Update:
After trying the tips in the annoyances link supplied (Thanks Tom!) The  
problem wasn't fixed but un-ticking the automatic re-start made it possible to  
read an error page that before went by too fast to see more than a couple of  
words. The message which appeared on a blue screen was:
STOP: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the  
hive(file):
\System Root\System 32\config\SOFTWARE or it's log or alternate
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable
 
I was unable to start Windows with any of the startup options so, after  
using a linux disc to access and save to cd the few pics and docs I wanted,  I 
have re-formatted and reinstalled Windows.
 
This is an older Compaq so I will have to load appropriate drivers (next  
step).
 
My first re-format I used the existing partition to load Windows. This time  
I deleted the partition before formatting. This is a xp upgrade that still had 
 about 20 days to activate. I had used the same xp disc on this computer  
before and activated it succesfully. Was wondering if I would have problems with  
it at activation, but never got that far. We'll see how long this l install  
lasts.
Thanks for the replies,
-Phillip Williams-
 
In a message dated 3/27/2008 2:10:45 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Doing an  Internet search I found the following which may be  helpful:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1058887864
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318023
http://www.smartcomputing.com/techsupport/print.aspx?giud=&ErrorID=22210

I  would review all three before deciding on a possible course of  
action.  In addition to the foregoing, I also found discussions that  
overheating and/or questionable RAM could be causing this situation.  
I've never encountered these error messages, so I can't supply any first  
hand suggestions.

I hope this  helps.

Tom

[log in to unmask] wrote:
> I recently  reformatted after a system crash which wouldn't let me start  
with  
> any displayed option (last known good, safe, normal,etc.  Reformatting  
wasn't 
> a big deal since it was a new hard drive  (actually an Ebay purchase)  
which 
> didn't have anything on it to  try to save. Re-format and Windows loading  
went 
> well and has  run fine for about three weeks then today at boot up it again 
 
>  went to the screen for same startup options as mentioned before.  
Fortunately,  
> normal startup worked and after windows loaded it  displayed system error 
report 
>  with the following info:
>  C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini 032708-01.dmp
>  C:\DOCUME~1\WILLY~1.PLA\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER1.tmp.dir00\sysdata.xml
>   
> Can any of you tell by this report what the problem is? I am begining  to  
> think it's a hardware problem (mobo or ram?) since this is  similar senario 
that  
> caused my origional re-format. That time  my HD was getting noisy and 
sluggish  
> thus the HD  replacement.
>  
> Thanks for any suggestions
> 


 



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