[happyrock]

I was sent this...

it's unclear from their post if they deleted the existing partition and recreated or if they just chose to install on the current partition....if they chose to install on the current partition...then they're basically loading a second copy of windows in tandem with the old one....which will still work.....in theory they're data would still be viewable etc..but that's assuming alot based on the info given...can you see if they deleted anything?

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During this repair attempt w/ the retail W-XP Home Ed disc, I wasn't presented any instructions to delete a partition, nor given different partitions to choose from to repair. I was shown the 3rd screen shot as shown in the g-t-g instructions, and entered <R>. I assume it was repairing on C: as displayed.
The only time I was presented different partitions to do anything with was when I first tried to use a W-XP Professional system disc to repair from (03/17/08). When I was shown that information, I did select C;, and was then given alert that I was installing a different op system. I did not choose any partition and exited totally out before any more actions taken.

[ZiaMan]

During this repair attempt w/ the retail W-XP Home Ed disc, I wasn't presented any instructions to delete a partition, nor given different partitions to choose from to repair. I was shown the 3rd screen shot as shown in the g-t-g instructions, and entered <R>. I assume it was repairing on C: as displayed.
The only time I was presented different partitions to do anything with was when I first tried to use a W-XP Professional system disc to repair from (03/17/08). When I was shown that information, I did select C;, and was then given alert that I was installing a different op system. I did not choose any partition and exited totally out before any more actions taken.

[happyrock]

If you can use the recovery console you can try this...

the lowdown is here..for getting into the recovery console

In recovery console... after logging in... type in ... bootcfg /add

Windows will scan your drive for windows installation and should only find one.

[1]: c:\windows

type in 1

Windows will prompt... ENTER LOAD IDENTIFIER...type in...temp windows

Windows will prompt... ENTER OS LOAD OPTIONS...Do not type anything... hit ENTER


type in exit... press enter
windows will reboot

This process will have added a second or possibly a third choice to your original boot menu
TEMP WINDOWS
WINDOWS XP Home or pro
RECOVERY CONSOLE...if your computer even has one

Choose TEMP WINDOWS in the boot menu
This will start Windows without any switches... maybe enabling you to get back into windows xp

[happyrock]

also was sent this...

XP does requires the product key and re-activation. Does he has an option to activate by phone? If he does he can do so. Just do not mention the disk came from a friend.

The problem may arise due to changes in hardware. He does mention he disconnected some of it.

[Ztruker]

To order a license, see here: http://www.microsoft...buy/addlic.mspx

[ZiaMan]

Haven't got to work on recent recommendations for recovery console/repair work yet. Will do tonight hopefully.
Re: MS site for license. Went to site. Tried to enter Prod Key, but won't take it.
My Prod Key has 5 fields (sections) of digits separated by hyphens. This site has only 4 fields. And the second field at site takes only 3 digits.
Won't work for me. Will probably be trying to call the tel # listed on site this evening to see if can make any headway there.
..Z

[ZiaMan]

Got through the latest recommendations (c:\windows>bootcfg /add, etc). After creating the TEMP Windows boot choice and then selecting it at re-boot, got the W-XP splash screen and it began starting up. Almost got excited. But eventually got the display "Set-up is being restarted...".
Prog finally got to the "An Exciting new look..." installation screen. Display was asking me to insert W-XP disc, etc. I did that but got same result as before - Windows wants Prod Key and when I input the Prod Key from the side of the Dell PC, it gets rejected. Tried a few twists on above, but regardless of re-booting and choice, once W-XP starts up, it states that " Set-up is restarting".
BTW - I did make sure all hw was reconnectd. No impact on repair, rcovery or booting.
Arrrggghhhhhh!
....ZM

[happyrock]

I was afraid of that...once you started the install and not the repair...it will only try to finish the new install
and I know you said you entered R to repair it..but windows chose to reinstall instead...
try calling MS...explain you were trying to REPAIR windows using someone else's disk..but it started a clean install and now you can't repair the ligit copy of windows that came with your computer...have your keycode and product numbers handy when you call them..both numbers are on the COA sticker on your computer...usually on the back of the case

[ZiaMan]

happryrck,
Will call MS this evening after getting home. What's my chances? I'll let you know how it goes.
Never had to install over existing os like this. If I have to get new W-XP, can you direct me to some reading on best process to install new version and keep existing drivers for hw. Or is it inevitable that I have to contact each manufacturer of each hw piece and try to get new drivers after installing new W-XP?
Thanks ..Z

[happyrock]

you will have to get drivers after the new install.. no biggee though...

If I have to get new W-XP, can you direct me to some reading on best process to install new version

just put in the new cd when it asks for the keycode put in the one that came on the new cd sticker...
then put that sticker over the top of the old one so if you ever have to reinstall it you don't put in the wrong code...

[John Hook]

ZiaMan,

I have a Dell Dimension 4550 and recently experienced the EXACT same BSOD STOP error "Stop: 0x0000000A (0x0000014C, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x804f1be2)"

It happened after I installed a trial version of Nero 8 Ultra Edition (v8.3.2.1), which I downloaded from Nero's website. The ONLY way to fix the problem was to run the CHKDSK /R from the recovery console - boot back up (in debugging mode) - then COMPLETELY uninstall the Nero v8 software using the Nero "CleanTools" that I downloaded from Nero's website. Once I completely removed Nero v8, the BSOD STOP error went away.

I'm posting this because perhaps you installed Nero 8 as well - since our stop error addresses were IDENTICAL. I'm not sure. Anyways, I'm going to re-install Nero v7 as I never had this problem with that version.

After reading through this entire thread - I felt bad about all of the posts telling you to reinstall or repair Windows XP. Generally, when something like this starts happening - it's a result of something you've recently changed or installed on XP. While it's true that the IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL 0x0000000a CAN be caused by defective hardware - I've generally found that the problem is with buggy video drivers or software that installs buggy OS drivers or services. Generally - if you got bad RAM in your PC - the BIOS's power-up test will catch it (if this feature is enabled).

If your PC has been working fine - then all of the sudden, starts crashing or locking up - ask yourself - what did I change or install or update BEFORE the problem first occurred? Usually - you'll find whatever you recently changed or installed to be the culprit. Unfortunately - so many level 1 tech support people are TOO quick to suggest the drastic solution of completely re-installing the OS from scratch. If you've got a lot of data and installed software - re-installing everything from scratch can turn into a 3-day project! Then, in many cases - you install the offending driver or program that caused the problem in the first place.

I don't say all of this to second-guess all of the good advice that others here have given since most of their suggestions are EXACTLY what Microsoft's Knowledge Base documents would have you do to troubleshoot and resolve your particular STOP BSOD error. As an IT professional, I've been working with PC's, PC Hardware, PC-Based OS's and application software for 18+ years and after spent COUNTLESS sleepless nights taking the advice of level-1 tech support people, re-formatting drives and completely re-installing Windows and all the needed application software - I learned that you can generally avoid all of that if you do a lot of searching on the Web for the specific problem you're having. Generally you'll find a solution that's less severe and time-consuming. Reformatting drives, repairing or re-instaling Windows should be a LAST RESORT - NOT the first thing you do! Again, when you start having a strange problem like this, the first question to ask yourself is "What, if anything, did I recently change, update or install on the PC BEFORE I started having this problem?” 90% of the time, you'll find that your problem IS related to some recent change.

Let me know if Nero software was involved when you started having this problem. I've found a handful of posts on the Web of other folks having the same problem after installing Nero Software. Nero's products are generally very reliable. The release frequent updates to their products online. Unfortunately, Nero’s support site is rather weak when it comes to troubleshooting and resolving technical, OS-level problems with their software.

If Nero software WAS NOT a factor with your PC - then perhaps there is some hardware, driver or BIOS issue that we have in common as we have similar DELL Dimension models both running Windows XP SP2.

Sorry for my drawn-out post. I tend to ramble Incessantly when addresing "techy" stuff. Hopefully we can help each other out with this.


Thanks,

John

[happyrock]

to John Hook...I bet your a armchair quarterback too
this should have been in the tech discussion or the serious discussion threads ...where your told

check your egos at the door. Serious on-topic discussions

and you could debate with the techs there on your theories and observations

but because you posted here "after the war was fought" I feel its important to reply to you here in this thread
a complete reinstall was NOT recommended until after a bungled repair and a repair was no longer a option..

maybe you missed this in post #14
Extended Test
> By Memory Module - 442 errors
Bank 'DIMM0": Slot 'J5G3'......442 errors
'DIMM1': Slot 'J5G1' .........0
can you explain how nero would somehow ruin the ram on his system
and this

Generally - if you got bad RAM in your PC - the BIOS's power-up test will catch it (if this feature is enabled).

not so at all.. unless you think the bios can test all your ram in about a minute
The BIOS memory check is a rudimentary memory check at best ... I have never know it come up with an error except with the most gross errors which will probably stop the computer from booting ...
even memtest86 says there is no guarantee that the ram is good after their passing their tests because there are parts of the ram that can not be tested
from them..

. By default the test attempts to get the memory size from the BIOS using the "e820" method. With "e820" the BIOS provides a table of memory segments and identifies what they will be used for. By default Memtest86 will test all of the ram marked as available and also the area reserved for the ACPI tables.

doing a repair takes about 20 minutes and you have about another 30 minutes to get all the updates reinstalled with generally no data loss at all..I have done this many many times ...all in less than a hour..
and then this...

re-installing everything from scratch can turn into a 3-day project!

I can build a complete system from scratch...installing all new components in a new case...install windows plus all the updates...tweak all the settings..install and configure the anti virus ...firewall and all anti malware tools all in 1 day with only a couple of hours left to get the clients data put on the system...

Edited by happyrck, 30 March 2008 - 08:02 AM.

[John Hook]

happyrck,

I stand corrected. It wasn't my intent to offend or challenge anyone who obviously put a lot of effort into assisting ZiaMan with his STOP BSOD. I should have read through the entire thread to realize that he DID in fact have faulty RAM in his PC. I'm NOT an "armchair quarterback" nor was I intending to come across as one. I do, however speak from MUCH experience. It IS true that most Level 1 tech support folks (not referring to you) go for the obvious - "reinstall" solution rather than attempting to isolate the specific problem that's causing crashing or blue screens. Call ANY software company with a problem and they generally have your reboot, re-install their application or start from scratch and reinstall Windows and EVERYTHING else. I wasn't directly that observation at YOU or anyone HERE - but simply making the point that this is the kind of tech support I've grown to expect from most Level 1 support techs.

I did extensive searches on the web for the exact STOP code and addresses that I was getting - most of those people had installed NERO 8 and in most cases the replies involved reinstalling things. My STOP error went away after I removed Nero 8 from my system, so it's safe to assume that my STOP error was not due to defective RAM or hardware.

I've dealt with MANY IRQL_NOT_LESS... STOP errors and only a few of them actually pointed to faulty hardware. Perhaps your experience has been different. I've generally been able to fix these issues by adjusting acceleration settings in the BIOS or OS or replacing drivers (mainly Video drivers). It has been my experience that if RAM is defective - it generally shows up as defective early in the system's life - not long after the fact - unless there's some overheating problem that damages it - which usually results in processor failure before RAM failure. Perhaps your experiences have been different with these STOP errors - and I am by NO means questioning that your experience with these STOP errors was due to defective RAM or hardware.

I only replied to the thread because the STOP error was EXACTLY the same as the one I was getting after installing Nero 8. Our hardware was nearly identical and I was hoping that perhaps his problem might, just might have been caused by the same thing. I was wrong not to read throuugh every post on 3 pages to realize that it wasn't. For that - again, I'm sorry. My intention was not to step on anyone's toes nor was it to second guess the extensive troubleshooting that you did to solve this guys problem.

I'm just frustrated because I know that Nero is likely going to tell me to reinstall their application (which I've already tried 3 times) or worse yet, tell me I need to reinstall Windows XP. In my case - I don't buy that as a viable solution. I'd much rather replace a .DLL, Driver file or make a change in the registry that spend hours reinstalling an entire operating system and dozens of applications.

Please don't take my post personally. Again - I should have read through the entire thread before I wrote that post.

Thanks for your understanding....

John