[Capnbob]

Bad news! So I went to run the Gateway Recovery Console and that won't work either. Everytime I try to do the non-destructive recovery it goes straight to a blue screen of death. Apparently there's something wrong with my Ndis.sys file too.

[Elvandil]

Could be that your files will be saved. But all your programs and updates will need to be reinstalled. If there is an error during the process, you could lose everything. You might want to try to recover files before doing that.

If the UBCD4Win thing seems intimidating, it really isn't. For the default CD, all you do is download the file, install it, run it, point it to your XP installation files, and that's it. It will even burn the CD for you.

When you boot it up, you will have an XP desktop from which to work.

[Capnbob]

Originally Posted by Elvandil

Could be that your files will be saved. But all your programs and updates will need to be reinstalled. If there is an error during the process, you could lose everything. You might want to try to recover files before doing that.

If the UBCD4Win thing seems intimidating, it really isn't. For the default CD, all you do is download the file, install it, run it, point it to your XP installation files, and that's it. It will even burn the CD for you.

When you boot it up, you will have an XP desktop from which to work.

I'll be going over to a friend's house today to back up all of my files. While I'm there I'll try burning a copy of UBCD4Win. If I manage to boot using that, is it possible to replace the Ntfs.sys file with that?

[Elvandil]

Yes. There is a normal explorer to use for files. If the file has a .sys ending on the CD or elsewhere, you can just copy it. If it has a .sy_ ending, you need to expand it because it is compressed. Use a command line for that:

expand X:\i386\ntfs.sy_ C:\Windows\system32\drivers\ntfs.sys

But I don't think that file is compressed, so just copy it and replace the one that is there (if any).

Just download the UBCD4Win installer, install it on the machine and run it. It will need XP files to make the CD and ask a few questions, but just leave the default settings. It looks very complicated and scares a lot of people away, but most of that is for customizing and the default result will boot up and give you all the tools you need, including network access and a CD burner for recovering files. Very useful to keep around.

[Capnbob]

So I went over to my friend's house today. I copied all of my files off of my C:/ drive so that I could reformat without losing anything. While I was there, I copied his Ntfs.sys file from his system into my C:/Windows/System32/Drivers folder. The computer still says the same error as always on boot.

After getting frustrated by this and having backed-up my files I then came home and tried to use Gateway's destructive System Restore option. The System Restore console loads like normal (I've done this in the past with no problems) I select destructive restore. It then says "Formatting hard disk partition in NTFS file system... Please wait."

After about 10 minutes of that I get the following blue screen of death:

"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent any damage..." The blue screen suggests checking available disk space (I have about 100 GB free on this drive), Bios updates, to disable Bios caching and shadowing and to use Safe Mode. It also says something like "Tech Info: Stop 0x0000008E.... *with more numbers like this*)"

Since I'm an idiot I forgot to burn UBCD4Win. I can get it tomorrow probably. However, would replacing the Ntfs.sys file be any different with UBCD4Win than what I already did?

Not sure where to go from here.

Thanks again for the help and for bearing with me here!

UPDATE:

After trying the recovery several times now, I've noticed that when I try to run the System Restore, I'm getting at least 3 different blue screens. It's not consistent. One of the blue screens says "The problem seems to be caused by the following file: NTFS.SYS" and "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA". Another blue screen mentions a different system file (I forgot what it was and it hasn't come back up again since.) Also, every so often it won't even get into the Gateway Recovery thing without getting a blue screen.

Also, each time it fails to the blue screen during the restore it takes different lengths of time to get there. Sometimes it goes to a blue screen immediately, sometimes it takes 5-10 minutes.

I'm not sure if any of this is significant. I just know that often times more detail helps identify the problem.

[Elvandil]

Yes, random errors, though less informative, usually point to heat, the drive, or the memory. Those are the 3 main things that have enough unpredictability about them to cause multiple and differing errors.

So, check fans, vents, etc. and see if you have any better luck when it is cool (sounds like it makes no difference).

Try testing the memory next. You can make a boot CD with the test on it.

MemScope (Floppy and CD images.)
Microsoft Memory Test (floppy or CD ISO image)
Memtest86

If you have enough memory sticks, you can test them by removing one at a time and see if the problem disappears.

If the memory looks OK, we'll check the drive, but right now, memory is the prime suspect. If it is, it is quite possible that your machine will be all right after replacing it, so I'd suggest for now not making any major changes to the system since it may still be recoverable as it is.

And, since UBCD4Win runs almost completely from memory, it will probably error out, too. But I still think you should make the CD if you get the chance. It may be useful at some point, or next time.

[Capnbob]

Elvandil, you are my hero. I have four 512 MB memory sticks. I pulled out one of the four and the computer allowed me to run the System Restore. It's wiping everything and reinstalling Windows now.

I guess the thing to do from this point is get everything up and running and then use one of the programs you suggested to confirm that the RAM is toast?

Thanks again for the help. I'll keep updating here as to whether this continues to run without a hitch.

[ozrom1e]

You might take a look at this:

Completely by accident (in the 'man' page for some file system command), I discovered a command 'fixntfs'. I ran this from the command console on the unmounted problem drive**, and it took about 10 seconds to find and fix a problem with the windows drive. I reset, and took the LiveCD out. Windows did a chkdsk, then booted up normally... problem solved

* A linux operating system on a CD that doesn't need to use a hard drive - http://www.knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/ , download the .iso for your language, then burn to CD and boot from it.

** The problem drive will have been automatically mounted by Knoppix on bootup, and will be on the desktop. It will have a name something like '/dev/hda1' - this is the name the command console will recognize. Open the command console, and enter 'umount /dev/hda1' (replace 'hda1' with whatever your drive got called). Then enter 'fixntfs /dev/hda1'. It should find and fix a problem. Shut down using the 'log off' bit of the knoppix 'start' button equivalent.

[Elvandil]

Originally Posted by Capnbob

Elvandil, you are my hero. I have four 512 MB memory sticks. I pulled out one of the four and the computer allowed me to run the System Restore. It's wiping everything and reinstalling Windows now.

I guess the thing to do from this point is get everything up and running and then use one of the programs you suggested to confirm that the RAM is toast?

Thanks again for the help. I'll keep updating here as to whether this continues to run without a hitch.

You just happened to pull out a bad one on first try (Not that amazing, I guess, with a 1-in-4 chance)?

Poor Windows was trying---it really isn't as unstable as your experience would seem to indicate. But it was like trying to write on water.

Yes, test the RAM. Since you can do it from a bootable medium, you don't need to boot Windows to test it and risk damage from a bad module.