BleepingComputer.com: Laptop won't start up - help needed!

HI,

I have a laptop that seems to have got some sort of problem! It's kept at my parents and I've not been here for a couple of weeks and in that time it's somehow all gone wrong! No idea whats happened to it and the only thing anyone has done to it (that I know of!) was change the modem over to a wireless one. They said it worked after they installed it but now when you turn it on, i get a black screen, with the following messge:

Windows did not start successfully a recent hardware or software problem may have caused this.

If it stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly or was automatically shut down to protect files & folders choose 'Last known Good Configuration' to revert to the most recent setting that worked.

If previous start up was interrupted due to a power failure or because the power or reset button was pressed or if you're not sure what has caused the problem choose 'Start Windows normlly'

It then gives me the following options to start with:

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Last Know GoodConfiguration
Start Normally

I have tried selecting Safe Mode, Last Known good Configuration & Start Normally but this takes me to another screen which asks:

Select operating system to start with:

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows RecoveryConsole

If I choose the fisrt one it takes me back to the first screen i had and if i chosse the recovery option i get taken to a blue screen with the following message:

Problem detected, Windows shut down to prevent damage to your computer
If this is the first time this hashappened please restat your computer. If it appears again please follow these steps:

Disable or Uninstall any anti-virus, disk sefragmentation or back up utilities. Check hard drive configuration and check for any updated drives

Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, then restart

Technical info:

***STOP: 0x00000024 (0x00190203, 0x842F0E70, 0xc0000102, 0x00000000)

Nothing on this screen means anything to me and I'd have no idea how to do any of those things, but even if I did i can't even get the laptop to start!! I just get taken between the two screens, select a start mode then get taken back to choose the operating system!! It sometimes looks like it will start up but then the same screens keep coming up!

Does anyone have any ideas how I can fix this? Will it be as straight forward to fix by following someones instructions on here, or would I be better off taking it to a shop?


Any help will be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Leanne

Hi .

FWIW: http://www.geekswhoknow.com/articles/stop-...-error-code.htm

System manufacturer and model, please?

The fact that you could not access the Windows XP Recovery Console...somewhat eliminates the possibility of running chkdsk /r and would say to me that your NTFS file system is borked beyond repair. But I don't claim to be all-knowing or infallible...my track record is spotty .

If NTFS is messed up beyond repair, you would eventually need to delete the current partition and then format/create partition/clean install XP.

The fact that NTFS is cited as the offending agent...does not necessarily rule out the possibility that it's really your hard drive which is the problem.

If you are not used to installing Windows or repairing such...I would suggest asking one of your more knowledgeable friends to take a look at it, rather than taking it to a shop. Ultimately, it may wind up in a shop, but I tend to make such my last alternative when trying to solve computer system problems.

Louis

Hi Louis,

Thanks for your reply! It's a Fujitus Siemens Amilo laptop, bought it about 3 and a half years ago now.

Doesn't sound too good from what you've said though! Have had a look at the link you posted and it seems to sound quite simple on there! Need to decide wheter to give it a go myself, can i really do that much damage?! lol

Don't really know anyone who's good with computers but maybe I can ask someone from my works IT department!

Thanks for your help, much appreciated!

Leanne

Your job's IT department sounds like a good source...that's what I used in the days before I knew very many troubleshooting skills.

You may want to just copy your original post and give that to someone as a quick summary of what's transpired.

I've had NTFS problems before and, ultimately, I wound up doing the delete/clean install routine to overcome those situations. But you can also try running chkdsk /r (not chkdsk /f) after attaching your hard drive to a known good system (as a secondary drive).

Louis