URGENT :: Odd Windows Booting Problem

[Raftacon]

Alright, a problem that's fresh, as it just occurred today, I'm looking for some help, hoping I could come here to find some.

I booted my computer up this morning, it came up to my COMPAQ first screen, red-and-white, where F10 is System Recovery, F1 is Setup, and 'Esc' is Boot, so then, instead of the usual black screen with the flashing white underscore sign in the top-left corner of the screen, it came up with the usual Windows error message if something had gone wrong:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

"If your computer stopped responded, restarted unexpectedly, or or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, chose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

"If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows normally."

> Safe Mode
> Safe Mode w/ Networking
> Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt

> Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

> Start Windows Normally

(30-second timer down below)

So, I've tried out EACH of the options to no avail. When trying to turn on any of the three safe modes, it lists "Loading ..." and names of files, about 30 - 40 of them scrolling by fast, as the screen goes black, and the system reboots.

For the LKGC & SWC commands, it goes to the "Windows XP - Home Edition" symbol-loading bootscreen, with the bar and the blue bubbles filling it up, and it flashes across a few times, and it usually takes about 15 - 30 seconds for it to finish and move on the User Select Screen, but this takes about 5 and reboots the computer.

I do have two DVD Boot Disks for my computer to restore the computer, but at the COMPAQ screen, pressing 'Esc', it comes up with the white-on-black writing that lists the components on the computer, as it moves to a screen with a black background, and blue box, where I can select a boot device: PM-SAMSUNG SP1614C (I'm assuming the harddrive) & 3M-TSSTcorpCD/DVDW TS-H552B (which I know as a fact is my CD / DVD combo writing n' reading CD drive.

If you select PM-Samsung, or loading the defaults as instructed (F4), it'll kick you to the WinXP load screen with the blue bubbles & reboot back to the red-'n-white COMPAQ screen. But, if you select CD/DVDW, with the DVD Disc #1 out of 2 in the drive, it'll come up with three letter choices, one to quit out of the menu, one to go to System Recovery, and one to do a complete restore of the hard drive to factory settings. Leaving that as a last resort, I haven't tried that yet, because I have some important documents on there I haven't backed up yet onto a CD because the computer is only about a month old, but I like my computer and don't want to have to take it back.

Now, I have gone into the BIOS setup (F1), but don't really know if to / what to mess around with in there. Finally, the Sys. Recov., whether through the 'Esc' Boot process for the DVD, or through 'F10' at the COMPAQ screen, it'll load to a black-and-white PC Recov. loadscreen, and then a red-and-black COMPAQ loadscreen, and then it takes you to the traditional blue-'n-white PC Recov. screen with info about the process(es) and you can press 'Okay', but where the choices are to do Indestructive, Destructive, or Sys. Restore, are supposed to be, and error message, stating:

"The section IDA_CREATE_USER_DRIVE_U does not contain a valid dialog template."

You can press okay, but it stays at a plain light-blue screen (not Blue Screen of Death) for about 5 minutes until it kicks you to the five-option black-'n-white screen.

Those are my choices: please help me. Thanks ahead of time, friends. =P

--Raftacon

->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-

>-> System Stats / Components <-<

-> COMPAQ SR1426NX
-> 1.5 GHz Memory
-> 160 GB harddrive, about 80GB already used
-> Radeon 9250 Video card
-> Sound card is built into the motherboard

->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-

<-> **UPDATE** <->

"An indication of the worm's infection of a given PC is the existence of the file C:\WIN.LOG or C:\WIN2.LOG on the PCs hard disk, as well as seemingly random crashes of LSASS.EXE caused by faulty code used in the worm."

This is the definition of the Sasser worm, and I didn't have either symptom, so great thing it's not that worm. =P

<-> <-> <-> <-> <->

**UPDATE -- Odd Blue Screen**

Alright, when I F8 repeatedly at the startup screen, it comes up with two options: Recov. Console & Windows XP Home Edition. Although I really don't want to hear bad news, I'd like somebody to decode what this blue screen means when I try either option:

"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

"UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

"If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen,[which it wasn't] 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 the 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 Startup Options, and then select Safe Mode.

"Technical Information:

"*** STOP: 0x000000ED ( 0x89CA4308, 0xC0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000 )"

Any help's appreciated to this mystery.

**ALERT** CPU Temp = 118 - 120 degrees Fahrenheit, 48 - 50 degrees Celsius ... is this normal temp. or overheating??

-----------------------------------------------------

If nothing else, please help me figure out how to get to command prompt through all of this mess, and I can pick up from there, if nothing else.

Thanks in advance.

--Raftacon

[lloyd]

1, usually you do not need to change the BIOS setting. the default setting will be CD/DVD first, hard drive second (no floppy).
2, after you back up your data file, two ways to recover your system. you only need to choose one of them. f10 is recover it from recovery patition, do not need the recovery cds or dvds. it is faster.
if use the recovery cds (i did not try dvds, i guess it must be same), leave cd (no.1) in the driver and turn on the power. do not use f10. follow the instruction. samilar with clear reinstall a system.
3. when you use f10 to recover it from recovery patition, you have chance to choose if keep your data files. i did not try this method. i am not sure if it is 100 percent safe for datafiles.
4, if let me do it. i prefer to laod another system on the recovery patition. 2000 or xp can delete this patition and make a clear install. this patition should be 5--10G. * DO NOT INSTALL ON THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM PATITION. YOU WILL LOSS YOUR DATAFILES.* start the computer with new system and back up your data files. after that, use recovery cds or dvds to recover your computer.
always back up your data. good luck

[Raftacon]

I fugured out that if I set the top piority to be CD-ROM and second priority to be Harddrive (in BIOS: it was originally set for #1 HDD, #2 CD/DVDW), and then run command prompt and copy the files (on the good comp.), along with chkdsk, onto a floppy, and than use Nero to burn a .ISO file, and then tap 'F8' as it loads, I can do te single-stepping on the CD (on the bad comp.). Saying no to two .sys files and the fat32.exe, but allowing it to run the ntfsread.exe, I can run Command Prompt and check all my files. And WINDOWS has about 2,400 files in its directory, so it doesn't seem like it's missing (I went on before, something like that happened, and the entire WINDOWS directory was missing 0.0, luckily, not the case this time).

But, trying to run chkdsk.exe and chkdsk c: /r, it says it can't run it in DOS mode. -_-;;; So, I have one more thing to try, I might be able to get to the Console from the PC Recov. corrupted screen. If not, time to meet Mr. Destructo. 0.0!

But the point is, as says in the first post, when I got to the PC Recov. Screen, you can press 'okay', but the next screen has the IDA_CREATE_USER error.

Nice trys.

--Raftacon

[EKMediaCenter]

Did you fix the problem? How did you fix it? I have the same problem.

Alright, a problem that's fresh, as it just occurred today, I'm looking for some help, hoping I could come here to find some.

I booted my computer up this morning, it came up to my COMPAQ first screen, red-and-white, where F10 is System Recovery, F1 is Setup, and 'Esc' is Boot, so then, instead of the usual black screen with the flashing white underscore sign in the top-left corner of the screen, it came up with the usual Windows error message if something had gone wrong:

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

"If your computer stopped responded, restarted unexpectedly, or or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, chose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

"If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows normally."

> Safe Mode
> Safe Mode w/ Networking
> Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt

> Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

> Start Windows Normally

(30-second timer down below)

So, I've tried out EACH of the options to no avail. When trying to turn on any of the three safe modes, it lists "Loading ..." and names of files, about 30 - 40 of them scrolling by fast, as the screen goes black, and the system reboots.

For the LKGC & SWC commands, it goes to the "Windows XP - Home Edition" symbol-loading bootscreen, with the bar and the blue bubbles filling it up, and it flashes across a few times, and it usually takes about 15 - 30 seconds for it to finish and move on the User Select Screen, but this takes about 5 and reboots the computer.

I do have two DVD Boot Disks for my computer to restore the computer, but at the COMPAQ screen, pressing 'Esc', it comes up with the white-on-black writing that lists the components on the computer, as it moves to a screen with a black background, and blue box, where I can select a boot device: PM-SAMSUNG SP1614C (I'm assuming the harddrive) & 3M-TSSTcorpCD/DVDW TS-H552B (which I know as a fact is my CD / DVD combo writing n' reading CD drive.

If you select PM-Samsung, or loading the defaults as instructed (F4), it'll kick you to the WinXP load screen with the blue bubbles & reboot back to the red-'n-white COMPAQ screen. But, if you select CD/DVDW, with the DVD Disc #1 out of 2 in the drive, it'll come up with three letter choices, one to quit out of the menu, one to go to System Recovery, and one to do a complete restore of the hard drive to factory settings. Leaving that as a last resort, I haven't tried that yet, because I have some important documents on there I haven't backed up yet onto a CD because the computer is only about a month old, but I like my computer and don't want to have to take it back.

Now, I have gone into the BIOS setup (F1), but don't really know if to / what to mess around with in there. Finally, the Sys. Recov., whether through the 'Esc' Boot process for the DVD, or through 'F10' at the COMPAQ screen, it'll load to a black-and-white PC Recov. loadscreen, and then a red-and-black COMPAQ loadscreen, and then it takes you to the traditional blue-'n-white PC Recov. screen with info about the process(es) and you can press 'Okay', but where the choices are to do Indestructive, Destructive, or Sys. Restore, are supposed to be, and error message, stating:

"The section IDA_CREATE_USER_DRIVE_U does not contain a valid dialog template."

You can press okay, but it stays at a plain light-blue screen (not Blue Screen of Death) for about 5 minutes until it kicks you to the five-option black-'n-white screen.

Those are my choices: please help me. Thanks ahead of time, friends. =P

--Raftacon

->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-

>-> System Stats / Components <-<

-> COMPAQ SR1426NX
-> 1.5 GHz Memory
-> 160 GB harddrive, about 80GB already used
-> Radeon 9250 Video card
-> Sound card is built into the motherboard

->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-<->-

<-> **UPDATE** <->

"An indication of the worm's infection of a given PC is the existence of the file C:\WIN.LOG or C:\WIN2.LOG on the PCs hard disk, as well as seemingly random crashes of LSASS.EXE caused by faulty code used in the worm."

This is the definition of the Sasser worm, and I didn't have either symptom, so great thing it's not that worm. =P

<-> <-> <-> <-> <->

**UPDATE -- Odd Blue Screen**

Alright, when I F8 repeatedly at the startup screen, it comes up with two options: Recov. Console & Windows XP Home Edition. Although I really don't want to hear bad news, I'd like somebody to decode what this blue screen means when I try either option:

"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

"UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

"If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen,[which it wasn't] 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 the 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 Startup Options, and then select Safe Mode.

"Technical Information:

"*** STOP: 0x000000ED ( 0x89CA4308, 0xC0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000 )"

Any help's appreciated to this mystery.

**ALERT** CPU Temp = 118 - 120 degrees Fahrenheit, 48 - 50 degrees Celsius ... is this normal temp. or overheating??

-----------------------------------------------------

If nothing else, please help me figure out how to get to command prompt through all of this mess, and I can pick up from there, if nothing else.

Thanks in advance.

--Raftacon

[EKMediaCenter]

How you fixed this problem? I having the same error message.

"The section IDA_CREATE_USER_DRIVE_U does not contain a valid dialog template."

[gerbil]

Start your Recovery Console from the CD. Type
chkdsk /p ...and OK. If it finds any problems, type
chkdsk /r ...and when it finishes do the /p again to check if all is good.
Does it work now? If not, back into Recovery Console and type
fixboot

[Neil Ormsby]

From what I can gather from the thread I have the exact same problem on my HP desktop. I also tried all the various options to no avail. I contacted a technician from futuremedia (who we bought the pc from) as I have a 3year collect & return warranty and he maintains that the hard drive has given up, ie it cannot be fixed. Luckily I will be getting a new HDD installed as part of my warranty but, not so luckily, I will lose all of the data on the HDD. The technician asked me to inform HP when they come to collect that I want the old HDD back and could probably recoup some of my files although there was no guarantee of this - naturally.
My question is this : Do any of you guys think that the hard drive has actually packed up (it's only 2 years old - 250GB approx 27% full) or is this actually a worm or other virus that has caused this. I think that it can be recovered (somehow) and only wish I could get to the command prompt to try and run chkdsk or a repair. The desktop is an HP t3060.uk running XP on an Intel HT 3.4 chip with 1GB ram and plenty of free space.
Any assistance would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[caperjack]

hello,welcome to Daniweb,
you should start your own thread ,describing your problem,as i for one am not going to read all post above yours to see what your might be doing !!

[gerbil]

Chkdsk from command prompt? Try running it from Recovery Console instead; you will need an XP installation disk, anybody's will do..
If it won't run, drive is toast.
When the new drive is installed you could try slaving the old drive to see what happens.

[mjmax]

my computer is crashing to blue screen red screen, black screen or greyish white and it is not my monitor as was in the computer shop for 2 days with no crahes.........Have to cold start each time it goes down to on of the coloured screens........Some one please help...Have also installed an APC Power shute to control the power and it is still crashing about 2-5 times a day

please respond to [e-mail]

[MidiMagic]

my computer is crashing to blue screen red screen, black screen or greyish white and it is not my monitor as was in the computer shop for 2 days with no crahes.........Have to cold start each time it goes down to on of the coloured screens........Some one please help...Have also installed an APC Power shute to control the power and it is still crashing about 2-5 times a day

please respond to [e-mail]

Are you having short power failures? I had this trouble when the city was welding something down under the street with a huge welder. It went away when the welding was finished.

It might be a bad video card.

[mjmax]

AnSWER DOES NOT HELP,. i Am running Vista Home version........Nothing wrong with computer on a diagnostic test, so what could cause blu screen, red screen back, and now tourqouise screen...I have to shut sown and re start each time........Only thing not tested at store was my keyboard and the original Acer mouse with the new Acer Aspire computer(only 10months old) which also just had a new motherboard, new battery & new hard drive and new programming, running Norton Anti Virus and Utitlies

[gerbil]

It does seem like your video adapter is failing. Could be power supply, overheating, driver corruption? or just hardware failure [even a poor ribbon connection].
Check your power supply output ranges [you can get monitoring software from your mb supplier's website, or freeware - Gurgle for that]. Check in device manager for error signs against the video/display adapters. Overheating? Your mb may be compatible with temperature monitoring software [again, gurgle for freeware].