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Resolved we apologize...cannot boot

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by ihadnohorse, 2012/12/13.

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  1. 2012/12/13
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Right after I installed Windows Updates and restarted I get the following screen:

    We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

    If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

    If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows
    Normally.

    Safe Mode
    Safe Mode with Networking
    Safe Mode with Command Prompt

    Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

    Start Windows Normally


    Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.

    Seconds until Windows starts: 30
    Before this error I get a blue screen flash not even a second.
    I've tried all five options, and all it does is keep taking me back here again. I'm able to start in safe mode, but when I input the recovery disc, it says it will not run in safe mode.
     
    ihadnohorse,
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  2. 2012/12/13
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    PeteC,
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  4. 2012/12/13
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    sorry, PeteC, I've also tried to restore the system to several different restore points, all to no avail - just goes back to the same screen. And as I already stated, when I input the recovery disc, message says it will not run in safe mode.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #3
  5. 2012/12/13
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Oh, another thing: I went to add/remove programs to uninstall the latest windows updates, since it's obvious they caused the problem. They are not to be found. This could be because this was after trying several different system restore attempts that were unsuccessful.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #4
  6. 2012/12/13
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Are you saying that if you boot up the computer with the recovery disk in the drive you get the message 'will not run in Safe Mode'? I do find that hard to believe.

    Check the boot order in BIOS and ensure that the order is CD-ROM drive > Hard disk.
    Set up the computer so that it does not automatically restart on system failure .....

    Control Panel > System > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings ....

    Under System failure uncheck 'Automatically restart' and under Write debugging information select 'Kernel memory dump' from the dropdown list and OK out.

    The computer will now show the BSOD in the event of a System failure giving details of the Stop message and the contents of the memory will be dumped to disk.

    Run the dump data through our Dump Data Collection Tool and post the log here (copy/paste).

    Unfortunately these logs require expert knowledge to analyze and there are currently no members that have the depth of knowledge necessary. Members can only make observations and suggestions as to how you might proceed toward finding the cause .....
     
    PeteC,
    #5
  7. 2012/12/14
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks for your suggestions, Pete. Before I tried your last technique, I realized that I hadn't tried the "Last Known Good Configuration" option on the before mentioned screen. Surprise, surprise, it worked. I'm back to normal. One last question: Windows Updates wants to install those updates again. I'm hesitant. Should I or shouldn't I? I wouldn't want to not have the latest security updates to protect against all those hackers out there, however they do what they do.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #6
  8. 2012/12/14
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    resolved
     
    ihadnohorse,
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  9. 2012/12/14
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Glad to hear that there was a simple solution :)

    You should install the security updates to protect your computer.

    I suggest you set Windows Update to Notify and download and install the Security updates one at a time - Windows usually creates a restore point prior to installing updates so you should be in a position to recover if indeed one of the updates was responsible for your problems.

    This is the procedure for markinf a thread as resolved .....

    Please mark your thread as 'Resolved'.

     
    PeteC,
    #8
  10. 2012/12/14
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Oh no, not again! I installed the previous windows updates and restarted and I'm back to the "We apologize" screen again. I've tried system restore again and also "Last Known Good Configuration" For awhile, the reboot was in a "safe mode" style configuration - extra large text and graphics in a cartoonish, draft type image. Rebooted and now I'm stuck in a recurring "We apologize" screen over and over.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #9
  11. 2012/12/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    That's very disappointing to say the least :(
    I fear that I was less than fully explicit in posting
    implying a reboot after each installation regardless of a request being made by the installer.

    That said you could quite well have landed up in the same situation, but at least you would have known which Update was problematic.

    There is a point of confusion here - you posted in the Windows XP forum, but your My System indicates Windows 7 - are we talking about a different computer to the one you listed? If XP which Service pack is installed?

    On the basis that we are dealing with XP I have just updated my old XP box with last Patch Tuesday's Updates without any issues following the requested restart and I have not read anything in the Newsletters I subscribe to to suggest that any updates are problematic. There are always the exceptions of course.

    Easy to say, but your problem arising after installing Windows Updates may be pure coincidence.

    The best I can suggest is what I posted earlier .....

    Check the boot order in BIOS and ensure that it is CD-ROM > Hard Drive and attempt to boot from your Recovery CD. This must be in the drive before booting up.
     
    PeteC,
    #10
  12. 2012/12/15
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Sorry for not following your instructions to install one at a time - updates - but there were 7 0f them and I didn't have the patience after all the wasted time I've spent. Here are the offending updates: KB2761465, KB2753842, KB2758857, KB2770660, KB2779030, KB2779562, KB890830. On one of the system restores, I did get that large, cartoonish graphics that was not safe mode because I was able to get online (and unable to get online in safe mode). I thought that adjusting the appearance in property would solve and I noticed that the resolution was at the lowest level, tried to change it but it wouldn't accept the change. I also got an error report when in that configuration: it gave me a long list of error signatures and these contents: C:\DOCUME~1BILLMO~1\LOCALS~1TEMP\WER4e57dir00\Mini121312-02.dmp and C:\DOCUME~1BILLMO~1\LOCALS~1TEMP\WER4e57dir00\sysdata.xml
    When I restored again, I was back to the "We apologize" screen.

    Yes, the computer is a Toshiba laptop with XP service pack 3.
    I have a 2 disc recovery DVD "recovery and applications/drivers" and also a "QosmioPlayer" recovery CD. If I am able to get these to work, won't that restore to original factory and wipe out all my documents?
    I have no idea how to Check the boot order in BIOS and ensure that it is CD-ROM.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #11
  13. 2012/12/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    There are 2 Safe Modes - Safe Mode & Safe Mode with Networking. With the latter you will connect to the internet.

    You are correct in thinking that booting from the Recovery disks will restore the computer to the ex-factory condition, i.e. the state in which you bought it and all data on the drive will be wiped out. This underlines the importance of having a current backup of all important data on independent media at all times.

    The only other suggestion I have is to attempt a repair install of XP for which you will need to borrow an XP installation disk of the same version of XP that is already loaded and at the same Service Pack level.

    There are ways of booting a computer from a third party disk which, in theory, allow you to access the hard drive and copy data off before using the Recovery disks. That is an area with which I am not familiar and have never used.

    With the time difference and the fact that I am out for the rest of the evening here shortly I have put out a call for a Team Member to look in on this thread.
     
    PeteC,
    #12
  14. 2012/12/15
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Hi ihadnohorse. Before we move further with trying to fix your computer issue, while you are in Safe Mode I would if you haven't already backup all your important data to an external harddrive. This will ensure that if we need to perform a repair install of Windows XP and something goes wrong that your data will be safe.

    Now you said that you have recovery disks which like Pete said will not preserve the Windows install or your data and will restore the machine back to factory condition when you got the laptop.

    If possible see if you can get a hold of a Windows XP CD from a friend or family member as that will give us a few more options with repairing your system.

    Take a look here, Change the Boot Order in BIOS.
     
    Evan Omo,
    #13
  15. 2012/12/15
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    OK, good progress report: after I did another system restore to a different date (12/12) and pressing F8 on startup, I got to an advanced startup page (different than the "we apologize" page) and chose the "Last Known Good Configuration" option and got a normal boot (the "last known... "works on that page but not on the "we apologize..." page). I then got a popup window, "The system has recovered from a serious error" I sent the report to MSFT (which I didn't do the last time I had a normal boot) and I received a response web page telling me that my NVIDIA graphics driver has stopped working properly and giving me choices to download and install driver updates. But if that is the problem, why am I now looking at a normal screen? Windows updates is again wanting to install updates, but 2 of the previous 7 are not included. What is the significance of that? I will download any driver update and report the result.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #14
  16. 2012/12/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Progress :)

    Hold fire on the Windows Updates and I suggest you go directly to nVidia and let their software scan your computer for the correct driver (Option 2)

    It is possible that you have malware on the computer which is interacting with the updates.

     
    PeteC,
    #15
  17. 2012/12/15
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    the first suggested place to look for a driver was on MS website using WE, but before they would allow me to search, a scan wanted to install updates. I'm NOT installing any updates. The response page said to click on custom/hardware/optional/NVIDIA driver on win site. There is no "custom" link I can find. I then went to NVIDIA and used their scan - it tells me it can't find any NVIDIA on my system. I used manual, but it's confusing. There is 6 series, there is 600 series, there is GO 7 series for notebooks, but no GO 6 series for notebooks (my installed is GeForce Go 6600).
    I then went to check my device manager under display adapters to see NVIDIA - it says it's working properly. I tried the update driver link and just got a message that it couldn't find any software. I did notice a yellow circle with an exclamation mark under "sound, video and game controllers" next to an "unknown device" The status said that the drivers were not installed. The driver provider said unknown and not signed, but under details said the provider was Toshiba. I'm leery of installing a driver when it says it's unknown.

    I finally checked Toshiba's site and after inputting all the system info for my specific product, the only NVIDIA driver listed is the one in my machine with a date of 4-15-05.
    I have yet to read the post on malware.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #16
  18. 2012/12/15
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I posted a reply an hour ago that somehow disappeared, so I'll recap: I tried the MSFT site and NVIDIA site - no luck. The NVIDIA scan didn't work and the manual search does not have my product. I checked my device mgr and NVIDIA is working properly. I have a Yellow exclamation circle under "sound, video and game controllers" at an "unknown device" The details say Toshiba is the provider and that the drivers are not installed. I'm leery of that. Lastly, I checked with Toshiba's site and the only driver they list for my machine is the one I have now. They do have a more recent NVIDIA driver for XP SP3, but my machine was not listed as applicable. I'm running the malware scan now. It sure is great to have my machine back to normal and no graphics issues - I just don't want to screw it up again with some stupid update.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #17
  19. 2012/12/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Your first priority is to post the requested logs in the Malware & Virus Removal forum and get the machine checked for malware and cleaned up if necessary.

    When posting in that forum refer back to this thread - post the URL at the head of your first post there.
     
    PeteC,
    #18
  20. 2012/12/16
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Once your computer is declared clean then post back in this thread and we will then deal with updating your drivers on your laptop.
     
    Evan Omo,
    #19
  21. 2012/12/17
    ihadnohorse

    ihadnohorse Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Everything was just going great - I downloaded the malware app and did a full scan and it found 2 offending bugs which I deleted and I was running an anti-virus scan when windows updates just decided on it's own to change my settings of "notice only" to automatic and automatically install those 7 updates AND automatically restart my computer. Once again I'm stuck in limbo and the system restore is only giving me the 16th of Dec as the only restore date, which I tried and now the "Last known good configuration" does not bring my machine back to normal. The only 2 screens that I can get are the "We apologize" screen and the "advanced startup" screen by pressing F8 and of course safe mode. I'm ready to take a sledge hammer to it.
     
    ihadnohorse,
    #20
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