Here goes my (sorry if it's too) detailed description:
I was watching a video on-line and suddenly a bunch of windows started popping up for some kind of (most likely) fake registry/anti-virus software. I tried to close all of the pop-ups and stupidly must have clicked the wrong thing on one because a program began to download.
I shut the computer down, and when I tried to normally boot up, the computer shut down. I was able to boot up in safe mode, but it (some kinda virus) kept shutting the windows firewall off so that I had to constantly re-enable it. An alert also popped up every time I booted up in safe mode saying something like "explorer cannot find ***, please run chkdsk". (I'm sorry I can't remember exactly what it said!) When I ran chkdsk it said that were errors found but it did not fix them. Arg!
The day after doing all of this, I tried to boot up in safe mode again, and I got the BSoD. I get the same message whether I try to boot normally, in safe mode, or any of the other safe options. This is it:
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a problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
CONFIG_LIST_FAILED If this is the first time you have seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:
Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any Windows updates you might need.
If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. 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 F8 to select advanced start-up options, and then select safe mode.
Technical information:
***Stop: 0x00000073 (0x00000001,0xC000017D,0x00000004,0xBAF82BB8)
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I have read many other posts that suggest repairing from the Windows Install CD, but when I try to boot from the CD it says this:
"Floppy diskette seek failure
Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility"
When I hit F1 is says:
"Selected boot device not available
Strike the F1 key to retry, F2 to run setup"
and if I keep hitting F1 it gives me the same message.
Everything in the BIOS looks normal although in the boot section next to "Floppy Drive" and "Hard Disk" it says "(not available)". The other two things listed in the boot section, "CD-DVD Drive" and "Intel Array" have nothing next to them, but they are all activated in the boot.
Here is my system info:
Dell Dimension E520
System = Dell DM061
BIOS Version = 2.3.2
Intel Core 2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13 GHz
Installed Memory = 4 GB
Hard drive = 320 GB
I have also read that the 0xC000017D in the error report implies that there is too little room on the hard drive, but although it is pretty full there was about 2GB free.
I was also running AVG free with full system scans every day.
Thanks for reading this novel and even more thanks for any help you folks can give me!!!