Blue Screen @ Boot (NTFS.SYS Error)

Hello everyone, thank you in advance for taking the time to read this thread. It's my first time using this site so I hope I found the right place!

I have a Dell Inspiron 4100 Notebook PC running Windows XP Professional.

Pentium III-M 1.13 Ghz
512 MB RAM (2 x 256MB)
10.0 GB HDD

The computer worked fine until a few weeks ago, when I turned it on and it gave me a blue screen fatal error a few seconds after the Windows XP loading splash logo was displayed on my screen.

The error displayed, amongst other hexadecimal digits, something about uninstalling Antivirus software, running CHKDSK /F, and error with NTFS.SYS and date stamp etc. The screen flashed too fast for me to copy down the exact details, but if you do need this, please let me know so I can patiently copy the digits down.

At first, I thought it might be a memory problem so I attempted to reboot the computer after taking each of the 2 memory chips out, one at a time. Whether I placed both, #1, or #2 (in both bays too), I still got the error, so i didn't want to quite rush out and buy new memory yet.

Then, I tried to get Windows XP CD to boot the PC and tried to enter the recovery console so i could do a CHKDSK /R and everything worked fine until the point where I type the "R" key on my keyboard to enter Recovery Console. As soon as I hit R, blue screen appears again.

Please help me out if you can. Much thanks in advance!!!

Sincerely,
David Chung

 

First some questions:

What were you doing the last time you used the laptop? Did you add or remove any software or hardware? I queston this becasue of the Anitvirus message you received in the error.

Can you boot into SafeMode by pressing F8 during boot?

Did you try to reseat your harddrive? I have had my drive still be inplace with screw retainer and I removed screw and removed and installed the HD and it made connection (I have a Latitude though). This was not seeing the HD though, sounds more like you have a bad file or driver, maybe HD, need to do some trouble shooting.

Here are some good first steps from the Dell Site for your laptop:

http://support.dell.com/support/top...s=dhs&treeid=FD0AEDC34BC62A49E030030ABD6209A0

Try these steps, one at a time as they suggest and walk your way through it. Each step will eliminate a possible issue and should ge you to the culprite.

Let me know how you make out with it. I have had good luck with their troubling shooting guide.

 

Hi, thank you for your reply.

I don't remember what it was I was doing before I got my first BSOD. However, after trying again to run Recovery Console, I was able to get the data on the BSOD:

0x00000024 (0x001902FA, 0xF89B5814, 0xF89B5514, 0xF815ABBA)

ntfs.sys - Address F815ABBA base at F814E000 datestamp 3d6de5c1

If anyone can help me, I would really appreciate it before I resort to buying a new hard disk and calling our tech guy to come reinstall our business software on it for 300 dollars.

Thanks a lot in advance, hope you guys are having an amazing new year so far!!!!

 

I guess you could not boot to Safe Mode but did you try the Dell diagnostics Link provided? If yes how far did you get and what was the outcome?

If none of the above did anything you could run ntfs check disk to repair the partition as it may be corrupt.

Try running disk check from either a floppy or CD:
http://users.adelphia.net/~abraxas/dl/NTFSchk.exe (bootable floppy)

 

I just wanted to reply that your suggestion of the boot disk led me to a different website with Linux boot CD with NTFSFIX utility which ultimately fixed my PC.

http://www.retosphere.de/tipsandtricks/ntfserror.php?menu_id=24&

http://www.techsupportforum.com/win...3287-cant-get-run-chkdksk-fix.html#post122554

Those two links above were so useful I can't even begin to say how thankful I am for your advice and leads. THANKS!