Can only start in safe mode, blue screen flashes, restarts

hedonist545

Hi I'm running Windows XP Service Pack 3 on my HP Pavillion ZE4800 (I know, kill me please).

I am not on that computer right now.

When I press the power button and it begins to boot within 10 or 15 seconds or so I get a flash of a blue screen which has text in white which I cannot read as it goes by too fast. After the blue screen flashes, my computer turns off and automatically begins to restart.

At first I had not gotten the F8 boot option screen, and the aforementioned process occurred, but in subsequent times the screen did appear. I attempted the 'Start Windows Normally' option and blue screen flash etc., occurred. I found that even starting in 'Safe Mode' does the exact same thing. The only configuration in which I found that I can actually get Windows running is 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt'. I the only option I have not tried is 'Safe Mode with Networking' as I have my desktop for internet to resolve these issues.

I tried booting from the XP CD and do a system restore but the blue screen again appears, turning off my laptop and starting it again.

I believe I somehow switched from 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt' to regular safe mode by opening the Task Manager > New Task (Run..), and opening up C:\XXXXX (whatever is in the drop down box). Only after this does my desktop appear and I get this error message:

"Windows cannot find '/idlist,648:1404,C:\Program'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search."

I believe the numbers between the comma's change each time I have started my computer in this fashion, but I may be wrong.

On another forum, a similar problem as mine was resolved by this answer from a poster:

"Oh man, i just figured out what's your problem, you just goto the config file and then replace all occurences of %programfiles% to C:\Program Files or D:\Program Files whichever folder where your program files is located"

If this is in fact the solution to my problem, I have no idea how to get to the config file and replace said occurrences with said file names.

Please help me it would really be a drag to have to reformat my laptop for the 4th time since I purchased it a year ago.

Hedonist545

RichD

The fact that it still happens when you boot of CD says its Hardware related. You need to Run memtest to check your RAM. If that comes back clear try running Seatools or DFT to check your Hard Disk. If that doesn't identify it, it may be your PSU.

hedonist545

Okay, so I used F10 on startup and it allowed me to get to the CD and do a system repair. This fixed the blue screen flashing and I was able to get to my desktop in normal mode but there are still, however, a number of problems remaining.

Automatic Updates are refusing to be installed. The updates start, but stays at 0% and now after over an hour of it being stuck like this, I am convinced there are further problems.

I attempted to downlad Windows XP Service Pack 3 in normal mode, and I am able to save the download, but it does not start. I have just located where it was downloaded to and will attempt to install it.

Two other problems occured during the download. Oembios.bin failed to copy during the system repair. I followed these instructions here: http://www.computing.net/answers/win...all/43286.html I followed the instructions exactly and after I enter the command in the command prompt it simply says "The device is not ready."

The last problem, I am still getting this error message in safe mode: "Windows cannot find '/idlist,648:1404,C:\Program'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search."

In addition to this, my computer is running extremely slow. I ran Malwarebytes, SUPERAntiSpyware, CCleaner, Registry Mechanic, and Avira Antivirus scans (all unregistered/free versions of the software) and although it seemed to discover and fix many of the problems, many remained unresolved as denoted by the scans themselves or by the obviously decreased performance of my laptop in general.

RichD

OK, Cancel my previous post. It sounds more like it is software related I think your best bet is backup any important data wipe it and start again. It would be quicker than trying to fix each bug individually

hedonist545

RichD wrote:

OK, Cancel my previous post. It sounds more like it is software related I think your best bet is backup any important data wipe it and start again. It would be quicker than trying to fix each bug individually

I feared I would have to do that..

phuschnickens

what caused the problem in the first place? spyware/virus? The reason I ask is that you may want to verify that all your hardware is still cool. Failing hard drive can cause some crazy stuff. It would suck to spend all the time reinstalling and restoring data just to have it happen again. I would check hd and mem. Probably overkill but you could check the psu too (if you have the necessary tools/knowledge... i don't). Good luck.

hedonist545

phuschnickens wrote:

what caused the problem in the first place? spyware/virus? The reason I ask is that you may want to verify that all your hardware is still cool. Failing hard drive can cause some crazy stuff. It would suck to spend all the time reinstalling and restoring data just to have it happen again. I would check hd and mem. Probably overkill but you could check the psu too (if you have the necessary tools/knowledge... i don't). Good luck.

I am not sure what caused the problem. It is possible that it was spyware or other various malware, but Antivir, Malwarebytes, and Spybot scans came back negative for threats when I was finally able to get to my desktop as well as in subsequent scans. I did not download or install any programs that I had come back possitive in any virus scan. Right before my computer failed, however, I did modify the startup options in msconfig as well as disabled a number of programs as well as modified other options which I cannot remember exactly where I modified them as I am not on my computer right now.