[BMcGinley]

Hi, I was clenaning up some malware as advised by Rorschach here, when midway through, Windows Vista Home Premium ceased to reload. If I enter it normally, it loads the desktop (no icons) and tray (has icons) but freezes before I can use it. It tells me the process has failed, and my only options are to end or cancel. Both have about the same effect, as I'm forced to do a hard reboot.

If I try any variation of safe mode, it cycles outside of Vista, asking me to click on the user name, beginning to load, and then returning to the user login page. Last Known Good Configuration simply dies, and Repair gives me this error:

C000021A
0xc0000001 (0x00000001 0x00000001)

I can see all my data's intact and I'm in the middle of backing up the files now. The only problem is my Dell Inspiron didn't come with a Vista disc, or if it did, I've long since lost it. I have a friend's copy of Vista Business Pro I could use, but no doubt repairing from that will cause major discrepancies, no?

Anyway, I'm told it's my atapi.sys file that wants repair. Any ideas?

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Hey there BMcGinley,

Let's give this a shot.

1. Reboot and enter the Advanced Boot Options menu by repeatedly pressing F8.

2. Once in the menu, do you see a Repair Your Computer item on the list? If so, select it.

3. Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next.

4. Select a user name and enter the password, and then click OK.

5. On the System Recovery Options menu, click Command Prompt.


If Repair Your Computer is not listed, you must have received an OS installation disc from Dell. I'm quite sure all Dell computers include them, but if you can't find yours, you can still boot to your friend's Vista Business Pro disc and enter the recovery console from there. Here's how to do that:

1. Insert the Vista Business Pro CD and reboot.

2. If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc.

3. Choose your language settings, and then click Next.

4. Click Repair your computer.

5. Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.

6. On the System Recovery Options menu, click Command Prompt.


Once you've reached the Recovery Console Command Prompt, please let me know and we can try to continue.


~os

[othersteve]

Hey there BMcGinley,

Let's give this a shot.

1. Reboot and enter the Advanced Boot Options menu by repeatedly pressing F8.

2. Once in the menu, do you see a Repair Your Computer item on the list? If so, select it.

3. Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next.

4. Select a user name and enter the password, and then click OK.

5. On the System Recovery Options menu, click Command Prompt.


If Repair Your Computer is not listed, you must have received an OS installation disc from Dell. I'm quite sure all Dell computers include them, but if you can't find yours, you can still boot to your friend's Vista Business Pro disc and enter the recovery console from there. Here's how to do that:

1. Insert the Vista Business Pro CD and reboot.

2. If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc.

3. Choose your language settings, and then click Next.

4. Click Repair your computer.

5. Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.

6. On the System Recovery Options menu, click Command Prompt.


Once you've reached the Recovery Console Command Prompt, please let me know and we can try to continue.


~os