Windows setup / startup failure: adpu160m.sys file corrupt
Hi
I have a severe problem with my laptop. It was working fine yesterday, then I went to turn it on today and it is now stuck at the Windows start-up screen. I have a Compaq EVO N160 with XP SP2 installed.
I have tried running from CD, the set-up program runs until a message appears as follows:
“The file adpu160m.sys is corrupted”
“Press any key to continue”
I press any key and am told the setup failed and to press any key to restart
I have tried using the XP SP2 boot disks but to no avail. Also, I have tried starting in safemode, all options available in the Windows Advanced Options Menu restart the setup after scrolloing through system files it stops after agp440.sys. The only options that does something different is “Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)”, this goes to a blue background with a message “System is booting in safemode – Directory services repair” after about 20 seconds this also restarts the setup.
On one of the attempts I was asked to install the Automatic System Restore disk but I do not have one, so can’t.
I am now completely at a loss of what to do as this is beyond my level of knowledge
. If anyone can give any help / suggestions / solutions I will be extremely grateful 
.
Many thanks
benlondon
I have a severe problem with my laptop. It was working fine yesterday, then I went to turn it on today and it is now stuck at the Windows start-up screen. I have a Compaq EVO N160 with XP SP2 installed.
I have tried running from CD, the set-up program runs until a message appears as follows:
“The file adpu160m.sys is corrupted”
“Press any key to continue”
I press any key and am told the setup failed and to press any key to restart
I have tried using the XP SP2 boot disks but to no avail. Also, I have tried starting in safemode, all options available in the Windows Advanced Options Menu restart the setup after scrolloing through system files it stops after agp440.sys. The only options that does something different is “Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)”, this goes to a blue background with a message “System is booting in safemode – Directory services repair” after about 20 seconds this also restarts the setup.
On one of the attempts I was asked to install the Automatic System Restore disk but I do not have one, so can’t.
I am now completely at a loss of what to do as this is beyond my level of knowledge
. If anyone can give any help / suggestions / solutions I will be extremely grateful .Many thanks
benlondon
0
Comments
As for UBCD, I tried it but when I start a tool within the cd, it tells me there were and error while decompressing, and for the two Thrax told me, it gets stuck to the line where it says it is booting... I think my hard drive is really corrupted, I even tried swithcing up the two of this computer without succes (inverting slave/master).
Another question that may help me greatly, if I take the hdd that has the problem and if I plug it in as a slave drive in my other computer, will it damage it or there's no chance, if so should I boot in safe mode or anything? Because I could try an utility running under windows to try to repair the drive. Thanks again and sorry for my not-so-perfect english.
//EDIT: Slaving it to your other PC won't harm anything. Safe mode is advisable just to make it a simple process, but it's not a big deal. Don't feel the drive is damaged in this case, however.
Your English is quite good, benlondon. You're doing just fine.
Re: Diagnostic utilities for testing your memory & HDD:
If you're unable to get the UBCD working for you, you can go here to get MEMTEST86. http://www.memtest.org/
and here for Hitachi Drive Fitness Test http://www.computerbase.de/downloads/software/systemprogramme/festplatten/hitachi_drive_fitness_test/
As Thrax stated, the problem may not be your HDD. It may well lie w/ your memory. An indicator that there may be a memory problem is the fact that the UBCD diags did not extract to memory properly.
Run MEMTEST86 1st. (do a nice long run) then - if the memory diagnostics pass w/ no errors - move on to trouble-shooting your HDD.
Re: Testing your HDD:
Since it is a laptop HDD, you will need to install the HDD into an external laptop HDD "enclosure". (You cannot slave a 2nd HDD internally in a laptop (or desktop for that matter)) You can find these enclosures for both IDE and SATA laptop HDDs. The enclosure will connect to your desktop (or other laptop) computer via an USB cable. By all means, do that if you can. You'll have more options for diagnosing, repairing and, most importantly, recovering your data if you have the drive connected to a different computer as a secondary drive.
If you're able to connect the HDD to a different computer (externally), then the 1st thing I recommend you do is get your data copied off of the drive b-e-f-o-r-e you perform any diagnostics on it. If a drive is failing, you may have limited opportuny to recover data b4 it fails completely. In any case, it's a good rule of thumb to always safeguard your data 1st - then work on fixing the problem.
:celebrate Woooo! Woooo! Good job Neverminder. Your HDD will probably be fine but it's not a bad idea to test it, too.
Be sure to run the MEMTEST86 on new memory that you install as well.
I had the same problem. At the beginning of set up it asks if you have drive to manually install, if so, hit f6. You need to hit f6 and install the XP h70 driver (using a floppy). If you can't find the driver, hit f7 to bypass this so it won't search for this driver. You can google for the drive and just download it on to floppy. I did this and it resolved my problem and system is working like a charm now. Good Luck!