[jess0731]

I'm using Windows XP Home on my computer but recently it crashed and when I rebooted the BSOD came up and I saw a 0X24 Stop Error. I know this is a NTFS error (I spoke to the Dell people). I can't boot the last good configuration or access safe mode. I was all ready to repair install XP using my boot CD however, when I got to the screen prompting XP install, there was NO repair option. My only options were to format the partitions and lose all of the data on my computer. To me, this is the LAST possible path I want to take.
I found some online posts suggesting Recovery Console activity, however, when I get into the Recovery Console it does not give me the option of choosing which windows installation I want to log into. Nor does it ask for my administrator password. Instead, it goes straight to the command prompt and for every valid command that I type in, I receive the "access denied" message.
I'm really frustrated and baffled by this issue. If anyone has any ideas why I cannot repair XP or why my recovery console isn't functioning properly (and possible solutions) I would REALLY appreciate it. I really cannot afford to lose the files I have on my computer with a XP Clean Install, but I'm not sure what else will fix these problems.

[Advertisements]

This error can also be caused by a dying hard drive.

[Neil Jones]

This error can also be caused by a dying hard drive.

[The Skeptic]

You can move the HD to another computer, rig it as slave and backup the files that you want to keep in the other computer's HD or another storage device. After that you you can reformat.

I have seen this problem a number of times and never found the cause, nor did I found a solution other then reformatting.

[Metahuman]

Recovery Console, is an interface, where no 'executables' run. i.e, no .exe's run. Only 27 commands are supported. Those are listed as under -
The following list describes the available commands for the Recovery Console:
• Attrib changes attributes on one file or subdirectory.
• Batch executes commands that you specify in the text file, Inputfile. Outputfile holds the output of the commands. If you omit the Outputfile parameter, output appears on the screen.
• Bootcfg modifies the Boot.ini file for boot configuration and recovery.
• CD (Chdir) operates only in the system directories of the current Windows installation, removable media, the root directory of any hard disk partition, or the local installation sources.
• Chkdsk The /p switch runs Chkdsk even if the drive is not flagged as dirty. The /r switch locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. This switch implies /p. Chkdsk requires Autochk. Chkdsk automatically looks for Autochk.exe in the startup folder. If Chkdsk cannot find the file in the startup folder, it looks for the Windows 2000 Setup CD-ROM. If Chkdsk cannot find the installation CD-ROM, Chkdsk prompts the user for the location of Autochk.exe.
• Cls clears the screen.
• Copy copies one file to a target location. By default, the target cannot be removable media, and you cannot use wildcard characters. Copying a compressed file from the Windows 2000 Setup CD-ROM automatically decompresses the file.
• Del (Delete) deletes one file. Operates within the system directories of the current Windows installation, removable media, the root directory of any hard disk partition, or the local installation sources. By default, you cannot use wildcard characters.
• Dir displays a list of all files, including hidden and system files.
• Disable disables a Windows system service or driver. The variable service_or_driver is the name of the service or driver that you want to disable. When you use this command to disable a service, the command displays the service's original startup type before it changes the type to SERVICE_DISABLED. Note the original startup type so that you can use the enable command to restart the service.
• Diskpart manages partitions on hard disk volumes. The /add option creates a new partition. The /delete option deletes an existing partition. The variable device is the device name for a new partition (such as \device\harddisk0). The variable drive is the drive letter for a partition that you are deleting (for example, D). Partition is the partition-based name for a partition that you are deleting, (for example: \device\harddisk0\partition1) and can be used instead of the drive variable. The variable size is the size, in megabytes, of a new partition.
• Enable enables a Windows system service or driver. The variable service_or_driver is the name of the service or driver that you want to enable, and start_type is the startup type for an enabled service. The startup type uses one of the following formats:
SERVICE_BOOT_START
SERVICE_SYSTEM_START
SERVICE_AUTO_START
SERVICE_DEMAND_START
• Exit quits the Recovery Console, and then restarts the computer.
• Expand expands a compressed file. The variable source is the file that you want to expand. By default, you cannot use wildcard characters. The variable destination is the directory for the new file. By default, the destination cannot be removable media and cannot be read-only. You can use the attrib command to remove the read-only attribute from the destination directory. The option /f:filespec is required if the source contains more than one file. This option permits wildcard characters. The /y switch disables the overwrite confirmation prompt. The /d switch specifies that the files will not be expanded and displays a directory of the files in the source.
• Fixboot writes a new startup sector on the system partition.
• Fixmbr repairs the startup partition's master boot code. The variable device is an optional name that specifies the device that requires a new Master Boot Record. Omit this variable when the target is the startup device.
• Format formats a disk. The /q switch performs a quick format. The /fs switch specifies the file system.
• Help If you do not use the command variable to specify a command, help lists all the commands that the Recovery Console supports.
• Listsvc displays all available services and drivers on the computer.
• Logon displays detected installations of Windows and requests the local Administrator password for those installations. Use this command to move to another installation or subdirectory.
• Map displays currently active device mappings. Include the arc option to specify the use of Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) paths (the format for Boot.ini) instead of Windows device paths.
• MD (Mkdir) operates only within the system directories of the current Windows installation, removable media, the root directory of any hard disk partition, or the local installation sources.
• More/Type displays the specified text file on screen.
• Rd (Rmdir) operates only within the system directories of the current Windows installation, removable media, the root directory of any hard disk partition, or the local installation sources.
• Ren (Rename) operates only within the system directories of the current Windows installation, removable media, the root directory of any hard disk partition, or the local installation sources. You cannot specify a new drive or path as the target.
• Set displays and sets the Recovery Console environment variables.
• Systemroot sets the current directory to %SystemRoot%.

This information was taken from - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654.

If you have tried any other commands they wont work in here. Also, your installation is an OEM so, you might need to get in touch with DELL again and ask them what options do you have under recovery console. Incase you are able to use recovery console, run chkdsk /p followed by chkdsk /r.

[jess0731]

You can move the HD to another computer, rig it as slave and backup the files that you want to keep in the other computer's HD or another storage device. After that you you can reformat.

I have seen this problem a number of times and never found the cause, nor did I found a solution other then reformatting.

So, using some forum posts on this site, I rigged my broken HD to another computer. When I started up the blue Windows screen popped up giving some warning about a risky drive and then ran a chkdsk on the slave HD. After that, I copied over all of my files to my functioning HD with no problem. I then removed the broken HD and put it back into my old computer and when I turned it on everything worked properly! No more BSOD!! I can also access Recovery Console and XP repair install properly.

I'm very nervous that this might be some sort of fluke and so I think that I will repair install XP just to be safe. Thank you all for your help.
It's extremely comforting to know that a computer novice, such as I am, could fix this problem with the help of knowledgeable people and an extensive computer database.

[The Skeptic]

I am pleased to hear that things got corrected. If the computer works well don't repair windows. The problem fixed by chkdsk can be result of voltage spike on the grid or one of many other reasons. I must admit that I have never seen a case in which repair option and recovery console were unreachable and yet the problem solved by chkdsk. This shows you why many of us are here on the forum: to learn as much as to help.

Regarding windows repair: This is a process that many times ends with more problem then you started with. I only use it as a last resort, and not very often too.