No boot situation/Repeated BSOD

[snorkel]

I'm curious as to what everyone does when confronted with the title situation. Do you bother trying to troubleshoot the BSOD if there's no obvious match mentioning a hardware problem.

My approach has been to test the disk using chkdsk from recovery console or a boot disk OR use a manufacturer's disk diagnostic utility to see if HDD is physically ok.

Next, assuming HDD is okay, I guess I'd do a recovery installation (NOT recovery console) to see if Windows is just borked and needs refreshing. In theory, this method won't require installing programs again and won't trash your data.

Any other troubleshooting steps/comments.

 

[wolluf]

depends on BSOD. In my experience, most are caused by corrupt registry hives. To fix this, I boot from bartpe disk and replace the registry hives with a recent backup set from the system restore store (System Volume Information) - backing originals up first. I do the whole set for consistency (SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM, DEFAULT). Also run chkdsk prior to to this.

Sometimes need to run fixboot from recovery console.

If these don't do the job, then repair reinstall (which I assume is what you call recovery installation). Occasionally even this fails (usually if there's a 7B or 7E error code), in which case I resort to my magic wand! (I do have a method that works, but its a little 'messy')

 

[linney]

The use of regularly made Image backups, and extra backups of valuable data, and most non-hardware failures can easily be fixed.

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.

http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm

This is a layman's version of Q307545 in simple language.

Cannot logon to winxp...losing lots of valuable documents
thread779-975236


Some general things to try.

See if System Restore will get you back to a restore point before your problem with Explorer.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/5/14.asp

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

 

[snorkel]

Seems like we have differing methods here unless I'm misunderstanding Wolluf seems to say to go for everything at once - copying the System Restore Registry Hives directly into the C:\windows\system32\config folder whereas Linney is saying to first copy the C:\windows\repair registry files into C:\windows\system32\config and then try to boot.

What is the logic of one step vs. two steps?? Isn't it better just to do take the information from the system restore point and restore it directly into C:\windows\system32\config since you have access to it via a boot disk (BartPE)????

 

[linney]

I think they are similar procedures, one mentioned by "Wolluf" is one step done with BartPE and the other one is a two step procedure using the Recovery Console, if you have not created a BartPE XP CD.

Additionally, I was saying a lot more than that too, especially the bit about the use of Images.

I'd love to know more about "Wolluf's" - "I resort to my magic wand! (I do have a method that works, but its a little 'messy')

 

[wolluf]

linney - as i mentioned, there have been a few occasions (3 or 4 so far, I think), where none of the above were able to repair an installation - AND my customer really wanted their current config restored if at all possible (usually 7B or 7E blue screens).

One method which eventually worked, but was rather time consuming was to copy the broken installation to another disk and then install that disk in as many test machines as I could find and try to get repair reinstall to work there. Then put the repaired installation back in original machine and try repairing again. The first repair in other machine that worked, still didn't in original, but second did.

The messy method!

Take a backup of broken install.
Wipe drive and do a new clean install.
Save the SAM, SECURITY and SYSTEM hives from clean install.
Restore original backup & replace those 3 hives with the 'clean' versions.
Recreate user accounts - copying back original profiles.
Try out software from user accounts - repair/reinstall apps as necessary (usually one or two apps from when I've done it).

You need a self consistent set of SAM/SECURITY/SYSTEM hives. I'm not at all sure of the technical probity of this method, but it has worked for me - and several satisfied customers were the result!

 

[linney]

Thanks Wolluf for sharing your secret, we can add it to the list of "desperate methods".

 

[snorkel]

In reply to Linney - nobody (my customers) creates any backups. That would be way too "organized". They are just flying by the seat of their pants until something crashes and then they're like "what happened - my PC is broken".

Image backups are for geeks and IT professionals that know what they're doing and planning ahead of time. Most home users are clueless about doing any sort of preventative backup.

So, you are living in a fantasy world where everyone does backups (I'm in that world too) and I wish others were too.

 

[linney]

Too true, but don't bite the hand that feeds you. I bet all your old customers think about backups more than your new customers?

 

[TrojanSquirrel]

Hi all,

Thanks for the great tips guys. I have used the backup of SAM, SECURITY and SYSTEM as described by Wolluf, but have only found this useful to get a system to boot and backup the data that should have been backed up (by the customer... I image mine!) before disaster struck!

This method has only ever been a method to get the data before a reinstall of the OS or replacing the HDD if it was bad.

A far quicker method surely would be to remove the drive and cradle it and remove the data that way. All user data backed up and then a reinstall. My HDD cradles have paid for themselves over and over!

Regards,

Rob.

Regards,

Rob

http://www.transcom.net