Registry Error (Blue screen of death) XP

christian_harrischristian_harris
edited February 2008 in Hardware
Hi all,

First post after being recommended here by someone to hopefully help me solve my problem.

I've had the dreaded blue screen of death come up on my Dell Inspiron 6000. Now, I have the XP CD, plus the recovery CD, so I am able to recover or totally reinstall everything.

Only problem is, I've not backed up in quite a while, and if at all possible I want to salvage files (photos mainly) on my hard drive.

If I repair, will the files be saved (and if so, is this 100% guaranteed)?

ANy help/advice much appreciated.

CH

Comments

  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited January 2008
    Yeah a repair install only replaces files that windows placed. Directory trees should remain stable and your images should be left alone.
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited January 2008
    Thanks.

    Is it worth getting someone to look at it, more for peace of mind than anything else, rather than doing it myself (in case I do somehow manage to delete my files!)?
  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited January 2008
    You'd have to format it to delete your files. A repair will just repair the windows OS files. That's it.
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited January 2008
    Thanks.

    So if I use the repair CD then there's no chance I can accidentally delete everything, is there?

    (Sorry for my ignorance!!!)
  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited January 2008
    Unless you format the computer.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    So if I use the repair CD then there's no chance I can accidentally delete everything, is there?
    You will get to a point in the installation process where the installation program identifies your existing Windows XP on the hard drive. At that point, you'll have an option to install or to "repair" the existing installation. Select repair. If you don't pay close attention at that point in the installation, you could accidentally overwrite your existing Windows and the configurations and settings therein.
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited January 2008
    Just tried it and it came up with a command prompt asking me which Windows Installation would you like to log on to.

    What should I enter here?!
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Is the screen showing two different existing Windows installations? Also, I don't recall any wording of "log on" when installing or repairing Windows. (maybe I just don't remember)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    That's the wrong step. As leo indicated above, you must wait until the installer scans for an existing copy of Windows, and it will give you the option to repair or continue.

    Look for this screen from this guide:
    http://icrontic.com/img/6296
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited January 2008
    It did, and I chose repair
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited January 2008
    Here are the steps I am taking...

    Turn on, press F12 for boot menu

    Select CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive

    'Press any key to boot from CD'

    Processes for quite aq while, then says 'setup is starting windows'

    I get the following:
    Welcome to setup
    To set up Windows XP now press ENTER
    To repair Windows XP installation using Recovery Console press R
    To quit setup without installing XP press F3

    I press R

    Now it comes up with:
    1: C/WINDOWS
    Which Windows installation would you like to log onto?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Again, you are not going to the screen I indicated. If you are pressing "r" when it prompts for the windows recovery console, you have not continued onto the screen you've been told about three times now. Press enter, go to the next screen and <i>then</i> repair, as the screenshot I included above indicates.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    No, you are not entering Windows Repair Installation, rather Recovery Console. Those are two very different, separate functions.

    You are correct to boot from CD, then follow these steps:

    1. Press Enter when you see the message "To setup Windows XP now..."
    2. Do NOT choose the option to press R to run Recovery Console
    3. A screen will come up concerning XP licensing agreement. Press F8 to agree.
    4. The installation program will scan your hard drive(s) for existing Windows installations. When it finds your your installation select it, then press 'R' to repair that installation.
    5. Follow the instructions after that.

    The repair installation will fix corrupted operating system files but will leave your settings, configurations, and data intact.

    When you are done, immediately go to Windows Update and download all the updates. The only Windows Updates that will be included in your repair installation are those that are included in your CD. If your CD is only Service Pack 1, you will need to update online to Service Pack 2 and whatever other updates are available.
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited January 2008
    Got half way through the repair, just past me choosing my location settings, and then it hit the BSOD again :(
  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited January 2008
    What was the error, MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION?
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited January 2008
    A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer

    REGISTRY_ERROR

    ......

    Technical information
    *** STOP: Ox00000051 (0x0000000D, 0x00000001, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)
  • Your-Amish-DaddyYour-Amish-Daddy The heart of Texas
    edited January 2008
    If a repair install won't work..You might wanna try checking the memory. Memtest86 is a great and reliable tool. I'd give you a link but I'm trying to find something before I have to spend about 300 dollars replacing it.
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited February 2008
    Ok, I had to get a replacement hard drive from Dell.

    Now I am wondering what steps I should take to protect my laptop, considering I've now got a totally fresh install of XP.

    ANy tips?
  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited February 2008
    Back up your important files to an external HD, DVDs, online backup, whatever, just as long as you have redundancy.
  • christian_harrischristian_harris
    edited February 2008
    I know this is hardly an error, but I can't find how to connect via wireless. ANyone know how I set this up?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited February 2008
    Please start a new thread for your wireless question.

    It will get more attention that way and also serve as a point of reference for others with the same question.
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