Windows won't boot // memory problem

This may be better in the HW form, but thought I'd start here...

I have a laptop computer that has worked well for the last two years, but the other day it refused to boot into windows. No new HW or software had been added since the day before.

The computer tries to boot up into windows, but stalls with the following screen:
http://www.microsoft.com/library/media/1033/windowsxp/images/using/setup/support/68224windows-logo-loading.gif

I have tried booting from a CD (the ultimate boot CD for windows), but the same thing happens. (even if I have the hard drive removed from the computer)
I have run a check of the RAM and it found errors at 0x00000000 and 0xfffffffc, which seem a little odd to be being at the top and bottom of the memory space. (If I remember correctly the computer has 512MB RAM). I swaped the two memory chips around and saw the same errors.

Any suggestions on what to do/try as I would really like to get the laptop going again?

thanks,
Geoff.

 

If you're getting memory errors, try at least two memory testing utilities.
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
http://www.docmemory.com/
http://www.memtest86.com/#download0

If errors persist, I'd replace the RAM. Faulty RAM will lead to file & O/S corruption.

 

I can't boot into safe mode...

I tried one RAM, in either slot using each RAM chip, with no luck.

 

It looks like the RAM (or MB-Ram connection) is bad...
Since there is no computer store here I can't check if it is the RAM.

I am trying to get the data off the hard drive with a USB enclsoure (see new post for my next problem