Windows 10 - Critical Process Died Bsod

I recently rebuilt an old PC (Dell Dimension E520, Intel Core2 6300 1.86 GHz CPU, 2 GB DDr2 @ 667Mhz) that originally had Vista on it, and loaded it with Windows 10 for my son to use.

It worked fine for a couple of days - I added Office 2010, and McAfee LiveSafe and handed it over to him. He installed some other bits & pieces of software and was working fine on it.

Yesterday evening he went to change the username for the single account I had installed (not using a Microsoft account) and following the subsequent restart got the BSOD immediately after trying to log in (actually with the old username, so it didn't seem to have changed). This happens every time he tries to log in now.

I found a few links on how to deal with this and tried to follow recommended steps, but booting to safe mode results in the exact same thing except the BSOD is preceded by a dialog with "Unknown Hard Error".

I did a restore to the only restore point saved (from 2 days ago), but still the same

All the recommended solutions I can find online assume you can get at least into safe mode Windows to run some utilities, which obviously I cant do.

Any other recommended paths, or is this a case of "it was old & crap anyway, so time to chuck it ::" ?

 

If you have the windows 10 disk that you used, run that.

 

Apologies - I'm going to be a bit thick on thick and dont want to do the wrong thing by misinterpreting you ...

I dont have a CD - I installed windows 10 by booting from a USB that a friend prepared . Are you suggesting I go through that process again?

 

Yes you could see if it gives you repair/recovery options or simply reinstall windows with it.

 

Thanks

Tried that & there was a recovery option. Went into the "Repair Windows startup" utility & it came back saying it failed to repair, but I did manage to capture the logfiles (uploaded). Are these any help?

I guess if that doesn't help a full reinstall is the next option

 

Open command prompt as administrator (right click the start 'button', click command prompt(admin)
TYPE IN SFC /SCANNOW
This will correct any system file problems that may be causing the problems-(conflicting programs that your son may have inadvertably installed ) and ensure windows protected files are replaced, if it is so.
You could try thee installation media that you now have, and look for advanced to get to command prompt as administrator, too.

 

If the OP can actually boot into normal mode OR safe mode, then yes they can do sfc /scannow BUT if they can't boot into either mode then they can't. Their last post appears to indicate they can't boot into normal or safe mode. So unless the recovery options offer a successful 'refresh' or 'reset' then sfc /scannow is not an option. That is only available when the system boots normally.
That's why using the Windows 10 on the USB will enable them to format the disk and reinstall Windows 10 afresh

 

While still in command prompt,--before typing exit to leave command prompt, after sfc/scannow has finished--You can also type in chkdsk /f/r to check if the harddrive has a bad sector, and this will repair it, most of the time. When finished type exit in the command prompt window, and it will close.

 

Only if a command prompt window appears as part of the recovery options given when using the USB.

 

OK - as Max says, I cant get into Windows (safe or otherwise) so cant get to the commend prompt via the Start button. However the recovery option on the boot USB does give me a way into the command prompt, so I did the SFC and got this result. I'll go back & try chkdsk next

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.10586]


X:\Sources>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.

X:\Sources>​

 

sfc /scannow can be useful but in your situation from my experience the OS is too corrupted for that to help.
A reinstall looks the best option.

 

My son's PC is upstairs, mine is downstairs .. so if noting else this is proving good exercise.

Here are the results of chkdsk, I didn't want to choose the options it gave me without advice. Is it worth it, or do i go reinstall route now?

C:\>chkdsk /f /r
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another
process. Chkdsk may run if this volume is dismounted first.
ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID.
Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? (Y/N) n

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another
process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be
checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N) n​

 

As I said with your installation media, that would give you the option (o.k Max ) - Unfortunately, as Max said it looks like a re-install, and careful picking of additional programs (older computer can only give so much- power tight) I would also just use windows defender to see how it copes - but to save it having another fit, put the son's preferred name on it.

 

Answer yes-- Y
Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another
process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be
checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N) n

tombrown, 1 minute ago Report

 

Also, that system would need the RAM increased to its full MB capacity (4gb) to get a reasonable performance. If it has two RAM slots, then it needs 2 x 2gb sticks. If it currently has 2x1gb in two slots both would need to be changed to two matching sticks of 2gb.
You can look inside to see how many RAM slots it has, or you may already know that. Or you can run a memory scan at crucial.com which will tell you that.

 

Tried baklogic's last suggestion, but chkdsk didnt seem to run at the next startup anyway ... got as far as the login screen then usual BSOD behaviour.

So thats it - time for a full reinstall, but I'll probably wait til tomorrow now. I'll also look into adding more RAM per Max's suggestion, once I have it working again.

I'm guessing my son's video editing SW was a step too far

 

PS - thanks both of you for all your help and thanks also for bringing our party back to its roots, Max

 

Good luck with the reinstall and getting it working ok. You can run check disk to see if the HD is good after the reinstall. And I would hold off buying extra ram until after reinstall and Check Disk shows the HD is good.

 

Also, you had installed an "old" version of Windows 10 (1507, 10586)). If you have an 8 GB flash drive, download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and with the flash drive inserted, use the tool to create a USB installation media with the latest version of Windows 10 (1607).

 

This problem usually happens due to the following reasons:

• Antiquated software plus faulty drivers.
• Corrupt as well as broken files.
• Issues related to code such as memory house concluded, out-dated drivers, malware attacks, and more.
• Hardware issues like RAM, CPU, hard drive, and more.
• Operating system issues.

Try rectifying these problems to solve this issue.

 

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