Hello dear DAL, hope you can help me out this one more time:

Problem: Windows XP media center edition does not start. It loads the Windows Flag image with black background (normal) but when it wants to turn to the Welcome page, a terrible dark blue screen appears, saying something in white color and suddenly restarted.

What I've tried to do: After the self-restart, the computer sends me to a place where I can choose options of Safe Mode, SM-networking, etc. I have chosen the following:
1. I tried "Go to the last well-known settings" -----> Result: Failed (Blue Screen keeps appearing)
2. I tried "Starts windows normally" -----> Results: Same-Failed
3. I tried "Safe mode", it went through sucessfully, but after I restart the computer and try to go normal =====> Failed
4. I tried "Safe mode" and then Restore to previous point, it restored but when going thru windows normally ====> Failed

Possible Cause: I THINK what had caused that problem is that I have a external 300gb hardrive. and the last time I turned off the computer, the hard drive was connected (thru USB) to my computer. And today in the morning when I tried to turn on my computer, my "VAIO" screen (the first screen would appear) stayed still and never changed, until I unplugged the external hard drive and restarted, then the blue screen problem appeared.


I really need help please!! I have just restore my entire PC 2 weeks ago!! I dont' want to settle up my computer again and again that often

I hope you help me! THANK YOU!!

3 hours and no reply? please help me~~~~~~

In Safe Mode go to start Run... cmd

Then type: chkdsk /f

When told that the volume is in use type Y to run on re-boot and then re-boot.

If that doesn't help:

Boot your XP (recovery) CD and enter the Recovery Console.

At the prompt type: FIXBOOT

Also in the Recovery Console you could try FIXMBR as well as BOOTCFG


Also in Safe Mode you can examine your Event Viewer:

Check your Event Viewer via Administrative Tools.

Open the System as well as Application tabs and look for red X errors that coincide with your problem. Details here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427

Hello Jephree

Thanks for your reply. BUt now here is the following problems:

1. After sending the post, I kept trying with the "bad" computer by restarting it with the external harddrive plugged and unplugged. But now..... I cannot even get into the SAFE MODE!! I can select the safe mod, but you see when you press safe mod a bunch of command comes out right, well mine, after coming out all these bunch of commands, the system restarts! and it turns again the Safe mode and stuff screen. So now i cannot even get into the safe mode

2. I think I have post before that I got a VAIO desktop VGC-RA840G I think (I am at work now so don't know exactly the model) Anyway, sony only gives you a set of disc call VAIO Recovery, and the only two options it the disc is: A) Restore drive C: and B) Restore whos system (and something about RAID) after selecting one of it, the whole process is automatically. So I don't know what way I can get into the recovery console.

I don't want to restore the whole entire drive so often please help me out!! Thank you jephree! and if any other know about these, any helpful method are greatly appreciated!

You can download Microsoft's 6 floppy XP boot disks which will go as far as the Recovery Console. Not sure if it will run on the VAIO but that would be about all you can do short of using your XP CD.

How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

Dang.... My working computer doestn' have floppy drive anymore....NO!!! Any other method? Can you tell me briefly what is my computers problem? Is it really bcuz of my external hardrive?

I am still having my computer messed up over there on my desk....I really want to get this done, so do you have other method?

And do you know what kind of problem is my computer ocurring? system file damaged? or anything worse?

If it will not boot into Safe Mode then you have at least a corrupted boot.ini.

There is no resolution to this other than via the Recovery Console or Reinstalling XP.

OH, but i mean, about my first message at the top, do you know what exactly was the error or how it occured?

If you had gotten the error message we might have been able to see something.

In order to freeze such error messages one needs to change this setting:

Right click My Computer then click Properties then Advanced then Startup and Recovery > Settings

System Failure > UNcheck: Automatically Restart

Then you will be able to read the error message.

As to what you described: do not remove external drives without using the Uninstall Hardware Safely Wizard.