still won't start.

About 2 minutes from attempting to start the service, a dialog appears with the following message:

Could not start the Task Scheduler Service on Local Computer: Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

The log files winmgmt.log, wmiprov.log and wbemess.log contain various error with timestamps coinciding with the attempted start of the service.

Would the specific errors and error codes from the log files give any indication of exactly what the fault is?

 

Oops, yes, it is Bootstat.dat

Thanks for the link to eventid.net, it looks like a good one to bookmark although in this case I wasn't able to find any new information. I'd already tried the MS link. For this error it doesn't give much detail.