Can't get out of Safe Mode. Unknown Error

**chintzel** · June 9th, 2004, 08:36 PM

I have experienced the latest in a series of XP crashes. I downloaded the service pack 1 for XP(which I'm not sure fully worked) and then about a day later had a freeze up so that I had to restart the computer. After the password page and the windows logo page, a blue screen flashes for a second. Some sort of extensive message is displayed (likely an error message) but then it closes too fast for me to read it. I can't figure out how to pause the screen so I can do so. Then I get a message that windows could not boot properly and I have the option of safe mode, last good menu, and normal. Only safe mode works. The others just go though the same thing and won't boot. I've checked the msconfig menu and the Boot.ini tab is fine and no safe mode heading appears. Likewise the safemode box there is unchecked. I don't know what else to do to get the thing to boot in normal mode. Perhaps there is some way to read that blue screen before it disappears?
Thanks,
Tim

**Ferrit** · June 9th, 2004, 08:41 PM

Welcome to Windrivers chintzel
Well a bluescreen is usually a hardware error so
I would say take out all the non essential hardware like nic,sound, modem extra ram and shut off usb and try to get it to boot with
1 stick of ram
1 harddrive
Cdrom
floppy
vid card
If and when it boots then add the hardware back one piece at a time

**chintzel** · June 9th, 2004, 08:52 PM

Ferrit,
Unfortunately I'm a neophyte and am not really sure how to reboot with all that hardware removed. Do I uninstall everything manually (since the "remove hardware" icon is nowhere to be found in safe mode or so I rebot with all that stuff disconnected? If so how do I disable USB and some of the RAM? What about trying system restore? Thanks for the expertise,
Tim

Originally Posted by Ferrit

Welcome to Windrivers chintzel
Well a bluescreen is usually a hardware error so
I would say take out all the non essential hardware like nic,sound, modem extra ram and shut off usb and try to get it to boot with
1 stick of ram
1 harddrive
Cdrom
floppy
vid card
If and when it boots then add the hardware back one piece at a time

**Larommi** · June 9th, 2004, 08:56 PM

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that this blue screen is possibly software related.

Try letting it boot into safe mode and running MSConfig from your startline. Click diagnostic startup and see if you can boot into windows normally. If so, then it might be a piece of software. At this point, start checking the boxes on the msconfig screen 1 at a time, rebooting in between until the problem re-occurs.

**Larommi** · June 9th, 2004, 08:57 PM

Did you install the SP with the option to remove it? If so, that is another option.

**Ferrit** · June 9th, 2004, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by chintzel

Ferrit,
Unfortunately I'm a neophyte and am not really sure how to reboot with all that hardware removed. Do I uninstall everything manually (since the "remove hardware" icon is nowhere to be found in safe mode or so I rebot with all that stuff disconnected? If so how do I disable USB and some of the RAM? What about trying system restore? Thanks for the expertise,
Tim

Knowing what I now know I sincerly think it may need to go ot a shop

**chintzel** · June 9th, 2004, 09:02 PM

Larommi,
No, I did now install the Sp with the option to remove it (unfortunately). Yes, I did already try the "clean Boot" method via the Msconfig menu and the diagnostic setup and the same thing happens. BTW I can't run my antivirus program in safe mode but I had scanned the hard drive only the day before and it was clean.
Thanks,
Tim

Originally Posted by Larommi

Did you install the SP with the option to remove it? If so, that is another option.

**Larommi** · June 9th, 2004, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by chintzel

Larommi,
No, I did now install the Sp with the option to remove it (unfortunately). Yes, I did already try the "clean Boot" method via the Msconfig menu and the diagnostic setup and the same thing happens. BTW I can't run my antivirus program in safe mode but I had scanned the hard drive only the day before and it was clean.
Thanks,
Tim

Well, I am leaning towards Ferrits method of checking hardware then. However, as one last ditch effort, you could see if any of these. apply to your situation.

**chintzel** · June 9th, 2004, 09:10 PM

OK,
I'll try. Any idea about how to pause the blue screen so I can read the darn error message?
Thanks
Tim

Originally Posted by Larommi

Well, I am leaning towards Ferrits method of checking hardware then. However, as one last ditch effort, you could see if any of these. apply to your situation.

**Larommi** · June 9th, 2004, 09:16 PM

You could try the pause key

Another thing I just thought of is to check your "event viewer" found in Control Panel > Administrative Tools.

**hudsonsmith** · June 10th, 2004, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by chintzel

OK,
I'll try. Any idea about how to pause the blue screen so I can read the darn error message?
Thanks
Tim

Go to System Properties/Advanced/Startup and Recovery and under System Failure uncheck the box next to Automatically reboot.

**chintzel** · June 10th, 2004, 10:24 AM

Thanks for the Blue screen tip. It essentially reads:

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Then it says to check recent hardware and software then lower down it says under Technical Information:
STOP: 0x000000D (0x6130832B,0x00000002,0x00000000,0x83125340)
Is reinstalling Xp the only option left? I've lost my discs so I don't know how I would do that.
Thanks,
Tim

Originally Posted by hudsonsmith

Go to System Properties/Advanced/Startup and Recovery and under System Failure uncheck the box next to Automatically reboot.

**MmmmM** · June 10th, 2004, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by chintzel

Thanks for the Blue screen tip. It essentially reads:

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Then it says to check recent hardware and software then lower down it says under Technical Information:
STOP: 0x000000D (0x6130832B,0x00000002,0x00000000,0x83125340)
Is reinstalling Xp the only option left? I've lost my discs so I don't know how I would do that.
Thanks,
Tim

When ever I got an error like that, it was a network card issue, try updating or reinstalling your network card drivers, or get the card replaced with a different one

**hudsonsmith** · June 10th, 2004, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by chintzel

Thanks for the Blue screen tip. It essentially reads:

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Then it says to check recent hardware and software then lower down it says under Technical Information:
STOP: 0x000000D (0x6130832B,0x00000002,0x00000000,0x83125340)
Is reinstalling Xp the only option left? I've lost my discs so I don't know how I would do that.
Thanks,
Tim

Does it give you a file name as part of the error message?

**chintzel** · June 10th, 2004, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by hudsonsmith

Does it give you a file name as part of the error message?

No, that is the only techincal info on the screen. It opens with a statement that windows was not loaded so "more damage" would not occur to my system. Also, I check my network card adapters and they seem fine in the device manager.
Tim