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Chips' Fun House Forum Index  ~  Computers  ~  Computer won't boot into Windows
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jum
PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:47 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 118

Greetings.

I'm having a dilly of a pickle of a time with my computer. This problem only started this morning, and I hadn't done anything serious in the last few days that would cause this, IMO, so I'm not sure why it happened now.

I have Windows 2000, a P4 1.4 Ghz with 256 MB of RAM. I guess I'll start from the beginning.

When I start up the computer, it begins to boot properly. It gets as far as the Windows screen with the progress bar at the bottom before the problem starts. It switches to a dark blue-ish screen and the following comes up:

STOP: c0000218 (Registry File Failure)
Registry cannot load the hive (file):
SYSTEMROOT/SYSTEM32/CONFIG/SOFTWARE
or it's log or alternate
May be corrupt, absent or not writable

Beginning memory dump
and then it counts up to probably around 80-90 and the computer reboots

I looked on google for this error and it seems as though it is a registry error. Microsoft recommended this: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=56d3c201-2c68-4de8-9229-ca494362419c&displaylang=en&Hash=K5eRfISMXS7pQPVI%2bjbGZ1Te9mG7FlqwI8dFQRsEUOkCA64SSsM75Ktw1QyGRLv3MqIMkEyp7HTpXgivVR6g3A%3d%3d It's a Registry Repair Utility.. I went through the entire process, making the 6 disks. When I went to use it on the computer, the utility would load properly through the first two disks, but during the 3rd one, it would give this error: Halacpi.dll

It would then quit the setup for the Registry Repair Utility. A quick google search seems to suggest that this is a problem with the BIOS. I read that upgrading BIOS can cause problems. I don't remember ever downloading a BIOS upgrade, but when I enter BIOS, it looks slightly different then it did before, similar to how a new patch looks compared to the original program. The colour scheme is slightly different and small stuff like that. Additionally, the title at the top reads "AMIBIOS New Setup v3.1.1" If I had to guess, I would say this is the problem.

How to fix it is a completely different problem, though. I read that if you mess up the BIOS, it can basically fry your motherboard, so I'm very reluctant to try to upgrade it (or "flash" it) I have the Windows 2000 CD, but I haven't tried installing over the old edition because it said it would wipe out all the data (drivers, desktop, My Documents, etc) Obviously, this is better than completely frying the computer, but I'd like to avoid it if possible.

If it is the BIOS/motherboard, I jotted down the numbers that appear on the screen at startup:

A65475MS v1.5 020702


62-02-07-009999-00101111-040201-SiS645-1AAWV001


Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Mr. Happy
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:55 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 748
Location: LI, NY

I just trouble shot this issue yesterday for a friend. Shocked Unfortunately, the dumb dumb did not have the admin password for the machine, so no Recovery Console and no solution.

Can you boot from the XP CD? (Six disks??? FFS laddy, nooooooo) I know it's a huge DUH, but remember to change the boot order if necessary. If so, follow this Knowledge Base article instead.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

Next time, start here:
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=0
Enter your OS in the dropdown and a description. IF you enter a good search string, 90% of the time you'll find the answer in one of the first three articles.

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Toughsox
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:00 am  Reply with quote
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I have someone looking in to this Jum.....keep your fingers crossed.
Oh, and flashing your BIOS isnt that scarey but yes....if done wrong, it can cause major headaches for ya.
Just a side question though......do you seriously run HL/TFC on this rig? Not to rag on you but......why? Win2000 isnt a gaming OS in any way/shape/or form. Just curious.

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Chips
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:23 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 23 Nov 2004
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Two things....

* Flashing your bios should pose no problem as long as you're sure you have the right update for your bios and you don't lose power during the process.

* True story...I once tried to use the 6 disc method to boot into the recovery console for Win XP. It kept failing on the 4th disc. Took me almost an hour to figure out that that particular disc was bad. Mad

I went through the whole six disc process using only 1 disc. Yes, you need two machines to do this. Point is...the disc "could" be bad.

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Mr. Happy
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:42 am  Reply with quote
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Try this KB article also:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822705/en-us
Sorry, last one I sent you was for XP. Either way, boot from the CD to enter Recovery Console.
And only make one change at a time, if you've got a STOP message, troubleshoot that before moving on to the BIOS update - unless you're positive that the BIOS is causing the STOP (or more importantly, that it will get you past it).

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Toughsox
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:10 pm  Reply with quote
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Side note to Jum and everyone else. That pesky BIOS antivirus that everyone keeps de-activated. Mine was too......until the day I picked a Bios virus that rendered the motherboard totally useless. It did unspeakable things that I couldnt recover from....which only made me go out and upgrade the whole rig. Heyyyyy....come to think of it.....I made out pretty damn good on that one. Laughing

Seriously.....it really doesnt hamper anything other then adding a few seconds to the boot up.....so, everyone....
LEAVE IT ON !!!

Not saying this has anything to do with Jums problem.....Im just saying it. Smile

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Mr. Happy
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:26 pm  Reply with quote
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Toughsox wrote:
Side note to Jum and everyone else. That pesky BIOS antivirus that everyone keeps de-activated. Mine was too......until the day I picked a Bios virus that rendered the motherboard totally useless. It did unspeakable things that I couldnt recover from....which only made me go out and upgrade the whole rig. Heyyyyy....come to think of it.....I made out pretty damn good on that one. Laughing

Seriously.....it really doesnt hamper anything other then adding a few seconds to the boot up.....so, everyone....
LEAVE IT ON !!!

Not saying this has anything to do with Jums problem.....Im just saying it. Smile


Damn old guys, always repeating themselves always repeating themselves.

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Snickers
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:48 pm  Reply with quote
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How is Windows 2000 not a gaming OS when XP is just a graphical frontend to it? Anyways if chkdsk doesn't work and you really want to keep your data you can get a old cheap hard drive and install 2000 on that and just move your stuff, format that drive and move it back (formatting so you can clear off the thrashed Windows partition of any Windows debris)
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jum
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:18 pm  Reply with quote
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Thanks for the help so far, guys. Mr. Happy, I followed the steps in this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/) and all seemed to be going well at the start. I completed "part one" and the computer now was able to get into Windows via Safe Mode, but here is where it hits a snag:

7. Open the System Volume Information folder. This folder is unavailable and appears dimmed because it is set as a super-hidden folder.

Note This folder contains one or more _restore {GUID} folders such as "_restore{87BD3667-3246-476B-923F-F86E30B3E7F8}".

8. Open a folder that was not created at the current time. You may have to click Details on the View menu to see when these folders were created. There may be one or more folders starting with "RPx under this folder. These are restore points.

9. Open one of these folders to locate a Snapshot subfolder. The following path is an example of a folder path to the Snapshot folder:
C:\System Volume Information\_restore{D86480E3-73EF-47BC-A0EB-A81BE6EE3ED8}\RP1\Snapshot

I set it so that I was able to see the folder and open it, but upon doing so, there is only a small .txt file and no folders like the walk-through says. I performed the first part twice to be sure, but I still can't seem to see this snapshot folder that it speaks of. Granted, I am running Windows 2000 as opposed to XP, but I don't see why that would be a problem.

And to answer your question, Toughie, I have Windows 2000 because I'm cheap and don't want to spend a sizable amount of money on an OS. And I don't want to trust something as pivotal as an OS to a bootleg copy.
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Snickers
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:39 pm  Reply with quote
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You had system restore turned off probably.
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Mr. Happy
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:04 pm  Reply with quote
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BAM Snickers.

Turn on System Restore, then try those steps again.

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jum
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:36 pm  Reply with quote
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A quick google search seems to say that System Restore was only added for XP. Anybody know if there is an equivalent for Windows 2000?
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Snickers
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:53 pm  Reply with quote
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You people have no idea how system restore works do you? It's impossible to restore since you don't have a restore point. And making a restore point now would just make it revert to that point.
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jum
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:41 pm  Reply with quote
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Windows 2000 doesn't have system restore, so that's a moot point anyway.

Question: I may be able to get Windows XP; if I do manage to get it, I'm assuming that upgrading to XP create a whole new registry, eliminating the problem (but also meaning that I have to reinstall drivers and stuff). Am I right?
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Toughsox
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:46 pm  Reply with quote
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Ok, according to my guru's, (2 of them checked in to this problem) they were more curious about how this problem arose. From the sounds of it, they suggest that a registry problem 'usually' only happens due to an ass-kicking virus, or bad sectors on the hard drive.
They both had the same impression that if indeed you are able to recover from this problem, you are only hitting the tip of the iceberg and this is their explaination:
If its a virus and it went that deep, it didnt stop at just this file and more then liekely tookout half the registry already.....you are only playing catch up and will spend many hours trying to track it down and possibly repair it. Also, shopuld you repair the virus at this stage of the game, chances are your registry is so borked, its never going to run right, thus....to save yourself a ton of time and aggravation, you are better off formatting it and reinstalling your Windows 2000.

2nd scenario, which they seem is more likely, and they both had the same feelings, is that you more then likely have bad sectors on your hard drive. The good news is, bad sectors can be removed by removing or installing a partition on your drive. The bad news is, once you format it, the bad sectors come back....you only masked them. Bad sectors indicate that the hard drive is dying, and its only a matter of time....between weeks to, worst case scenario, hours.....and then it will stop all together.

Thus, is you somehow are able to get it to run, run chkdsk and see if any sectors are marked as bad. 1 bad sector = replace the drive. Many bad sectors = feel lucky that it only blew up on you right now and not months ago.

If you somehow can get it to boot up and you can get on to the net, they recommend hd tune to diagnois your drive, and it should be done BEFORE you waste any time on formatting the drive.
hd tunehttp://www.hdtune.com/

Hope this helps ya out Jum, and if you shed any further light on this, I'll send it along to my gurus. Smile

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