Safe Mode access does not work

[Bruce]

Dear Computer Hope:

My Toshiba Satellite laptop (2006) operates on XP- with SP3, has updated and current Anti Virus and Firewall (Avanquest System Suite 9) and Super Anti Spy Ware (payware).  Everything is up to date with recent scans performed yesterday.

Everything was OK till several hours ago when everything started working so slow.  I was on my browser MSN and noticed this morning the old looking page suddenly converted to the much touted new look.  A pain in the **** but I get used to it.  So I turned my computer off and restarted and that is when the problems started.

The safe mode page and all the other listings came up, first tried was the regular windows mode and that did not work.  Noticed a flash of blue with writing on it so I did the F8 and turned off the automatic restart switch so I could read the message.

I am corresponding with you on another computer.

Blue Screen 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, restart your computer.  If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Disable or uninstall any anti virus, disk defrag or back up utilities.  Check your hard drive configuration and check for an updated drivers.  Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.

Tech info    0x00000024 (0x00190203, 0x8f7EF160, 0xC0000102, 0x00000000)


Unfortunately, I cannot get the computer into the safe mode, though I select it from the menus, both F8 and the one that comes up after it goes through the loop.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bruce

[patio]

From MSDN :

0x00000024: NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM
(Click to consult the online MSDN article.)
A problem occurred within NTFS.SYS, the driver file that allows the system to read and write to NTFS file system drives. There may be a physical problem with the disk, or an Interrupt Request Packet (IRP) may be corrupted. Other common causes include heavy hard drive fragmentation, heavy file I/O, problems with some types of drive-mirroring software, or some antivirus software. I suggest running ChkDsk or ScanDisk as a first step; then disable all file system filters such as virus scanners, firewall software, or backup utilities. Check the file properties of NTFS.SYS to ensure it matches the current OS or SP version. Update all disk, tape backup, CD-ROM, or removable device drivers to the most current versions.

[dahlarbear]

1.  Backup Data.  If there's any "data" you can't afford to lose, you should backup it up first.  This could be done by pulling the hard drive and hooking it up as a "slave" to a working Windows XP (or above) operating system.  Or you could boot to "Live CD" or "Live USB" media and attempt to recover data with the hard drive in place.

2.  You could try to "reseat" the hard drive connection, but your best bet is to use Windows XP "Recovery Console" in an attempt to verify and fix any issues within the NTFS file system(s) in use.

The recovery console command to use is "chkdsk /p /r".  The "map" command will display the drive letter assignments known to recovery console.  The "exit" command takes you out of recovery console and restarts the computer.

You'll need a Windows XP Installation CD for this, I'd want SP2 or above (not a restore/recovery CD).  If you don't have one, you'll need to borrow one.  Or there is a bootable recovery console iso you may download and write (not copy) to a CD-R.  Let us know if you need the "link" and/or instructions to create.

3.  Reference(s):
     a.  blue screen and stop error 0x00000024 on startup windows XP
     b.  STOP 0x00000024 (NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM)
     c.  Chkdsk
     d.  Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console for advanced users

[Bruce]

Dahlbear:

Thanks for the great information. 

Unfortunately the operating system was already installed and there was no Installation Disk so if you can provide the link and instructions I would appreciate it very much!

[dahlarbear]

1. Download the Windows XP "recovery console" iso image from: http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso.

Use an image burning program, such as ImgBurn to write (not copy) the bootable iso image to a CD-R.  (You use its "Write image file to disc" option.)

Now boot to the CD-R disc.  When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press <R> key to start the recovery console.  Then you will be asked which Windows XP installation you want to log onto. If you have only one XP installation on your computer, press <1> key and then press <Enter>.  You will be asked to enter the "Administrator" password.  If there is no password, leave it blank and press <Enter>.  You should then see this prompt:
C:\Windows>

Type "chkdsk /p /r" without quotes followed by <Enter> key to verify and/or fix the integrity of the file system and attempt to recover and move data off any "bad" disk sectors found.  With the "/r" option, it can take a very long time to complete.  It may at times appear to be "hung" - it probably isn't.  The utility was not designed to be interrupted, so don't interrupt it - or you could further corrupt your file system.

When "chkdsk" completes type "exit" and press <Enter> key.  The system will restart.  See if it boots normally.

2.  Reference(s):
     a.  Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console for advanced users
     b.  Recovery Console Commands

[Bruce]

Dahlarbear

OK downloaded file and write burned with ImgBurn, then following your instructions and booting from the CD the following happens.....

I do not seem to get all the way through the utility and the following message appears....

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, restart your computer.  If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to be sure you have adequate disk space.  If a driver is identified in the stop message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates.  Try changing video adapters.

Check with your hardware vendor for an BIOS updates.  Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.  If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F* to select Advanced Startup Options, then select safe mode.

Technical Information:

***     Stop: 0x0000007E (OxC0000005, 0xF748E0BF, 0x578DA208, 0xF78D9F08)

***    pci.sys - Address F748E0BF base at F7487000
          Datestamp 3b7d855c


Though I am not certain this makes any difference, I used a blank DVD-R to burn the download file.  Should I have used a CD-R as your instructions recommend???

Bruce

[dahlarbear]

I do not seem to get all the way through the utility and the following message appears....

1.  What utility?  Not sure what you mean...  or what you saw and how far you got...
     a.  Are you sure you booted from the CD?
     b.  Were you able to get into "Recovery Console" to the "C:\Windows" prompt?
     c.  Were you able to start "chkdsk /p /r"?
     d.  Did it successfully complete?
     e.  If not, what phases did it complete or how far did it get?
 

Though I am not certain this makes any difference, I used a blank DVD-R to burn the download file.  Should I have used a CD-R as your instructions recommend???

2.  I don't know if a DVD-R can be substituted for a CD-R.

[Bruce]

Dahlarbear:

I re burned rc.iso on a CD-R, inserted it, F12 to instruct boot from CD, the program comes up an states "Windows Setup" on a blue screen and loading files at the bottom.  This continues for a while then another blue screen with the following 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, restart your computer.  If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to be sure you have adequate disk space.  If a driver is identified in the stop message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates.  Try changing video adapters.

Check with your hardware vendor for any BIOS updates.  Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.  If you need to used safe mode o remove and disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Start up Options, and then select safe mode.

Technical Information:

***   STOP: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005, 0xF748E0BF, 0xF78DA208, 0xF78D9F08)

*** pci.sys - Address F748E0BF base at F7487000, datestamp 3b7d855c

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ..........

Yesterday I used Fix-it Utilities 7 Professional that I had.  It is a rescue disk out of the box.  In the Recovery commander, new checkpoint, restore functionality, restore system using windows file protection, I listed all the files and found two pairs that were duplicates!

Following are the listing details that may be helpful.


Source
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Size:          2.0MB (2,145280 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 11:26:15am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913
Cache
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\System32\dllcache\ntkrnlmp.exe
Size:          2.0MB (2,145280 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 11:26:15am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913

Source
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
Size:          1.9MB (2,023,936 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 10:43:51am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913
Cache
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\System32\dllcache\ntkrnlpa.exe
Size:          1.9MB (2,066,048 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 10:43:50am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913

Source
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
Size:          1.9MB (2,023,936 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 10:43:52am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913
Cache
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\System32\dllcache\ntkrpamp.exe
Size:          1.9MB (2,023,936 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 10:43:51am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913

Source
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Size:          2.0MB (2,145,280 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 11:26:15am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913
Cache
Path:          C:\WINDOWS\System32\dllcache\ntoskrnl.exe
Size:          2.0MB (2,189,184 bytes)
Time:         8-Dec-2009 11:27:51am
Version:    5.1.2600.5913

Specific to your questions....

1) Utility was rc.iso when screen came up it said "Windows Setup"
1a)  Yes booted from CD from F12
1b)  No "Windows Setup" aborted to blue stop error screen.
1c)  No chkdsk, was not an option.
1d) No, did not complete.
1e) Did not get past "Windows Setup", but was loading things, I could see them flash at the screen bottom.

Used CD-R for the above boot disk, from the results there does not seem to be a difference!

Bruce

[Broni]

A. If you have more than one RAM module installed, try starting computer with one RAM stick at a time.

NOTE Keep in mind, the manual check listed above is always superior to the software check, listed below. DO NOT proceed with memtest, if you can go with option A

B. If you have only one RAM stick installed...
...run memtest...

1. Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)
2. Unzip downloaded memtest86+-....iso.zip file.
3. Inside, you'll find memtest86+-....iso file.
4. Download, and install ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/
5. Insert blank CD into your CD drive.
6. Open ImgBurn, and click on Write image file to disc
7. Click on Browse for a file... icon:



8. Locate memtest86+-....iso file, and click Open button.
9. Click on ImgBurn green arrow to start burning bootable memtest86 CD:



10. Once the CD is created, boot from it, and memtest will automatically start to run.

The running program will look something like this depending on the size and number of ram modules installed:




It's recommended to run 5-6 passes. Each pass contains very same 8 tests.

This will show the progress of the test. It can take a while. Be patient, or leave it running overnight.



The following image is the test results area:



The most important item here is the “errors” line. If you see ANY errors, even one, most likely, you have bad RAM.

[Bruce]

Dahlarbear:

The "Windows Setup" program rc.iso runs until it says "setup is starting Windows", then goes to the blue screen stop error message.

Bruce

[dahlarbear]

1.  Say hello to Broni.  Please follow his advice.  At this point, it would be helpful to know what works...  The memory (system RAM) is a good place to start.

It appears that you followed the correct procedures to build and boot recovery console from CD.  I was not expecting a blue screen.  (I didn't even know that software was capable of displaying a blue screen.)

It also sounds like you were able to successfully boot and execute functions from your "Fix-it Utilities 7 Professional" disc.

2.  Duplicate Files.  I don't see a problem there.  The files and locations shown indicate they are part of the system file protection scheme managed by the Windows File Protection component of Windows XP.

[Bruce]

Dahlarbear:

I will try Broni's suggestion once my drive is backed up!

More Later!

Thanks

Bruce

[Bruce]

OK, I tried the memory stack thing recommended above, used the "A" option for the RAM modules, I believe I have two which I can access by using F2 during boot up.  I really have only one option I can only run with stack one or one and two.  Cannot isolate stack two.

So the test went perfectly with the same results as before.

I mentioned that I used Fix-it Utilities 10 with some success at least I was able to back up materials on the hard drive.  I also used the verify option and found there are errors on the disk.

I also did CHKDSK on the hard drive the files were copied to and it found and fixed errors.  Could these be the same errors from my laptop hard drive?  An if so how to I get to CHKDSK?

Bruce

[dahlarbear]

OK, I tried the memory stack thing recommended above, used the "A" option for the RAM modules, I believe I have two which I can access by using F2 during boot up.  I really have only one option I can only run with stack one or one and two.  Cannot isolate stack two.

So the test went perfectly with the same results as before.

1.  Memory Diagnostic.  Did you create the bootable memory diagnostic media recommended by Broni, boot the memory diagnostic, and then let it run for several hours (or several complete passes) without error?

I mentioned that I used Fix-it Utilities 10 with some success at least I was able to back up materials on the hard drive.  I also used the verify option and found there are errors on the disk.

2.  Fix-It Utilities.
     a.  Are you booting to these utilities from a CD?
     b.  Are you using these utilities from the Toshiba laptop you're trying to fix?
     c.  What "verify" option? Of which program?  What is it supposed to do?
     d.  Errors on which disk?  The hard drive of the Toshiba laptop you're trying to fix?
     e.  What kind of errors?

I also did CHKDSK on the hard drive the files were copied to and it found and fixed errors.  Could these be the same errors from my laptop hard drive?  An if so how to I get to CHKDSK?

3.  Chkdsk Errors.  Unless you were doing some kind of raw disk copy, I wouldn't expect file system integrity errors to be carried over to the new hard drive.
     a.  Chkdsk from where?  The "Fix-It Utilities" or another operating system hosting the hard drive they were copied to?
     b.  What options did you use with the "chkdsk" command?