Buffer Overrun Detected

[Montempeaux]

When I startup my PC I get the following message before I get to the login screen. It then freezes here or automatically restarts and hangs again at this point. The PC is running XP.

 

The Error box says:

 

Buffer Overrun Detected!

 

Program:\??\C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe

 

A Buffer overrun has been detected which corrupted the program's internal state. The program cannot safely continue execution and must now be terminated.

 

I have tried to start in safe mode and I have done a repair with the XP disc but with no success. The next step unless I get advice to the contrary is to do a full in stall on XP.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

M

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Download this and get back to us if it does not solve the issue Mont.

 

Download details: Windows XP Security Patch: Buffer Overrun In HTML Converter Could Allow Code Execution

[Montempeaux]

Wolfeymole,

 

Thanks for the reply but I need more details. I cannot login - it hangs before this point, so how can I install the patch? I've already set the computer to boot from CD before HD to run the Windows repair - will this also work with the patch? Is there anything else I should be aware of to make it work?

 

Thanks

 

M

[RandyL]

How far do you get when you try Safemode? What happens?

[Montempeaux]

In safe mode it does exactly the same. The message comes up on the blue "Welcome to Windows" screen that you get just before the login prompt appears. Given the error message, it seems that it may be the actual login process that has the problem. Once the messge appears, the computer will either freeze completely or allow the OK button on the message to be clicked - if this happens the computer will restart immediately and load up to the same point where the message reappears.

 

M

[RandyL]

Startup repair failed to fix this and you can't get to the logon. This is not good as even Safemode with command prompt requires a logon.

 

I'm afraid you might be right that a reinstall is needed.

 

Do you have any files that you need to backup first?

[Montempeaux]

RandyL,

 

I was starting to suspect a full re-install was the only way. I do indeed have files that I would like to recover beforehand. One suggestion I've had is to get another hard drive, Install XP on that one and copy the files over. If there is an easier way I'm all ears.

 

Thanks

 

M

[RandyL]

That's one way to do it or:

 

Remove your drive and hook it up to another computer. Access the drive and burn the files to a disk or flash drive. Reinstall Windows on your drive. Copy the files back from the disks or flash drive.

 

Depending on whether you have a laptop drive or a desktop drive and whether your computer and the other computer both have a SATA or IDE drive or whether the two drives are different makes a difference.

 

Perhaps the easiest way is to purchase a USB caddy. Put your drive into that and just plug it into the USB port of another computer.

 

I'm not sure what you have.

[Montempeaux]

The drive with the fault is a Seagate Barracuda- not sure whether it is SATA or IDE.

 

I also have a Samsung R700 laptop running Vista, it's less than a year old , again I'm not sure what it is but I can check both later (This is an area around which I am particularly clueless!).

 

I am liking the sound of the USB caddy so what do I need to consider in terms of cross compatability between the two comupters?

 

Thanks

 

M

[danzil]

please be aware though, when plugging your drive into another PC, MAKE SURE they have adequate up to date anti-virus, you may just infect there machine,,, i will look around to see if there is any other way to recover your system without needing to format,

but as you have tried most thing you may have to bite the bullet so to speak and format.

regards

danzil

[Montempeaux]

Danzil, thanks for the advice - I forgot to mention that I suspect the problem was self inflicted. That last time I used the computer I had a bit of a purge and removed a load of old software that I never use. I did this in the foolish assumption that I could roll-back to an old recover point if I had problems. I never considered that I wouldn't be able to log in.

 

Anyhoo, to summarise:

 

The drive with the issue is SATA running a now corrupted version of XP. HD is formatted in NTFS.

 

I just need to get in to recover a few files (precious photos, last up to date copy of CV etc etc) then I'm happy to do a full re-install.

 

I need to fit the drive into a SATA compatible caddy?

 

I am intending to connect the caddy to my laptop via the caddy's USB connection - the laptop is running Vista, not XP - is this a problem?

 

As the drive is NFTS, and I understand Vista is all NFTS there should be no compatibility issues there. But is there likely to be any other compatibility problems?

 

Do I need to change the jumper settings on the faulty drive from master to slave when it is in the caddy?

 

If anyone knows of a problem surrounding these questions I'd love to know ASAP so I can get on with ordering either a new drive or a caddy.

 

Thanks again for all the help

 

M

[Montempeaux]

Thanks for all the help - I have been partially successful in copying files using an external hard drive caddy.

 

The files in my partners profile were copied by a simple drag and drop - her XP profile did not have any administrator privileges which I guess is why I can copy her files with no problems.

 

My XP profile was the administrator level and I suspect is the reason why I cannot copy the files easily. To copy files from my My Documents file, I am having to go through and reset the security on every single folder and file. If I don't, it won't let me copy anything. Is there a way to set an overriding security change to all files at once - if not I'll be at this for days.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated

 

M

[RandyL]

See if you can take ownership of the folders. That should save some time.

 

How to take ownership of a file or a folder in Windows XP

[Montempeaux]

Hi RandyL,

 

I am already taking ownership of the folders as described but then I am having to do the same for every individual file within the folder, one at a time. Is there a way to do them in batches?

 

 

M

[RandyL]

If you scroll down to the very last section How to take ownership of a folder not the one above it it should work.

 

For instance apply those steps to the user accounts My Documents folder.

 

Make sure you select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box in step 4.

[Montempeaux]

AAHHHHHHHH!

 

Brilliant - I thought I had done this but I can see where I had gone slightly wrong. It's all working now.

 

Thanks to everyone for their help in resolving this issue. I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have managed this without the help provided here.

 

Thanks again

 

M

[RandyL]

That's great. Let us know how it all works out when you are done.