XP Startup issue

[voodoochild03]

Hello. My computer appears to have a problem when it is attempting to start up. I am receiving the STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error} message that says that the Windows Logon Process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000034 (0x00000000 0x00000000). It then obviously goes no further.

I have looked up the support article from Microsoft for this at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/156669 , however I am apparently not smart enough to do the first step on the list even. I am somewhat computer savvy, but generally most all I can do is when the operating system works... sad, huh?

My main issue is obviously to save my computer, but most important is saving some music and picture files, along with some document files. If anyone has any suggestions or could help me out I would be very appreciative. Thank you.

[Monty007]

Hi, first how long has this been happening? Next, can you boot into safe mode? press f8 at boot up.
If you can copy all of your docs ect some where safe e.g. cd, flash drive.
If you cant use safe mode do you have the XP cd?

[voodoochild03]

This just happened to me yesterday. I first attempted to boot into safe mood, that did not work/it did the same thing. I also attempted to boot into the setting called "last known good configuration" and that also did not work.

I currently am unable to find my XP cd. It is a Dell pc, so I know they provided me with an XP cd or I think sometimes they call it a "System CD" but unfortunately I bought this computer about 4 years ago and have since moved several times and it apparently was lost. I may be able to locate it later, but I don't know. If I can find it, is there a way to reinstall windows and then get my docs, etc., off, or will reinstalling windows delete my other files.

I know it kind of sounds silly but saving the docs, pictures, etc., is more important than the entire remainder of the system. (Although, of course, that would be nice)

[Ant]

Dell computers have a partiotion on the drive which holds the System Restore stuff. Look here for info on system restoration and hopefully backing up of files too.

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...g=&toggle=&dl=

If you can't backup your files, you could remove your drive and attach it as a slave to another computer and backup the files that way before you restore your system, which I think will destroy them.

It appears that some critical system files may have been changed. Have you installed some new hardware or software prior to this error? If so remove the hardware and or try booting to safe mode (try with networking / with command prompt / enable vga options too. In the past I've been able to boot to safe mode with networking but not without it).

If you can get in, try to uninstall any new software which might have caused the problem.

[voodoochild03]

One possible issue with system restore is this (and I should have said this all in my original post): I apparently got some type of virus/viruses, but which I believe were only trojans. I don't believe there were any destructive viruses, but who knows (of course trojans CAN be destructive with a little help). So what I was doing when the computer didn't come back to life was this: I turned off system restore, then restarted the computer so that I could boot into safe mode and run a virus scanner. This is when my problem started. I don't know if system restore being turned off screwed something up... or if this would have happened no matter what.

I assume there may still be some of the restore info on that partition but I'll have to look at that Dell information you attached to see if I can figure it out. Thanks.

I'm pretty sure that I did not install any new software, etc., but perhaps the stupid Windows automatic updates may have? Or, of course, if I do have a virus, that maybe could have done something? I am in the process of attempting to backup all of my info onto an older computer where I will make my hard drive slave and try to copy it all over, I think i'll be able to do it haha

Thanks for the tip about trying with networking... i believe I tried normal safe mode and with command prompt, but not with networking.

Any more suggestions, etc., I'd appreciate it. After trying some things tonight I will try to update tomorrow. Thanks.

[voodoochild03]

I checked, and it does appear as though the "Dell PC Recovery by Symantec" partition and backup IS on the computer.

I attempted to add the hard drive as slave to a kind of older computer of mine (Pentium II, Windows 98) and it did not recognize it. The bios did, but Windows did not.. I'm assuming possibly drivers are too old? Any more help would be appreciated!

[Monty007]

Hi, you can you the drive as a slave but not on 98 as your drive (XP) may be fromatted in NTFS so you need to try on a system that is running NTFS format.
If this fails your only real option is to call dell and get a replacment cd.