Please Help ...laptop will not boot into Windows

[Mynzaboxer]

I'm running WinXP home ed., sp2

I went to turn it on this morning and got a black screen with the message:

'Windows could not start because of an error in the software. Please report this problem as: load needed DLLs for kernal"

In all my years of computing I've never ran into this before. The HP Tech was completely useless. While I don't think it's the hardware, the system is only 1yr old...has ran fine, been properly protected with a firewall & antivirus/spamware. Just doesn't make sense.

I researched this a bit on the internet and found one possible fix would be to run a WinXP Repair, but I can't even get the system to boot up with the Win CD in it (even after making sure the CD drive loads first). I've also tried trying to boot in Safe Mode but it starts, shows the following System 32 files then hangs: hal.dll,KDCOM.DLL, BOOTVID.DLL & config/system.

Is there any chance for me fixing this or recovering any of my data ..... without doing a clean install?? :-(((. Of course things have been crazy lately and I haven't had time to back up newer photo's data files etc.

Finally, since this is a laptop and my other computer is a new desktop, is there anyway I can somehow transfer the data if I go ahead with the clean install?

thanks.... Tim

 

[Slikkster]

You need to do a Repair Install, otherwise known as an In Place Install. Here's the MS Support page about it. There's also a link inside this link that tells you how to do an in-place install. Remember that unless you have a slipstreamed XP CD with all security updates, you will have to reapply all security updates post-install.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326671

What happens when you try to boot with the CD? Where does the CD stop?

I would disconnect any external devices from the laptop before booting from the CD.

Also, are you misspelling "Kernel" as "Kernal", or is that exactly how the message is appearing? I'd do a bootable virus scanner if it shows up as Kernal.

 

[Mynzaboxer]

Thanks Slikkster ..... you're right, I mispelled Kernel

The problem I'm having is that Windows won't boot from the Win OS CD so that I can try a Repair..

It starts to boot ... I get the message "Press any key to boot from CD", but from there it just recycles once, then I get the original message mentioned above. I reseated the CD drive as HP requested, but it didn't help. This is frustrating to say the least. Right now I wish I had a floppy drive installed at the time of purchase. :-/.

Any idea what could have caused this? I thought I was protected from any virus, etc., because of my Firewall and Anti Virus software. Could it be a hardware failure? HP says no.

I called my local shop and they they could take the laptop and transfer the data without the OS running. Do you know of any articles on how I might do this? Finally, without a bootable CD .... how am I to do a Clean Install .....(still hoping for a repair :-(

 

[Slikkster]

Have you tried ANY other bootable CD to see if it will boot, like BartPE or Knoppix? You would do well to rule out whether it's a CD disc issue or a CD Drive issue.

How long are you waiting after the Press Any Key message appears? Sounds like it's not actually trying and going right to the hard drive.

What exact model laptop is this?

Please answer the questions above.

Also, the local repair shop would probably just remove the drive, and then use a 2.5" IDE-USB adapter to get the data off of it from another pc.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=2.5...1&sa=X&oi=froogle&ct=checkout-restrict

You can see that most of them are very inexpensive. There's also regular 2.5" (laptop drive size) to 3.5" (PC hard drive size) IDE adapters that don't use USB, but just allow you to take the laptop drive and connect it to a regular pc's IDE cable. Here's one from Compusa:

http://www.compusa.com/products/product..._3_5_inch_IDE_Hard_Drive_Cable_Adapter

 

[Mynzaboxer]

Thanks again. It's a HP Pavillion zv6000 series.

"How long are you waiting after the Press Any Key message appears? Sounds like it's not actually trying and going right to the hard drive."

I was pressing it right after the message came up...but it would start to boot , the the Press Any Key message would keep appearing ... cycling again. When I didn't press any key...the original error message would come up again.

I've called Geek Squad out. I'll have them scan the hard drive as well to see if there is some form of virus that has caused this kernel problem. Is this possible? They also confirmed that it shouldn't be a problem to recover my data prior to fixing the OS issue.

I appreciate your help.

 

[Slikkster]

One thing you can try before the Geek Squaders come out is to make sure your Bios/CMOS is set for DEFAULTS, and reboot. Here's how:

Default Settings

The following procedure explains how to restore the Setup utility
default settings. If the notebook is not in the Setup utility, begin at
step 1. If the notebook is in the Setup utility, begin at step 3.

1. If you are not sure whether the notebook is off or in
hibernation, press the power button. (The notebook turns on
or restores from hibernation.)

2. Display the Setup message:

If the notebook is on, restart the notebook through the
operating system.

If you are certain that the notebook is off and not in
hibernation, turn the notebook on.

3. Press f9.

4. When the Setup Confirmation is displayed, press enter to save
your preference.

5. To set your preference and exit the Setup utility, press f10,
and then follow the instructions on the screen.

The Setup utility default settings are set when you exit the Setup
utility and are in effect when the notebook restarts in Windows.
Identification information, including ROM version information,
is retained.

 

[Mynzaboxer]

Thanks .... I just tried your suggestion ... and reset the Setup Configuration to Defaults .. but still the same error. Can you suggest a site where I could download and create a bootable CD for Win XP sp2? ........ that might be worth a try. I guess I could try using the Windows OS CD from my new system (from Velocity Micro) and see if that works?

Tim

 

[Slikkster]

What you really want to do is find out if ANY bootable CD will boot up to SOMETHING. This way you can rule out that you have a CDROM Drive problem.

If you can boot from the other OS CD, great, because you'll be able to do a NON-DESTRUCTIVE repair on your system (not the same as a repair install or in-place install; this really leaves your programs, hardware, and settings as they were, which is much more desirable).

Follow the instructions in this Information Week article. It's very straightforward, and has pictures of what to do every step of the way. If you just follow the instructions explicitly, you'll be good to go.

http://www.informationweek.com/windows/...?articleID=189400897&pgno=1&queryText=

Also, your laptop cd/dvd drive should be removable. I would take it out and put it back in place (with the laptop OFF, of course). This effectively reseats the cd/dvd drive connections to the laptop's motherboard. It's possible it might need a simple reseating to work.

 

[btcomm1]

It sounds like it's your ram, may want to take out one ram module and see if you are still having the same problem booting off the cd.

 

[Mynzaboxer]

Originally posted by: Slikkster
What you really want to do is find out if ANY bootable CD will boot up to SOMETHING. This way you can rule out that you have a CDROM Drive problem.

If you can boot from the other OS CD, great, because you'll be able to do a NON-DESTRUCTIVE repair on your system (not the same as a repair install or in-place install; this really leaves your programs, hardware, and settings as they were, which is much more desirable).

Follow the instructions in this Information Week article. It's very straightforward, and has pictures of what to do every step of the way. If you just follow the instructions explicitly, you'll be good to go.

http://www.informationweek.com/windows/...?articleID=189400897&pgno=1&queryText=

Also, your laptop cd/dvd drive should be removable. I would take it out and put it back in place (with the laptop OFF, of course). This effectively reseats the cd/dvd drive connections to the laptop's motherboard. It's possible it might need a simple reseating to work.

Thanks Slikkster....and btcomm1, I had already tried reseating the DVD./CD player with no luck. I did try the Win CD from my new system with the same negative results as with the Win CD that came with the notebook :-(

Now this next thing is pretty odd ...Velocity Micro..the maker of the new desktop system has two bootable 'Restore Disks' that will do a complete system restore (of the new desktop systems settings of course). To just try it out to see if something would happen, I stuck in Disk #1 into the notebook and the setup utility started right up, asking me for the second disk. I was afraid to go further as I didn't want the laptop to have everything wiped off. But this does prove that the DVD/CD Drive is working, correct?

I can't understand why then the so called bootable Win CD's for the laptop and from the other system will not work on the notebook, when both will start the Windows Setup on the new desktop but the Velocity Restore disk will??

Do you know of where one can download onto a CD, a boot disk that might do the job? I would like figure this out for myself if I could....even if it means taking the hard drive out, transferring the data to my new system (will need help) and go from there.

 

[Slikkster]

Can you verify whether these two XP OS discs will auto-boot on other pc's?

 

[Mynzaboxer]

Thank you for your continued help.

Both Win OS disks are both bootable on the new desktop ... just not the laptop. But since those 'restore disk' from the new desktop will boot up on the laptop....doesn't that mean that the DVD/CD Drive is working? I just don't get it.

 

[Laputa]

Should back everything up first before you do all of the above. You can get one of those USB 2.0 external enclosures for labtop drives to transfer the data over. Should be hard to do unless the drive has a physical issue. You can do the rest with the help from here.