HELP ME!

from WinCustomize Forums
I am trying to repair a friends laptop that is refusing to cooperate. She is getting the blue screen on boot-up, Stop 0x24 error. I know what caused it, I know how to repair it, the problem I am having is how the heck do I bypass the blue screen??? If I get the screen with the boot up options, before I can type any commands, the blue screen pops up. If I try to boot in safe mode, the blue screen pops up. I can't even run a scan disk without that blue screen popping up and I can't do anything while it is there. Does anyone know how to get rid of the blue screen so I can fix this thing? That blue screen even tells me what to do to repair the errors, but it doesn't tell how to get out of it in order to perform them! Help, please, somebody?????
12,476 views 27 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
Maybe a startup with a bootable os like Knoppix Linux can help, if you need access to the filesystem just dropp the knopixx cd into you drive start your pc and say hello.

Knoppix is freeware, you can get it here: http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
MGiff,

If there are 2 IDE cables, have you tried switching the drive to the other cable to get it past blue screen?

I am thinking you may have to pull the drive and connect it to another computer as a slave (or cable select in slave position), then run CheckDisk to fix drive if possible (or load drivers if that is what you need).

The only other thing I can think of would be (1) a repair, or (2) a clean install of windows if boot sequence goes to CD first.

That is all I have for now, perhaps someone more experienced than I will drop by.
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Have you tried booting up to the install CD and running chkdsk /r or chkdsk /f ?
Here are a couple links that might help.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q228888
http://groups.msn.com/TheCompleteComputerResource/stop0x0000000aandstop0x0000001e.msnw
Good luck.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wonderful advice everyone, Corky only problem is I can't type commands! I'm gonna try and boot using the install cd and see what happens, I'm sure I'll be back screaming/begging for help! I will try the Knoppix second and take your advice last, Corky, in the first post. It sounds sort of complicated. Thanks for helping, I'll be back!
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
MGiff, once you boot with the install CD, type "r" at the prompt screen for the recovery console. That's where you'll type chkdsk in the command line.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you! Now that would have drove me crazy......
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well I managed to boot it up using the install CD, it made a few corrections and will boot now but there is no windows! No task bar, I can't right click, nada. I guess I'll have to reinstall windows?
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Can you use the WinKey+E to bring up Windows Explorer? Or WinKey+F to bring up Search?

If so, and you can access files, you can use this to burn files to CD that you want to save (if burning works) - then a clean install definitely sounds like your best bet. Something must have been corrupted in the system folder if the explorer shell is not showing up.

Make sure you have the chipset, audio, video, and USB drivers available - or go to the individual manufacturer's website to download the current drivers and burn them to disc.

Install windows by booting from disc, delete the current installation partition, install Windows to a new partition. After installing, install any chipset, audio, video, and USB drivers you need.

That should do it, other than installing the software programs you use.

Good luck.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I was too late, Corky covered everything that you should do.

You could do alot through the recovery console and now since you have windows up, you could try to repair it, but by the sound of it, it would be useless and would take too much time

I at least wanted to put a comment
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

 MGiff  ...try ctrl / shift / escape ....if you can get the task manager up you can load your shell [explorer.exe] from there...that'll possibly give you your 'desktop'.

It 'might' just be the shell didn't load...

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have a Win2K machine at work that won't show explorer (taskbar, start menu) on boot up. When I open task manager it shows explorer.exe as a running process. I end that process and tell it to run explorer.exe (as Jafo suggested ) and then all is fine.
Since that machine only gets rebooted every month or two, I've never really tried to fix the root of the problem.

If you can't get explorer to load, and you've already run chkdsk, then you might need to do a repair/reinstall of windows. It'll reinstall Windows on top of itself and leave all your files and apps intact.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, now tell me how to solve the same BSOD problem with no CD rom. If I could get that one goin I could fix half the crap in my closet! Problem is none of the drives in my working computers will match up to the dead ones so, well, you see my problem.

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Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OK, I got the task manager up, explorer.exe is nowhere to be found. Winkey+f and Winkey+E does nothing either. I did find System Restore but it says it's not there either. Gonna be a complete reinstall, darn it.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
In Task Manager what happens if you select File>New Task(Run)and type in explorer.exe? Do you see explorer.exe anywhere in the running processes?

If you do decide to go with a reinstall, it should detect that XP is asready insstalled and ask if you want to repair it. That way you won't lose all the data and have to reinstall all your apps.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you have task manager running just go File > New Task (Run.) and type in explorer.exe then 'OK', explorer should then start.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That's what I was doing! I also used the browse button to look for anything resembling explorer and couldn't find it. Doing that was how I figured out that restore wasn't there either. tjesterb, I tried the repair yesterday, that was how I got it this far but I couldn't get it any further. I also did a chkdsk. I honestly don't know what Kay did to her computer but she sure did it good!
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you have bootable Linux CD (Knoppix, etc...can read NTFS) you could use that to copy any data off to CD, or even email it to yourself if the files aren't too big. At least you could save any irreplacable data.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

MGiff ... explorer.exe is in your 'windows' folder .... it's your shell....if you don't have that then you're well and truly lost.

typing 'explorer.exe' in the new task option in the task manager 'should' find/run it .... its location is [should be] known to the OS.

If it isn't there, or cannot be found then you have a failed and/or damaged install of the OS.

Re-install...

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yep. Reinstall. *sigh*
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sorry MGiff
At least your friend will have a nice clean install after this.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I guess that's one consolation...
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jeeze, all the windows updates! 19+13+1! I did find a virus from the previous installation though, something called Padobot.F? It didn't sound too ominous in the description but now there are dozens of back-door Trojan Horses trying to slip in. Sooo glad this is not my puter......................
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You're friend should take you out for a nice dinner, at the very least.
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hmm. That means I would have to visit Florida and possibly endure some fresh prawns..........hmmm.....