Tag Archives: safe mode

xp stops at isapnp.sys

Computer Aid Posted on by

This large Dell PC (running one of the first Xeons that became the core2 duos), wasn’t starting.

I tried safe mode, and it would run through various drivers, and just suddenly stop at isapnp.sys

After a few minutes, I decide to try booting from my UBCD4Win CD, and run a chkdsk… but it finds no fault with the disk.

Next, I take a bit of a look around the internet, and I soon find that the problem isn’t with isapnp.sys, but with the file thats loaded after isapnp.sys…

So how do I find out the file thats next.

It seems there is no simple answer.

However, I did manage to find a simple solution:

After booting from UBCD4Win (again), I go to windowssystem32drivers

I then view the files in “detail mode” (ie each file is shown on a seperate line, with a size and date for each).

I then sort the whole folder by size (usually by clicking on the word “size” of the size column

I then notice that there is 1 file (sgeqcx.sys) that has a size of 0 bytes.

Since there is no was that this folder should have zero length files, I know that thats the problem.

I delete sgeqcx.sys, knowing the “good” version will be copied into place by system resore.

Sure enough, the PC boots normally, and everything is back to normal.

PS: a few days later, the same customer calls again, saying he has a very similar problem.

At this point, we both agree that the computer is dying, and needs to be replaced before any serious damage is done to the data.

So: if you have this problem happen more than once, within a week or two, then I suggest you stop using the computer, and get a new one ASAP.

Word 2003 only starts in safe mode

Computer Aid Posted on by

Most Office 2003 applications worked well except for word.

Word would just silently refuse to start… no error messages.

Sometimes the word window would appear very briefly, then disappear.

And looking at the processes in task manager, I can see that Microsoft Word (winword.exe) is not running.

OK, it looks like word starts, encounters a severe error, then exits.

Depending on how you started word (double click on an existing .doc document, start word directly, use word to open text documents), then sometimes I’d get an error about normat.dot.

Other times, Word would only start in safe mode.

I try a few ways around this, and eventually find the solution: rename (or delete) normal.dot

To find it: start -> search -> for files or folders -> all files and folders -> enter normal.dot in the file name box -> click search

Windows XP freeze at startup

Computer Aid Posted on by

I came across a strange problem today.

PC would boot into safe mode, but booting to normal mode would cause it to freeze at the windows logo screen (the one with the scrolling bar at the bottom).

The customer says that at some point, it wouldn’t shut down.

I open it up, in case one of the CDROM drives has developed a fault, and its drivers are causing the windows lockup… I remove power from both CDROM drives, but almost no difference.

After a few restarts, I can see some really strange behaviour… after XP is shutdown, the PSU fan keeps spinning… in fact, the PSU fan never stops until the power cord is removed (and restarts when it’s plugged in again)… PC sometimes won’t start via the power button, and sometimes the reset button makes it start.

I also discuss with the customer, the option of getting a new PC. She was considering it towards the end of this year, but recognises that she might have to upgrade earlier.

I figure this problem could be anything, so I take it back to the office, image the drive (in case the HDD is about to fail). I’m starting to think a MoBo or CPU failure… Maybe the PSU, but unlikely, given the symptoms.

Then I decide to try a different power supply (simply because a replacement MoBo or CPU (AMD Duron 750Mhz) would be more difficult to find). To my surprise, everything works flawlessly.

This is the first time I’ve seem a PSU fail like this. Normally they just go bang, or lose a voltage (so that some components keep going while others fail to start), or suddenly cut out at some point after powerup.

Its almost as if a voltage was just out of tolerance (too high or too low), such that the CPU (or some other critical component), would stop working when it was asked to do too much…

Anyway, I replace the PSU, and return the PC to a very relieved lady.