Windows XP Startup error

Printable View

May 30th, 2004, 03:57 AM
slick8790

Windows XP Startup error

When i start up windows i get this error:

Quote:

"STOP: c000021a {fatal system error}
The windows logon process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0x00000080 (0x00000000 0x00000000)

Then it proceeds to reboot.

I've tried to boot from the windows XP CD, but it says something along the lines of:

Quote:

Checking for system harware configuration...

That stays on the screen for about 3-5 seconds, and then the screen goes black. Eventually, the CD crive even stops spinning. I've waited about 30 min. just to see if anything would come up, but nothing. I really don't wanna do a Format and re-install, and the problem is even if i did, i can't get in to the windows install CD. Also, could it have had something to do with a power surge? I am thinking this because it was working fine when i went to school, and vwe had a power surge, and when i came home it wouldn't load windows. I have a surge protector. Finally, could it have something to do with GRUB? I have a SUSE installation on the same drive (diff partitions of course). Any ideas what to do? I'm totally lost, and and kinda pissed off...

slick
May 30th, 2004, 04:08 AM
JohnHACK

Is this happen in blue screen?
May 30th, 2004, 04:11 AM
slick8790

Yup. Tried booting in Safe Mode, and Last Known Good Configuration, same thing happened.
May 30th, 2004, 04:46 AM
sforce

well i had the same problem while running xp at some point it gave me an error just like ur and at the end i had to format.i didn't have any other OS on my PC at that time.initially i thought it was due to currupt cd but then a friend of mine loaded XP from same CD and he had no problem.
my PC is running a PIII, 810,128 RAm and my friends on a PIV,815,256 RAM.
may be it has to do with ur system configuration.
and if ur CD is not responding then u should try anather one.
May 30th, 2004, 05:05 AM
JohnHACK

Did u replace any hardwares? Because this could be ur hardware problem such as ur RAM...
May 30th, 2004, 05:12 AM
sforce

well i think the same way i think it was something to do with my hardware later on i found out one more thing that my ram socket(hardware in which ram is fixed) had some problem vendor said there is short circuit in one of them so i was actually only running on 64 not even 128RAM.
i think it had to do the same way. i just formated my PC at the end.
May 30th, 2004, 06:13 AM
cheyenne1212

Try going into your bios, and find the option that says "halt on" or "halt on all errors" change it so it doesn't stop on any errors and see if it lets you in.

If that does work then download all updates for the M$ site and reboot and see if you still get that error. I searched google for that and it seems that its caused by hardware that windows does not like.

Is this a computer that use to have a older OS on it and you upgraded the OS or is it brand new/came with xp?
May 30th, 2004, 07:34 AM
SwordFish_13

Hey slick8790

As cheyenne1212 Siid the problem seems to be hardware related ....and it might be anything ....Do you happen to have two Sticks of RAM do you.........I Got the Same Message when one of my RAM got Busted......And when i tried to install XP again it said "Checking for system harware configuration..." then the black screen.........If the Problem is same as mine then Format and Clean Install would also not work.......

Here are a QuickTips what i would Recomend...

First Try ressiting the CMOS by removing the CMOS battries......Then load the Optimal Settings and try to boot.........

Second Check the RAM If you have Two Sticks Try Booting With one of them... at a time.. It worked for me........

Try Booting With Windows98 Bootup Disk See if it Boots Form it If it Does try repairing the Previous XP installation......

--Good Luck--
May 30th, 2004, 01:56 PM
slick8790

Quote:

If that does work then download all updates for the M$ site and reboot and see if you still get that error. I searched google for that and it seems that its caused by hardware that windows does not like.

cant do that...it wont let me in to windows. i got this computer with Me installed, i upgraded to XP last september. ill try the halt on thing.

slick

EDIT

There isn't any Halt On thing in my BIOS. Also,

Quote:

Second Check the RAM If you have Two Sticks Try Booting With one of them... at a time.. It worked for me........

How do i check if i ave two sticks or one? And how would i boot with them one at a time?
May 30th, 2004, 10:28 PM
Und3ertak3r

Quote:

How do i check if i ave two sticks or one? And how would i boot with them one at a time?

Take the side off the system case and have a look!

hmmm seriously.. everyone is poking around in the dark here.. it does help if ppl can post their system specs when they have a problem like this..(i can speak), it helps all .. those that are helping as well as the sandbaggers..oh and you..
reformatting and installing is not always the answer.. it just maybe the path to more headaches..

Now go grab a #1 point philips head screwdriver and get the side off that case..

Cheers

edit: and now I encounter this question.. i thought some would be interested..

Quote:

in the link you gave me it say i have to the Replace the 40-wire cable with an 80-wire UDMA cable. do you know how to replace the cable?
May 30th, 2004, 11:38 PM
slick8790

Quote:

Now go grab a #1 point philips head screwdriver and get the side off that case.

yeah, thing about that is that there is no screws on the case. It is a dell 8100. There was a button on the front, and when i pressed it, the front cover came off (my dad, who thinks he is tech whiz just started pushing things in, and now it won't close, but thats not the problem now). Even with the front cover off, i dont see any screws. I'll post some pictures of the case if you want. BTW, i have two sticks of RAM, figured that out in the BIOS. How do i tell where the RAM is? Ugh...this is just getting better and better.....

slick
May 31st, 2004, 12:16 AM
nihil

Hmmm,

Dell 8100, shipped with ME...............something like a P4 1.7GHz processor?. Two 128Mb sticks?...........probably PC800 RAMBUS memory.

I will check back tomorrow, and if you still have problems I will dig out my 8100 and give you instructions on how to get it apart.

Did you have a thunderstorm that day?

Cheers
May 31st, 2004, 12:56 AM
slick8790

yeah, we did have a thunderstorm...BTW, got the case open, found the RAM, but when i take one piece out and try to boot with just one, like someone suggested before. however, when i turn the power on it makes a loud alarm noise until i turn it off. these noises make me nervous, so i turned it off. thats where i am right now. also i dont have 2 128 MB sticks. i have 2 64 MB sticks. there are also two small things that look like RAM, but don't say anything on them. any ideas?

slick
May 31st, 2004, 03:24 AM
nihil

Hi slick,

1. Are the small things the same size as your RAM sticks? and mounted parallel to them, or are they elsewhere on the board?

2. What does it say on the two 64Mb RAM sticks? What sort of memory is it?

3. How does it connect to the internet? does it have an internal modem? Was a modem connected at the time these problems started. It doesn't have to be turned on, just connected to your PC and the telephone line. Lightning might have fried it, and the system is looking for it?

It certainly sounds like a hardware problem. Tomorrow is a public holiday over here so I will take my 8100 apart so we know we are talking about the same thing.

I had that problem with the memory as well. You should have four slots 0,1,2, & 3.

Mine shipped with 2 x 128Mb and I added 2 x 256 to give me 768Mb, which is too much for WinME and makes it unstable. I got all sorts of error messages when I tried to remove some RAM.

Not sure about the noise, do you get any sort of message? some Dells have a "case opened" alarm, which you should be able to reset or disable in the BIOS.

I will get back to you later when I have had a chance to check out my one.

Cheers
May 31st, 2004, 05:14 AM
slick8790

nihil,

1. no, they are smaller, mounted paralell to the RAM. I don't think they are RAM, because BIOS shows 128 MB of RAM, and the two sticks that are labled are 64 MB each.
2. 64 MB DDRRAM
3. external modem, conects through a router. i can get on the internet using my Suse Partition and Knoppix.
May 31st, 2004, 11:02 AM
nihil

Hi slick,

Well it seems that the Dimension 8100 only has one basic layout :) [Better than the XPS series that must have around 30!]

The "smaller" memory sticks are just blanks to keep the sockets clean, they have no other functionality. They are your two extra slots (actually your second bank)

Quote:

Memory
Architecture RDRAM
RIMM sockets four
RIMM capacities 64-, 128-, 256-, and 512-MB RDRAM
Standard RAM 128 MB (minimum)
Maximum RAM 2 GB
BIOS address F8000h

They all appear to have RDRAM (RAMBUS) and your problem is that you have the minimum, so if you take a stick out that would be why the machine complains. The other thing is that AFAIK Rambus memory needs to be installed in matched pairs of equal size.

Some more questions:

1. Are you running Norton System Works?
2. Does it have a separate sound card?
3. Are you getting onto the net via a knoppix CD, or from your hard drive?
4. Is the light on your surge strip steady, or does it flicker?
5. Had you installed any Microsoft patches immediately before the problem?

If it has a soundcard and an NIC card I would take them out and try to boot it like that.

Another possibility is to clear the CMOS?

Unfortunately there is no easy way to determine the problem, we just have to systematically eliminate the possibilities.

Cheers
May 31st, 2004, 08:42 PM
slick8790

nihil,

1. not running norton system works, but am running norton AV
2. No separate sound card
3. knoppix CD
4. steady light
5. no, most recent patch was 1-2 weeks ago.

On another (slightly worse) note, now when i turn on my computer, the monitor doesnt register. The power is on, and from the sound of the machine it is booting fine, but nothing comes up on the screen. I dunno, i'm gonna take it down to a computer store near us, and see if they might know what is going on. **** **** ****...i really hope i dont need to reformat and reinstall, cuz i never got a chance to back up my most recent things...

slick
June 2nd, 2004, 10:31 PM
nihil

Hi, slick~

I am sorry to say that it sounds as if your HDD is on the way out. Do you have access to another computer with as much spare space as the whole drive in that one?

First move would be to try to load the drive as a slave in another computer, and try to recover your important files. If you cannot do this, the next step is to try to use roadkil's "unstoppable copier" to mirror the whole drive onto another one.

I take it that you can still see the monitor if you boot knoppix?

Cheers

EDIT: You might try going to the HDD manufacturers website, and getting their diagnostic tools. You should be able to create a bootable floppy (caldera DOS or whatever) and run the diagnostics from that.
June 4th, 2004, 10:30 PM
slick8790

yeah, i think it is the HD. i brought it down, and backed up my stuff on to one of their "loaner" HDs. i'm going to buy a new one, hopefully today or tommorow. thanks for all your help.

slick