windows won't boot (windows protection error)

Compaq Presario 5000 Windows ME- Can't start in normal mode. error message says Windows did not finish loading on previous attempt. Choose safe mode to start Windows w/ min. set of drivers. I try then takes me to blue screen that says Windows protection error. you need to restart your computer. system halted. I restart and it happens all over again. please help!

 

It sounds to me like a Windows System file is corrupt. There isn't really too much you can do. Windows it self is broken. Some people might tell you to use a restore point (I don't remember if ME supports restore from DOS). But even if you can restore there is a high likely hood of it happening again. The easiest thing I would suggest is to Format and start over. Now if you have data to backup that is slightly tricky. What you will need is a second harddrive and a WinME or 98 boot disk. Manually copy data from your boot drive to the second drive using DOS commands.

But in the short and long of it, Format Re-install would be the fastest fix then trying to troubleshoot what file(s) are broken. Also you could have a bad cluster on your harddrive that is causing you greif. That is not uncommon a format usually fixes it.

 

uncrash windows me

I hope you have a built-in floppy drive (on your computer) and a BOOT -UP DISK (START DISK)
All you have to do is start the computer from the a: drive (with the start -up disk in place)and then later enter at the A: prompt (A: scanreg /restore C wihout my quotes. This will give you access to a previous good startup time.
Just click on an earlier time. I still use Windows Me( Have not wanted to spend the money for a new computer)If yiu have a Windows ME Cd , then of course you can re-insall windows and not lose your data .If you get back -up
then goi to www.easydesksoftware.com and download the winsafe program,
Winsafe is shareware, but better than Windows Me restore,I think.