Multiple errors on booting up and no taskbar or Start (XP)

Hello all,

First-of-all, thank you for reading this thread. Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.

I have a Dell Dimension 8400 (circa 2006?). Not used very often. New 1 TB hdd placed approximately 1 year ago. Since it was still running slow (about 6 months ago) with occasional BSOD, took it in to local "tech guy" who added some RAM, "cleaned things up", and replaced XP Home with XP Pro.

Since then, it has been working OK (minor problems not worth mentioning here). It is only used for Quicken, Rhapsody, and very light internet surfing. NO questionable websites. Currently use ZoneAlarm firewall and AVAST antivirus.

PROBLEM showed up last night. First I got BSOD (Did not record the message). On attempting to reboot, the following message comes up:


The instruction at "0x77c47e9f" referenced memory at "0x00000000". The memory could not be "read".

Click on OK to terminate the program
Click on CANCEL to debug the program


Regardless of which option I choose, the computer offers the same message again once or twice. After 8 to 10 minutes, my normal desktop appears. Unfortunately, there is no START or Taskbar. Whether I do anything or not, after 2 to 3 minutes, I get the following message:


System is shutting down initiated by NT.AUTHORITY\SYSTEM

Windows must now restart because the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service terminated unexpectedly.


ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS:
I read that I should do the following: Reboot and press F8. I was given alternative reboot options: choosing either SAFE MODE or SAFE MODE WITH PROMPT or Reboot into Last Known Good Configuration all yield the same result - normal desktop screen with no Taskbar and then, 2 minutes later, computer automatically shuts down (same message as above).

Lastly, the computer seems to be stuck in a loop. It reboots then automatically shuts itself down and then automatically reboots again.

NO, unfortunately, I do not have the 300GB of music and junk backed up. I had been emptying out a Power PC hdd onto this computer in order to take the Power PC in for "updating"

Thank you, in advance, for any assistance you can provide.

Sincerely,
Ajay

 

Here is something you can do. I would get a drive adapter to hook up to your internal HD and offload your files and folders onto some other medium.

Once you get them off, format and reinstall Windows.

 

Hi,
If the suggested path from motc7 is not an option, i.e.. no external caddy or available drive slot on another machine to drag your files off before a destructive re-install, then I would suggest booting a live linux cd like abutnu or puppy, these can be run from usb or dvd/cd rom drive, just boot the machine as you would like with a windows OS install disc, linux has a similar desktop as windows and will allow you to access any files that then can be dragged off using a usb flashdrive or dvd/cd, depending on how you mount the linux, I personally would mount it from a flashdrive as that then leaves the rom drive free, and then more files can be shifted faster.

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop

http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview and Getting Started.htm

iain.t :major

 

Always forget to suggest the Ubuntu option. Thanks!

 

It's helped me out of many a hole in the past,I always have UBCD on hand aswell.

http://majorgeeks.com/Ultimate_Boot_CD_d4981.html

iain.t :major

 

If you can get hold of the minidump files and/or System logs, I'll try to take a look to see if there's an obvious reason for the BSODs/failure to boot.