BSOD and I can't even get into Safe Mode. Or any other mode

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

for that matter.

Windows 2000Pro. Does this mean it's death to the PC?

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. Here's what the BSOD say:

Inaccessible_Boot_Device.

If this is the first time you've seem this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKSDK \F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.

Refer to your Getting Started manual for more information on troublewshooting Stop errors.

I haven't installed a new hard drive or hard drive controllers. I haven't surfed anything with DU and gmail with that computer. I can't get into safe mode or any other mode. So, does this mean the hard drive crashed?

LIA for any ideas.

[MyNameGoesHere]

2. Not really. Maybe. Well...

It could be an actual hardware failure, corrupted disk, Malware/Virus. If you can afford it try getting a program called Spinrite. It's from Gibson Research and it has "Magically repaired" many systems that were seemingly headed for the junk pile. If you can't swing the price on that try doing a repair using the cd. If that is not available get someone to download a Win98 boot image <cd verson> from boot disk website and the run a chckdsk /x /r

And the report back if any of this helps.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

3. I tried doing a repair with the cd and no dice.

For a second it looked like it was going to take, then back came the blue screen of death.

I actually have Win98 boot disk on a floppy. Would that work? I can get in BIOS and change to make the first boot a floppy. I only need this computer to last maybe one more month then I'm going to buy another one. But I really would like one more month. I'm on my laptop now, but I use the laptop for other stuff, not DU.)

[MyNameGoesHere]

12. Oops try to get the WinXP boot disk

Win98 SE should work as well.

[MyNameGoesHere]

13. Look all you need is to get to the cmd prompt

I think there is an option to boot safe mode with cmd prompt only. Hit f8 after the bios runs and before the windows loader starts.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

4. I put my 98 start up disk and followed the instructions.

it asked if i wanted to use the cdrom for something (sorry, I'm pretty much an idiot) and I said yes. Now I'm trying to do chckdsk /x/r and it says "bad command or file name'. :shrug:

[MyNameGoesHere]

11. You need spaces in there

[hobbit709]

5. Do you hear a clicking sound

If you do then the drive is crashed-what's called "the click of death"

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

6. No, no click. First my mouse went dead so I thought it needed

new batteries, but that was weird because I had just changed them and I usually get a low battery warning. I changed them anyhow and it ran for a few minutes then froze again. I rebooted and since then it's the blue screen of death.

[hobbit709]

7. Drive may have a corrupted boot sector

If you have W2K on it and it's formatted in NTFS instead of FAT32 you will need the W2K disk.
The Win98 boot disk won't do you much good if the drive is formatted in NTFS.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

8. It's formatted NTFS.

Drat. So I need to go buy a W2K disk, not CD? I'm working of my laptop which doesn't have a floppy drive. (I was thinking that I could download it from somewhere.)

[Jazzgirl]

9. I would think the 2K disk should be sufficient.

Do you have it?

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

10. The CD-ROM, not the disk - if by disk you mean floppy.

I can't get it to work of the CD. It starts and then I get the BSOD.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

14. Thanks all. I used the 98 disk and then reinstalled

2000. Works fine. I didn't reinstall all my programs, just firefox since I really use the PC for DU only.

As an aside, it just whips along without all those programs loading it down. I am FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!