BleepingComputer.com: Computer won't start up!

i got the errors again, when it got to around 95% done. it says

Problem in extracting process:
Program Files\BigFix\_Data\BigFix\_Local\masthead couldn't be opened!

and if i click "ok" on that box i get another box for another big fix file that cant be opened, same error just different name to the file. although, i think that the errors started later in the game this time around? i remember there being errors like this before for program files\ahead\ but those all went fine this time and then it started at big fix. unless im wrong, or theres more files from the ahead program...

Note what program is involved (in the above it is BigFix) with the errors and how many errors you are seeing.

I am thinking that your optical drive (your DVD disk drive) is not reading the DVD disk properly (could be the drive or the DVD disk at fault?). Let's see what the overall view is of the errors when the install is complete.

there were more from the ahead program a bit later. i cant record every pop up because theres just so many that come up, its just one after another after another. theres the one above, and then after the big fix ones were for conexant that said "Files\CONEXANT\CNXT_MODEM_PCI_VEN_14F1&DEV_2F20&SUBSYS_200014F1\AXEL.DEV couldn't be opened!

then there was a com plus applications - that had an "axel.dev" in it
an error for common files also with axel.dev in it
common files AOL, a couple of those
common files ahead and it had an axel.dev in it..

ok i may have to go through the recovery again to get the right numbers down. i'll start recording from where i am currently and if i need to do it again to get all the errors from the start i can do that as well.

canadian_lady25, on 24 May 2011 - 02:03 AM, said:

That's not good.

I suggest cleaning:

• the DVD disk
  
• the optical disk drive

and then trying again.

If that doesn't work 100%, then try swapping the optical disk drive for the one in your old (other) machine and cleaning that, and trying again with that one. (Each optical disk drive is different and has different capabilities of reading a given media (disk) ... some better than others.)

If you are going to try the cleaning that I suggested, let me know and we will sort out something ... I have been cleaning a few CD/DVDs lately, but am not "a full bottle" on cleaning of the reading head in the optical disk drive.

here are the errors and numbers of them... that AXEL.DAV or .DEV...whichever one it is, that popped up a lot with most if not all the programs.

common files:
ahead - 30 errors
java - 5
mssoap - 4
microsoft shared - 68
nullsoft - 5
ODBC - 2
real - 7
services - 1
speechengines - 6
symantec shared - 55
system - 4
aol share - 26
csshare - 11

program files:
compuserve 7.0 - 36
cyber link - 11
ICQ - 44
install shield installation information - 13
internet explorer - 5
java - 30
javasoft - 2
learn2.com - 2
msn - 14
msn encarta plus - 1
msn gaming zone - 2
messenger - 1
microsoft money - 13
microsoft picture it - over 500. i stopped counting at 500 and just clicked through
microsoft works - 4
movie maker - 6
net meeting - 1
netscape - 30
norton anti virus - 4
online services - 1
outlook express - 1
program shortcuts - 1
quicktime - 2
real - 3
symantec - 2
uninstall information - 2
viewpoint - 6
winamp - 5
windows media player - 5
windows NT - 3

and the disk is super clean, with the exception of the 1 tiny mark, it looks brand new...and im not entirely sure how to clean the drive but i can look up how and try that, and i could also try switching the drive from my other computer. im going to bed now, i'll try them tomorrow and then report back with my results! thanks!

edit to add, i looked at the disk more closely under a brighter light, and there does appear to be some scratching. the scratches dont seem to be that bad, the disk is still in really good shape and you have to really look, but there does seem to be some scratches. is there a way to fix that? or is there a way to create a new restore disk?

This post has been edited by canadian_lady25: 24 May 2011 - 03:10 AM

canadian_lady25, on 24 May 2011 - 02:49 AM, said:

That's what I thought about the DVD disks (a TV series) I had just taken out of their new packaging .... as I wondered why they had trouble playing in a couple of places. Looking very closely, I could see what appeared to be a faint "smudge" ... no scratches. They did play properly after cleaning. There are "cleaning kits" available for the job, which usually comprise some paste and a cloth or pad. The cleaning movement must be done carefully and in a particular way .... so make sure that you research before getting stuck into the job.

A friend (and I tend to trust his advice in this field) told me just two days ago, that he takes his trouble-some CDs/DVDs to the local movie/dvd rental shop and gets them to clean his disks for just a few dollars. They use a proper machine for the job, and it works well. That could be the quickest, easiest and best way to get that job done properly!

Quote

Yes, normally this can be done simply by choosing to "copy" the disk with your burning software, burning to a new DVD disk, and using that. However, if all the optical drives you have available to use have trouble reading the original disk, you may run into errors there too. That could be worth a shot. If errors show up and the disk can't be copied, it may be possible using other methods (I have done it with CDs but not a DVD ... and I would really prefer not to have to go that far!!!).

Edit: Oh, and if you do burn a new disk, then ensure that you burn it at the slowest speed possible to ensure the best burn the machine is capable of doing!

This post has been edited by AustrAlien: 24 May 2011 - 06:12 AM

i can (hopefully) make a new one with my parents computer if need be. i may try that today as well. i'll report back when i have worked on it!

i tried to clean off any potential smudges or dirt and that, and ran it again. still errors. but from what i could tell, it was all the same errors as yesterday. i dont have anything to clean the disk with, so i was going to try and make a copy of the disk but i've been having some difficulty. i tried to use my parents computer to copy it, but when i put a blank disc in their computer to copy, it says that windows cant write to that disk (i think thats another problem for another day unfortunately). i am now using my computer to make an attempt at doing it on this one. i just dont know how to go about doing it, what program i should use, etc. i've tried looking it up online but im having a hard time figuring out how to do this...

i have been able to copy the files from the disk into a folder on my computer. they're also copied onto my parents computer. i only have 1 drive that will work with dvds, the other drive in this computer is only a cd drive. there is a version of Nero on here to copy the disk, but it seems to be set up so that i have to have the main disk in one drive, and the blank disk in a second drive and having both go at the same time. but that wont work with the computer because one of the drives is only for CDs.

This post has been edited by canadian_lady25: 24 May 2011 - 09:56 PM

Let's try with ImgBurn (although you could use your existing Nero to do the job using only the one DVD drive).

Download and install ImgBurn.

• Start ImgBurn and choose "Create image file from disc"
  
  • Ensure that "Source" and "Destination" are correctly identified, named and located.
    
  • Look at and make a note of the "Read" speeds (you may want to slow them down if necessary).
  
  
• Click on the start button (green arrow).
  
• Allow to complete without doing anything else on the computer while it is working.

This will create an .ISO file at the destination of your choosing.

I'll let you get started on this ... and I will post again with further instructions shortly.

When you have created the .ISO file, do the following:

On the Main Menu bar at the top of the ImgBurn window, click on Mode > Verify.
Ensure that "Source" is correct (your DVD drive).
Under "Image File", click on the little folder icon and navigate to the . ISO file that you have just created, and select it.
Click on the start button (magnifying glass) to begin the verification.
Allow to complete verification without doing anything else on the computer while it is running.

Success? Do you get a "successfully completed" message?

If (and it's a big IF) you can successfully create and verify the .ISO image of the DVD disk, then we can now burn it to a new blank DVD disk.

Start ImgBurn and choose "Write image file to disc".

• Under "Source", navigate to and choose your .ISO file.
  
• Ensure that your DVD drive is correctly identified under "Destination" (and that you have a new blank DVD disk in the drive).
  
• Place a check-mark in the "Verify" box.
  
• Under "Settings", change the "Write Speed" to 4x. <<< Important!
  
• Now click on the start button.
  
  Do not do anything else on the computer while the new disk is burning and then verifying.

Success? Do you see a "successfully completed" message after verification?

This post has been edited by AustrAlien: 24 May 2011 - 10:50 PM

what needs to be the right thing in source and destination? source has the drives, but im not sure what i should have as the destination?