blue screen when windows starts (xp)

[icenine694]

when i start my pc a blue screen comes up before the login screen saying hardware malfunction call your hardware vendor for support the system has halted

Os Windows xp sp3 1.6ghz processor 256MB ram

[Geek-9pm]

Did you say this is a laptop? If so, try it without the battery.
Laptop or not, remove all external devices not needed. No printer, no eternal drive, no wireless mouse or anything not needed. Try again. Sometimes external devices can alt the system star-up.
Can you get into the BIOS?

[icenine694]

its a old desktop and i don't know how to get in the BIOS so i don't know i removed all external devices not needed and i still get the same message

[JJ 3000]

Can you tell us the exact error message?

[icenine694]

it says "Hardware Malfunction Call your hardware vendor for support the system has halted"

[JJ 3000]

Did you install any new hardware or drivers right before this started?

Can you get into safe mode?

[Geek-9pm]

For some reason that message sounds questionable. It is as if somebody is pulling a bad joke.
The BIOS will show the setup screen if you hit a function key right after the power  is turned on. Try F1 ,F2, F8 ,F10, F12 or the DEL or ESC key repeatedly.
Also, search on 'BIOS setup key' in the search box above right.

EDIT The message may be legitimate if is says:

*** Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
*** The system has halted ***

It has to be EXACTLY like the above.

[patio]

its a old desktop and i don't know how to get in the BIOS so i don't know i removed all external devices not needed and i still get the same message

Until more info on this rig is provided we are all just grasping at straws here...

[icenine694]

OK to JJ 3000 post no i cannot enter safe mode and no i didnot install any new hardware

to Geek-9pm post yes that is what the message looks like and i can enter BIOS at start up

to explane when i turn on my PC it loads the stuff at the beginning then before the windows load screen comes up the blue screen comes up saying   
*** Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
*** The system has halted ***

[Geek-9pm]

to Geek-9pm post yes that is what the message looks like and i can enter BIOS at start up

OK. Yes, there is something wrong with the hardware. But wait. There is still hope that it is not fatal  end of your PC.

At this point you need to think about how to backup the data on the hard drive. This means you have to remove it from you computer and make it a secondary unit on another computer. Then you can burn DVDs with copies of h your important folders, such as My Documents.

Next, try to boot your PC with a 'Live CD' that will test your hardware. If the CD can boot and do basic things, that would that is actually a test to indicate that your PC is mostly good.

Here is a List of Live CD distros available. Of course, you need another PC in working condition with a CD burner. And a black CD-R.  http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php?topic=120279.0

It is too early to say, but it just may be that your BIOS has corruption. In so, that can be fixed. But if a major component is bad on the motherboard, you may have to replace the mother.

Unlikely:
A. The CMOS battery is bad. But easy to fix.
B. The hard drive was corrupted. Also,w easy to fix.
C. The Power supply had is become deprecated. About  $50.
D. Some cables have become loose. (Or corroded.)
E. The interiour is full of mouse droppings.

[Computer_Commando]

Hardware Malfunction Results in System Error Message

[icenine694]

OK i tried the live CD and i still get the same error message. I think i am going to take it to a PC place to see if they can fix it.

[Geek-9pm]

OK i tried the live CD and i still get the same error message. I think i am going to take it to a PC place to see if they can fix it.

Wait a bit. That error message has to come from Winows. Set the BIOS to boot from the CD, not the hard drive. In fact, you should have removed the hard drive.