booting failure

Hi, I have a Dell and am having a problem booting up. It goes to a screen that informs me windows has been stopped to keep harm from my computer. The same thing happens in safe mode. It says to run scndsk/f for checking for corruption, but I can't get in to run it. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.

Do you have your XP disk?

Yes I do, suprisingly.

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654

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Boot into Recovery Console and log on to the current installation.

When you get to the Recovery Console prompt, type cd \ and press "Enter".

Type cd system~1\_resto~1 and press "Enter".

Type dir and press "Enter".

After
you press enter you will see a list of folders (like rp1, rp2) If the
list of restore points has more than one page then press the "Enter" key until you reach the end of the list

Type cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list} and press "Enter".
Note: Example: cd rp9 if the last restore point is rp10

Type cd snapshot and press "Enter".

Type copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system and press "Enter".

Type copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software and press "Enter".

Type exit and press "Enter".

Your PC will reboot.

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If you get an access denied error when doing the above, then do the following at the recovery console:

Type cd \ and press "Enter".

Type cd windows\system32\config and press "Enter".

Type ren system system.bak and press "Enter".

Type exit and press "Enter".

Your PC will reboot, go back into the Recovery Console and start from the beginning.

It's not happening. It is entirely plausible that I am doing incorrectly but have tried it a number of ways, but it always reverts to original warning and the technical info most common is:

Stop: 0x0000007B (0xF8B8F528, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

I also get:

Stop: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005, 0x83343E7A, 0xF8BC77B0, 0xF8BC74AC)

if that means anything...

Do you have a Linksys WUSB54G network adapter?

If so, disconnect it, then try to start the computer.

Anything happen?

No, no Linksys adapter.

Odd.

Boot into Recovery Console and log on to the current installation.

When you get to the Recovery Console prompt, type fixmbr and press "Enter". Then, reboot.

Does it start up?

If not, then do this:

Boot into Recovery Console and log on to the current installation.

When you get to the Recovery Console prompt, type chkdsk /f and press "Enter".
Reboot.

Does it start up?

Ah, I'm sorry, I wasn't very clear. I cannot access Recovery Console either. When I turn my computer on, I get a flash of Windows w/F2 and F12 in the upper right hand corner and then it directly goes to the warning or to a menu of safe modes that will bring me to the warning. The same is true with even with the XP disk installed.

Avira AntiVir Rescue System is a Linux-based application that allows accessing computers that cannot be booted anymore.

• Download The Avira AntiVir Rescue System from Antivir.de.
  
• Just double-click on the rescue system package to burn it to a CD/DVD.
  
• Then please use that CD/DVD with Avira Rescue System to boot your computer.

You'll get a boot option to either boot from hard drive or AntiVir Rescue System.


Press the number 2 on your keyboard to boot into AntiVir Rescue System.

Please wait until drivers are loaded and Main menu shows. Then please select the second option “Scan your system with AntiVir” and hit Enter.


Under Configuration, please select Scan all files, Try to repair infected files and Rename files if they cannot be removed?.


Then please start the scan.

The Avira AntiVir Rescue System wil now

• repair a damaged system,
  
• rescue data,
  
• scan the system for virus infections.

It won't allow me the option of booting from the disk. I've tried it from F12(boot menu) also but no go, same warning screen. Is this thing toast?

Change the boot order in the BIOS: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ss/bootorderchange.htm

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Then, please try again.

Okay, tried it, no go. Even changed from fast boot in Bios and no change, still reverts to same warning screen.

Ok. I am consulting a couple of other advisors, so we can figure out a solution, if any.

Sit tight.

Okay, thanks, I appreciate the effort.

Did you forget about me?

The advisors recommended a reformat/reinstall.

But, your hard drive is rather corrupt.

It will take a total wipe, then a trial to reinstall Windows.

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See this page, where you will need to select a version. http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

If you have questions, please ask.

okay, I'm sure to have some questions, in the meantime; I just got a new laptop connected wireless - can I print to the desktop printer in some fashion?

Okay, I'm getting ready to try this. But a stupid question first, I can download from here http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm
without any risk to the computer I'm on at the time correct? And just download it to a cd?

hello?

Right, just use a CD. No risk. On the bad computer, place it in and boot from it. There are guides on that website to help you get through it.