Sure could use some help:
I'm working on an older Dell running Windows ME. On startup, I get this message:

"Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Use a SCANREG to correct this error."

Following that, I get a black screen with a blinking curser, but otherwise it is frozen. I am unable to start in Safe Mode.

I did a search on this site and found a good answer, which involved using a WinME boot disk to start the system and then do either a registry fix or restore. However, I do not have a boot disk, and to make one apparently requires writing to a floppy. While the broken computer has a floppy drive, the newer computer I'm working on now does not, although it does have a CD burner.

My question: how to fix this problem? Can I create a boot disk on CD, or is this impossible? Is there another fix other than using a boot disk? Any suggestions are appreciated.

ST

Steve Toon

http://www.computing.net/windowsme/...

Scroll down to Response # 9 - where it says: "Failing that." and grab one of those, follow the instructions to create the boot CD.

MS Article ID : 184023 - Command-Line Switches for the Registry Checker Tool

/backup ...Backs up the registry and related files without displaying any prompts.

/restore ...Displays a list of available backup files, sorted by the date and time the backup was created.

"/comment=<text>" ...Enables you to add a descriptive comment to the registry backup.

/fix ...Repairs any damaged portions of the registry, and optimizes it by rebuilding it without unused space.

/autoscan ...Automatically scans the registry and backs it up without displaying any prompts if there is no backup for that date.

/scanonly ...Scans the registry and displays a message if any errors are found. This switch does not back up the registry.

filename ...Scans the registry file specified and displays a message indicating whether or not any errors were found. This switch does not back up the registry.

/opt ...The /opt command-line switch causes the Registry Checker tool to optimize the registry by removing unused space.

Your case, use scanreg /fix first. Failing that try the /restore switch.

Thanks, Viking, for your response. I'm still having trouble, unfortunately, on what should probably be simple.

In creating the boot CD, the file downloaded is an ISO file. The instructions say to "use any CD writing software to open this file." I've got Nero, but it just burns the file as-is to the disk. I'm not having any luck. What can I do? Thanks.

Steve Toon

Okie dok. Download the file, if it's zipped up - extract the ISO file to the desktop.

Open nero (SmartStart I think, whatever), get to the menu and look for "Burn Image to Disk", put your blank disk in and follow the nero on-screen instuctions to burn the ISO image to disk.

*and don't forget, when searching for the ISO via the nero menu, to select "Image Files [*.NRG *.ISO *.cue]" in the "Open" drop down box or you won't see the ISO on your desktop.*

Take disk out, put disk in broken machine, boot with it (it's the same as a Windows ME start up floppy disk).

Follow the rest of the instructions you have there ...get to the prompt and type: scanreg /fix and hit enter.

No luck. I burned the disk and used it to start up, but the computer went through the exact same sequence before freezing. No lights ever blinked on the CD drive, so I suppose it never even attempted to read it.

I don't know if this information will help diagnose: After the colorful Windows ME splash page during startup, the screen goes to black with a "windows millennium startup menu" displayed, including four choices 1) Normal 2) Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT) 3) Safe Mode 4) Step-by-Step confirmation, and then it counts down 30 seconds. Unfortunately, no matter what I do on the keyboard, it doesn't respond, and when the 30 seconds is up, it goes to a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left. From there, it won't do anything until hitting the reset button. The hard drive goes through a clicking pattern while this is going on.

Do you think I'm dealing with a minor repair, or is it something more ominous? Thanks in advance.

ST

Steve Toon

"The hard drive goes through a clicking pattern while this is going on."

I would pull off any important data you need from that hard disk, quick style. Sounds like a failing hard disk - so yes, very ominous indeed. ;)

I would check that all connectors are connected securely to the optical drive and the HDD, if you can swap out the optical drive for another one from somewhere and test again, that'd be ideal.

Don't keep thrashing the hard disk though, try the above once and either hook the two machines up, or hook it up to a laptop and get the data off. Or take the hard disk out and slave it to another machine - whatever works for you.

Bad RAM is a definite possibility:

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...

Remove the ram and blow some compressed air in the ram slots. Check the ram sticks and make sure their contacts are clean. If possible, swap them out with known good sticks.

But then if you're experiencing HD problems it makes sense that could cause the registry to be incorrectly written to the drive.

Also, the boot menu coming up is likely due to the 'enable startup menu' box being checked in the 'advanced' section when you run MSCONFIG.

Possibly it's not responding to your keyboard because you're using a USB KB?

Just remember to get any important data off that hard drive before it decides to deteriorate any further.

You can spend the following hours diagnosing the cause, but from what you've said so far, the electronics on the hard drive and/or mechanical fault would cause any and all of the above symptoms. And of course, it could well be a multiple cause thing - happy days for you though, woot!! :)

Hey, thanks guys, for being available to help diagnose a PC problem online. I do appreciate it.

So the hard drive is possibly bad. I'll run the above tests and see what happens. Fortunately, as this is the second and older computer, I don't have much critical info on it--mostly used for internet access for the wife and child. But it does have a few factory installed programs that I don't have on the newer one. Plus, I just don't want to give up and buy a whole new machine if this one is just a minor fix.

Also, yes, the keyboard is connected via USB. Could this be a factor in my troubleshooting? What can I do to correct?

Thanks again. I'll run these checks and report back in.

ST

Steve Toon

You need to enable dos USB support or USB KB support in your cmos/bios setup (not sure how it's worded in yours). That boot menu is coming from dos so you'd need that support for a USB KB.

A hard drive is going to make some noises doing normal reads and writes. Some drives are louder than others. The 'clicking' noises you hear may be just that. In that case we'd probably describe the sound differently. Once you hear the clicking of a failing drive you can tell the difference.

First see if swapping and/or testing the RAM helps, if only because it's easier to do. And it's been my experience that an actual 'clicking' drive is already bad and wouldn't be giving any response at all.

Well if there's nothing important on it, I'll go back to sleep. :)

Agreed, you should instinctively know the difference between an old drive you've lived with just doing it's thing and an old drive starting on it's cycle of death. The pattern and sound of clicking is different and you should know something is not right / different.

Out of interest, I've had a mixture of drives that have worked intermittently for a couple of months after hitting the clicking downward curve. Most have died within days and have been useless in that period. Some have been functional and operate for limited periods but stay like that for months - then *poof*

Mechanical failing and motor control electronics and/or voltage control electronics start to misbehave. Cheap generic OEM HDDs made by Samsung used to be bad for this - the type used in old Dell boxes.

Thermsters or overcurrent self resetting thermal fuses in critical circuits would be exposed to over current conditions. This includes the voltage pins for keyboard and mouse, and USB plugs on motherboards, voltage and motor controls in HDDs, displays and other expensive to replace devices. They protect against over current conditions due to electrical failure, over voltage or shorts - so if any one facet of that lot comes into play, you will get all of the above.

Which is why I stressed the need to get any important data off the HDD...

But If there's nothing important on it, like I said, I'll go back to sleep. :)