Error message then reboot prob!

[kop442000]

Hi guys.

Will  try to keep it brief:

Basically, I when I boot up, I get prompted to start with last config. that worked successfully, or safe mode etc...

But whatever I choose, before it gets to the windows screen, it very very quickly flashes up an error message, and then reboots itself, and we begin again.

The message is something along the lines of "A problem has been detected...windows...has been shut down...."

Does this mean I will have to reinstall windows (I am running XP), and if so, can I do that without losing all my files etc...

Many thanks for any replies posted!!
kop442000.

[pcdoc4christ]

kop:

Reinstalling Windows should be a last resort.  Before that we would try to repair your installation. However, before we even go that route, lets try to diagnose the cause.

Please try to give me more info.:

• Is this your first time using Windows XP on this computer, or has the operating system (OS) worked fine before?

• If it worked fine in the past, please try to remember what has changed just prior to the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).  (e.g. Did you put a new hard drive in?  Were there any unusual noises being made by the computer, like a clinking noise? Have the sound of the fan(s) inside the case stopped? Did you install a new program?)

• Was there another OS on the computer before you installed XP, or has XP been the only OS?

• Were there any numbers that appeared with the message?  (e.g. STOP 00000000x8A, or something like that).  If there are, attempt to write them down & let me know

Hang in there!
Doc

[kop442000]

Thanks Doc,

Well I was trying to avoid boring you with the details but:

My old PC one day started sounding like it was powering, but remained black. (I 'THINK' I may have left it on a long time, so it got to hot or something... I 'think'.)

Deffo wasn't monitor, and sometimes, the screen would activate, but reboot or die again soon after.

Maybe because I had to power down lots of times, think I screwed something up cos there were some error messages when the screen rarely did activate.
It doesn't come on at all now, but I have accepted there must be a faulty component in my PC.

Anyways.. since then, I am using a borrowed PC, and have my old hard drive a slave, which works great, and I have been able to access all my old files.
However I have to return this other PC soon, and I want to sort my old hard drive to run ok on its own as a master, before I have to give it back.

At the moment when I try to run my old drive as the master (or the lone drive), it gives me the option to run in safe or start windows normally etc, but then whatever I choose, it really quickly flashes up an error message, and then reboots itself.
All I can manage to snatch of the message is something like "A problem has been detected...windows...has been shut down...."

Thanks again for your reply Doc... I think you might have to operate!

[pcdoc4christ]

OK, that helps narrow it down.  It's not your hard drive that is the culprit, so your data is safe (pheeew)!

Sounds like the problem may be your power supply (which is easy to solve--just purchase a new one!) or, sorry to say, your CPU or motherboard may be shot (which would mean forking out more doe, or just purchasing a new computer).

When you opened it up to remove the hard drive, did you notice if there was a fan on top of the metal heatsink that covers the central processing unit (CPU)?  Or is the only fan inside the computer the one inside the power supply that plugs into the wall outlet?  If there was a fan on top of the CPU, did you start the computer to see if it began spinning?

Also, what is the make (& if you know what is the model)
of the computer? (e.g. Compaq Deskpro 2000, Dell Inspiron XPS).

Doc
 

[kop442000]

Right,

After disabling the "reboot after failure" thing, I can now read the error message. Here is it is full:

"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 screen error, restart your computer. If the screen appears again, follow these steps:
Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers.
Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated.
Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption and restart your computer.
Technical Information:
***STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF8A99528, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)"

I realise that I do have to figure out what is wrong with my old machine, and I will open it now to see if the fan on the heatsink runs (yes there is one).
Also it is a custom built PC as far as I know.

In the mean time, what do you think I can do about the operating system problem? Like you said, the HD seems ok, cos it works fine as a slave.

Many many thanks for your posts!!

[kop442000]

Ok Doc,

I opened the case, and I can see one fan on the heatsink that runs fine, and one at the back of the case which runs fine too...

Does that give me any idea as to what might be the faulty part? (There are no bleeps when I turn PC on).

With regards to the Operating System problem on the hard drive, someone suggested I did a Windows XP repair install. What do you think?

Kop442000.

[pcdoc4christ]

KOP:

It's good that the CPU fan is spinning.  It keeps the CPU cool, so we may be able to rule out an overheating problem.

Now, when you started the PC, did you hear any end of Power-On Self-Test (POST) beep tones?  If so, how many beeps were there?  Did any error messages appear prior to the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)?  If there were no beeps & no error codes prior to the BSOD, then the problem likely lies with Windows & we'll start troubleshooting the operating system (OS).

Doc

[ojas25]

Hi According to my stop list 0x0000007B is Inaccessible_boot_device.  I would suggest you put your cd of XP into your drive and when you get to the bois screen press F2 and go to boot and reset your first boot up to the cd drive and then press F10 and enter, your computer will boot from the cd. keeping going until you get the place where it ask you if your wish to repair or install a new version of XP just press R for repair this will not cause you to loss any data, but will reinstall your operating XP,  I have done this many times. If there was a booting sector missing on the first install this should fix the problem.

[pcdoc4christ]

KOP:

OK, i've be researching your problem.  Your stop error may be caused by several conditions:

http://www.google.com/search?as_q=0x0000007B+xp&num=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=microsoft.com&safe=images

Repairing Windows XP may be the our only solution, but it is not without risks:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312369

As this knowledge base article indicates, you may lose data.  Before you take this step, you should copy any important documents to floppy disks, or to compact disks (if the backup computer has a CD-RW drive), or to zip disks if it has a zip drive.  

Once you have made a copy of all you decide to back up, the instructions for repairing Windows XP are here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

And here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

Read these carefully & be sure to ask if you have any questions before doing the repair.

Good luck!
Doc

[pcdoc4christ]

<---- Praying KOP is doing OK with the his PC prob.