I have a computer that runs Win XP SP3 that got messed up and now gets the following message every time I turn it on. "Stop:c000021a {Fatal System Error} The session manager initialization system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc000026c (0c00000000 0x00000000). The system has been shut down." Right before I started getting this message it was running Windows Update. I think what happened went something like this: I was manually running Windows update because the computer doesn't get used much and I just wanted to make sure everything was updated correctly. While the update I started was running an automatic Windows update kicked off. Both processes finished and needed to reboot the system. When it rebooted I got the message. I think something gets set in the registry by the update process telling the system what to do on rebooting but with two updates running I think whatever the registry wants the system to run on restart doens't exist. I can remove the drive and connect it as a usb drive to my regular PC but where do I look to find and fix the problem. TIA
I haven't used XP in years but the BSOD did happen enough to remember the basic check list I would do. 1) Have you tried pressing F8 (usually to get into safe mode) just after the BIOS load screen, it will come up with a menu option to choose "Last Known Good Configuration". This might work tho it usually doesn't 2) Boot with the XP CD it will give you the option to setup windows it will also give you a repair with recovery console for now just pick the setup option by hitting enter. Then press F8 to continue. It will now give you the option to repair the registry, press R. This will take a few minutes then it will reboot hopefully fixing your issue. If that doesn't work you can try the recovery console but I would suggest instead just installing windows over itself. You don't lose any data besides the registry so you just need to reinstall the apps again. Finally once that's all done you need to of course get XP patched up ASAP. I used to use autopatcher for my XP box. The patches still come from M$ website but it would also keep a copy of the patches on the HDD so you can easily back these up for any future issues Plus the menu system of picking what your want is much better. http://www.autopatcher.com/forums/topic/2472-apup2-download/ Anyway lets wait to see what happen with option 1 and 2
Tried option 2 It didn't give me the option to repair the registry only to reinstall windows by doing a quick format of the partition, a full format of the partition, or just overwriting windows without formating. I hate to try any of the three without at least trying to fix the registry first. Any ideas on that? Thanks
Reinstall would be faster, but this looks like sp prob: http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-xp/uninstall-sp3-from-recovery-console/169701.html
Hmm strange I found a pic with how it should look like. Might be the version you have Ok well the 3rd option is recovery console which is mentioned in Valter link. I also found a link from the M$ site but it does warn that this process doesn't work on OEM copies. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545 The option you mention "overwriting windows", I have done this at least half a dozen times in the past(for myself and others) Perfectly safe Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi I would try to boot into safe mode by pressing F8, than look for new installed software and reinstall the last updates and programs you might have installed. The Repair option usually doesn´t work properly and is better to do a fresh instalation. Try safe mode and run it to look for errors.
