[BlazingArrow74]

... Hey Everyone ... My computer recently froze-up and shut down on me (was streaming 2 google videos and had just clicked on a link to download a torrent-file when this happened); upon my manual restart, there's a blank screen finally followed with a BSOD with the following:

STOP: c000021a

Now I've been doing massive amounts of research for the past 72 hours ... Unfortunately I was laid-off recently, and have actually had the time, but it's gotten me nowhere ... I understand that this particular STOP code occurs when "winlogin.exe" or "csrss.exe" fails ... Since I cannot get to the login screen where I enter my password, I think it's probable that the former executable is the culprit ...

I have tried a system recovery disk using the "r" function for "repair" with no success; I cannot boot into safe mode at all; memtest+ found no errors; the commands "fixboot" and fixmbr" did nothing; however, a hard-disk self test did result with a "#2- 07Fail" message, however, I was not convinced that my hard drive is the problem because I have heard no strange noises, and have never dropped the computer ... I understand that HDs all eventually fail, but in my skepticism, I booted from Knoppix-on-Disk and was able to access all of my personal files in working form ...

... Is it possible for a Hard Drive to have failed, but to still have accesible and working files ? ...

... Basically, since I can't get into safe mode (or any mode for that matter) and the recovery disk does nothing, is there any other command I can input to repair "winlogon.exe" ? ...

... In my frustration, I successfully installed another copy of SP3 on the same drive, just in a different folder, and maybe I can somehow transfer the new boot information into the faulty OS ? ... I would much prefer this since I get "access denied" and 'no priveleges' messages when I try to open files from the old OS in the new one (another problem entirely) ... Yes, I went into safe mode for the new OS and adjusted the owner and priveleges settings with no success ... It seems that I've tried everything ...

... I would much prefer to just get my old OS up and running again ... so many precious files ... so many DRM-ed encoded music files with lost licenses that I paid for ... and so little money in my current situation so buying anything is not an option ... Any help is appreciated.

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I have tried a system recovery disk using the "r" function for "repair" with no success;

which R option? to do a repair install or to go to recovery console? what happened when you did this? what constitutes no success here (other than not fixing your problem)?

[dsenette]

I have tried a system recovery disk using the "r" function for "repair" with no success;

which R option? to do a repair install or to go to recovery console? what happened when you did this? what constitutes no success here (other than not fixing your problem)?

[BlazingArrow74]

... Thanks for the reply ... The "R" function I speak-of is the recovery console ... I have yet to see a repair option although I have a slipstremed SP3 disk and a recovery boot disk and have tinkered with both ...

... However I have a new problem that needs clearing up ... I stumbeld across a Microsoft help page detailing how to recover from a corrupted registry in Recovery Console (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545) ... Little did I know this article was intended for those with a system restore point because, if I understand this correctly, that's where the "\repair\" sub-directory in 'stanza' 3 of part one is drawn from ... Well, long ago, I turned off my system restore feature because I needed the space on my HD and eventually, no more restore points were available ... I get an error saying that the files (...\repair\system, software, sam, etc.) are not found ... So I basically just entirely deleted my original windows OS ... However, the first section of part one is supposed to be the backup of the files deleted ... I believe they are stored as .bak files ...

... How do I reinstate the .bak files ? ... Or is this not even needed since I don't have the system restore versions of the windows regisrty to begin with and I'd need to "repair" install anyways ? ... any advice ? ... There must be ways around my problem ... I just hope my files remain intact ... Thanks Again for any help !! ...

-- Sam

[BlazingArrow74]

... Okay, I got the Windows directory restored by simply copying the .bak files back into system32 ... Things are back where they were:XP logo, blank screen, eventually followed by STOP error code c000021a ... is there any way I can use the SP3-slipstream disk to manually copy the OS files into the fauly OS or better-yet, the OS files from my working parallel (that I'm using now) ? ... For example, could I do this in Repair Console (after deleting what I just restored of-course):

[with slipstreamed disk]

copy d:\i386\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows32\config\system
copy d:\i386\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows32\config\software
copy d:\i386\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows32\config\sam
copy d:\i386\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows32\config\security
copy d:\i386\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows32\config\default

... I'm at this point because I am unable to get the "repair" option when at Windows XP Setup using the slipstreamed disk ... I no longer can find the OS CD supplied with my machine ... At this point, I am confident that this is just a registry corruption of some sort, and if I can reset this, or correct it, all will be well & I can finally log back into my unresponsive installation ...

... One peculiar thing to add:

When I ran "bootcfg/ rebuild", the recovery console only recognized my newer installation of Windows, not tho one I'm trying to repair ... However, when booting into Recovery Console, I am given the option of which Directory to log into which include both old (broken) and new parallels ... Is this significant ? ...

... I'm trying all I can to help myself here; a little expertise would go a long way with me, so please be a pal if you can ... Thanks Again !!

[dsenette]

When I ran "bootcfg/ rebuild", the recovery console only recognized my newer installation of Windows, not tho one I'm trying to repair ... However, when booting into Recovery Console, I am given the option of which Directory to log into which include both old (broken) and new parallels ... Is this significant ? ...

i don't know if it's significant....but i do think it's relatively normal...bootcfg and recovery console use different criteria to decide if windows exists or not since they're designed to do different things....

doing the restore steps you mentioned above (the file copies from the CD) could work....just make sure you copy the files to the right install

just to make sure that you're following the right path to get to the repair install in case it's actually available:
Repair the Windows XP installation.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Make sure that the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive is the first priority startup device.
  See your computer documentation for information about how to do this.
• Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.
• When the instruction to "Press any key to boot from CD" appears, press a key. Your computer starts from the Windows XP CD.
• When the computer starts from the CD, the system verifies your hardware, and then prompts you to select one of the following options:
  

  - To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER
  - To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
  - To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

• Press ENTER.
• Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.
• A box lists your current Windows XP installation, and then the computer prompts you to select one of the following options:
  

  - To repair the selected Windows XP installation, press R.
  - To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing, press ESC.

• Press R.

You'll get to keep your existing apps & settings, but you need to re-install SP2, Windows Updates & any unsigned drivers afterwards.
NOTE: Be aware that you'll lose any protection from Blaster / Sasser type worms. Don't go online without a firewall, whether the built in Windows one or 3rd party.

How to Perform A Re-Install Of XP.

[BlazingArrow74]

Thanks Again, for your post ... See, the problem is, I don't get the licensing agreement screen where you press F8 ... I only get a message saying that 'A previous copy of windows was found on your computer; you will lose all settings, folders, files and My Documents may be deleted; to install to a different folder, press _____ (something, I forgot); to continue and install to existing folder (replacing old copy) press ESC' ... That was a paraphrase, basically ...

... Now I guess it is possible that the licensing agreement screen could present itself AFTER I choose the 'ESC' option, but I haven't wanted to take that risk ... I'd hate to press ESC, followed by an automatic wipeout of my Hard Disk ... Nowhere in the "R-forRepair" descriptions does it mention the screen I mentioned above and the fact I've never seen a licensing screen is my red flag that I haven't the right option ...

... I can't afford an external (I'd need an 80 GB external) and I've been trying to borrow one to at least back up what I can before becoming more experimental ... I have programs I paid for like Office 2007, and hunreds of DRM-encoded WMA (music) files that I won't be able to access anymore ... I don't know how I lost the install disks for all my programs (and the OS, for that matter): it's the saddest part of this-all ... I do fear they were discarded in a house-cleanup ...

... So, I am just trying all my "safe" options before I am able to backup whatever data I can and attempt something more drastic ... The funny thing is, as time goes on, each new method seems more drastic than the last ... I wouldn't be suprised if the only option I have after I can finally back up is a format !! ... But I'm trying to be safe, and patient: but I really need to get to my files ...

... Well, I'll try copying from the D:\ drive ... I'll let you know what happens ... Thanks Again !!

[dsenette]

ah...ok this is a system recovery disk not an actual windows disk right? that's why you're not seeing the repair option...

you SHOULD see the repair option if you've got a full XP install CD not a system recovery disk...if you can borrow an xp disk of the same version as what's installed on your system then you might be able to do the repair...

i'd try the file copy first though

[BlazingArrow74]

Wow ... I just checked the path for D:\just to make sure, and found out that the system32 folder has only 2 files: an SMSS executable, and NTDLL @ 459KB and 689KB respectively ... If I were somehow able to extract the contents of the SMSS file and reburn the SP3 slipstreamed-disk, would that help ? ... Forsee any more complications ? ...

... What's usually the normal size of the syste32 folder ? ...

[dsenette]

mines close to 1.5 gigs

[BlazingArrow74]

Groundbreaking News ... Thanks ... Now I think things are starting to clear-up for me ... See, I now believe I mis-made a slipstreamed disk ... I extracted the executable from an image of sp3 and slipstreamed it onto a buddy's recovery disk just for the boot data so-I-thought ... I think I may have burned the slipstream incorrectly, or used the wrong data somehow ... Just as a reminder, here's what I have on-disk:

- SP3 CD-ROM (image-burned: downloaded from Microsoft; could not find version they were alluding to - for single-machine install, so downloaded the only version I saw available)
- Recovery Console (bootable)
- Knoppix-on-Disk (what I used to verify that my files are still there before I installed parallel XP

... I'm really hoping I made a bad slipstream disk, because that would be the most profound roadblock methinks ... So-yeah ... Also, I did install Recovery Console into my machine as an option-at-boot, so the disk I have is negligible, I guess; AND, my Service Pack 3 CD does not boot itself, hence my attempt to slipstream ... Where can I find the right disk to slipstream to ? ... Is there an image of a self-booting (at startup) SP3 somewhere !? ... I've looked !! ...

Edited by BlazingArrow74, 17 September 2009 - 10:21 AM.

[BlazingArrow74]

... Please, anymore help ? ...

[dsenette]

well i think there's an issue in logic here...an SP3 disk....only has service pack 3 on it...not windows, so it's not going to let you repair or reinstall anything...it's not a bootable package

also i don't think you can really slipstream a system recovery disk either...it's not a windows disk

i think if you were able to find an XP disk of the same type that's installed on your computer (oem or retail) you'd be able to run the repair option and possibly be in business