stop: c000021a {fatal system error}

[jasonvaughan]

Can anyone stop me from going insane?

 

I uninstalled Symantec Suite from my Dell desktop running XP but when I re-booted the following message appeared - stop: c000021a {fatal system error} the windows logon process system process terminated unexpectedly.

 

I've tried safe mode and last working mode boot up and both just bring me to the same screen. I have the XP CD and have tried the Recovery Console but that didn't work either.

 

Ideally I'd like to get my PC back up and running again but even if I could just somehow copy my files onto a flash drive and then reinstall XP that would be better than the situation I'm in now.

 

Any advice gratefully received! Thanks.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Have a read of this here Jason and get back to us if you still have issues.

 

How to troubleshoot a "STOP 0xC000021A" error

[jasonvaughan]

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

The only way I can get to the command prompt is to run the recovery module and then exit out of it (is there a better way?) Once I get to c:\ prompt I type System Root\System32\Drwtsn32.exe -I (as detailed in the link you sent) but all i get is a message saying command not recognised. I might be missing something really obvious here but please tell me what it is.

 

The link also said that I should: "examine the system to see if it has a third-party GINA DLL. To do this, locate the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Value = GinaDLL REG_SZ"

 

Is this something anyone can do or is it beyond the non-specialist?

 

Thanks.

Edited November 20, 2008 by jasonvaughan

[Tootech]

I think Microsoft in their wisdom expect you can enter Safe Mode.

 

Course in this case you can't.

 

The Command Prompt is not the same as the Recovery Console, the commands and resources are different.

 

My feeling is that you may end up doing a repair install on this one.

 

Did you run chkdsk /r from the Recovery Console? If not, do that first, try a reboot to Safe Mode - if that works, post back.

 

If you have tried that.....lets have a go at a manual System Restore.

 

Have a look here How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

 

Follow Part One - it's tedious. The process installs a standard set of registry entires to enable a machine to start.

 

Reboot and F8 it to attempt to get to Safe Mode.

 

If you can get there, logon and instaed of clicking Yes to allow you to work in Safe Mode, click No.

 

System Restore will start and you can restore to an earlier working point.

 

If that doens't work, then I think a repair install is on the cards.

[jasonvaughan]

I ran chkdsk /r again and then tried safe mode but it failed. I then moved on to following the instructions in How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting but when I got to the part where I typed copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system

I got the message: the system cannot find the file specified.

 

Any ideas as to why this should be?

Thanks.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

I'd go with what Tootech said in his last post Jason and do a repair install.

 

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

 

You could also get a new hdd and install XP again and slave the old drive to get your stuff off.

[jasonvaughan]

Thanks for help so far but things seem to be getting worse. I now don't even get to the bsof as i get the message: windows could not start because the following file is missing \windows\system32\config\sysem

 

i understand that by following the earlier guidance i was deleting this file with the intention of replacing it with a new version but as stated in my post below i was unable to enter the repair commands.

 

I've read the suggested link on performing a repair install but i dont have the repair feature on my PC and 'warning no. 2' basically tells me that if i do the XP install without backing up my data (which I cant do) then I'm going to lose it.

 

Is there anyway out of my predicament???

[Martman46]

I have two things that may help but both have risks.

 

No1 How to troubleshoot Windows XP startup problems, Part 2 Look a option N0 4

No 2 How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP But this would be the last resort before a clean install of your OS

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Martman

 

Your 1st links needs jason to register with that site, that is not acceptable.

 

The second link talks of a full new install which is completely different from a Repair Install.

 

Jason

 

I've read the suggested link on performing a repair install but i dont have the repair feature on my PC and 'warning no. 2' basically tells me that if i do the XP install without backing up my data (which I cant do) then I'm going to lose it.

 

You will lose your personal stuff on a repair install and this is why I suggested obtaining a new HDD and slaving your old HDD to get your stuff off.

[jasonvaughan]

Wolfeymole

Thanks for all your help but it seems from your last post that I have reached the end of the line with what I can do myself and need to get either another HDD or find a firm to take the data off for me.

 

It's very frustrating that even though I have the XP CD and I'm pretty sure the HDD itself is not at fault that I can't just repair whatever file(s) has been corrupted and get back up and running.

 

If anyone else can think of a solution please let me know.

 

One final thought, is it not possible to download the repair module from the internet and then use that to fix my system???

[Guest Wolfeymole]

There is no repair module mate, you simply boot from your XP disk to repair as it said in that previous link.

 

Read it thoroughly

 

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

 

Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.

[jasonvaughan]

I'm booting from the XP CD and carefully following the instructions but when I get to step 5 the screen I am looking at says: select an item in the list:

to set up windows xp on the selected item, press enter

to create partition, press c

delete partition, press d

 

underneath this there is a list:

-: partition1 FAT

c: partition2 NTFS

unpartitoned space

e: partition 3 FAT32

 

If i select c:

 

the next screen gives me the option to setup using this partition but does not mention Repair. should i select 'continue setup' or will this just start to overwrite my files?

 

Cheers.

[Martman46]

Sorry about the 1st link I was just suggesting a parallel install to get to his old installation files.

I didn't realise the was a need to register.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

To be honest Jason the drive space arrangement on that drive looks a mess mate.

 

Get a new drive and install XP to the full disk size or at least 40GB, I'd make it the full size.

 

Slave your old drive as either Primary slave, Secondary master or Scondary slave then pull your stuff off to the new C: drive.

 

Format both drives to NTFS.

[jasonvaughan]

Cheers for all the advice wolfeymole.

 

Can i use an external HDD such as an Iomega Silver Series Portable Hard Drive and then just take all the data off and reinstall XP from scratch onto the desktop?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

No what I mean is get a new internal hard drive and install it and then install XP to that.

 

Enclose your old hard drive in a USB caddy like this and then pull your data off.

 

Amazon.co.uk: TeckNet PH-35UA USB 2.0 3.5" HDD HARD DRIVE ENCLOSURE: Electronics & Photo

[Plastic Nev]

Just had a thought, as I agree there is only this way to go which is to buy a new hard drive, install it and install Windows on it. This is like having a new PC. In a lot of cases though there is room to install a second hard drive. In this instance you install a new drive and install windows. Then in the extra space install the old drive but set to slave. That at least would save on the cost of a separate caddy.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

You are so right Nev and thanks to this modern thinking regarding external drives threw me completely off track.

 

Adopt Nevs method if you can and there really should be no reason why you can't.

 

 

Good one Nev, cheers mate :)

[jasonvaughan]

Thanks to you both for your suggestions.

 

Can I just ask, once I've got my new HDD and it's all up and running and I've transferred the data off the old drive, should I just bin the old one or can it be reformatted and used ?

[BeeCeeBee]

As one of these modern thinkers that Wolfey mentioned I sort of liked the USB caddy method but then I confess I do not know nearly as much (but never let on.)

 

Assuming that the drive is not damaged in any physical sense there is no reason why it cannot formatted and used. Just be sure to test it out thoroughly with unimportant data to be certain it can be relied on to function properly. If it will not format it is best that you forget it and move on. It is probably damage beyond repair.

 

Once the drive is installed it is important that you perform a ckdsk before you commit to using it at all.

 

Just as a reminder to you or for the benefit of anyone looking in who hasn't done it before:

See:

How to perform disk error checking in Windows XP

Edited November 22, 2008 by BeeCeeBee