Thanks Inland

Doing the CHKDSK C: /R now

EDIT:Results
CHKDSK found and fixed one or more errors on the volume but still got the blue screen on restart. Should I now continue with Demosthenes suggestions?

Hrm.

I should have mentioned to write down details of the chkdsk results when it was complete. Do you remember if it found any bad sectors?

In Recovery Console you can usually tell because when the chkdsk is complete it gives a short list of statistics, usually including the entry

0 KB in bad sectors

If there was more than 0 KB listed, that would indicate that there's a physical problem with some part of the hard drive.

If you don't remember, or if there were 0 KB in bad sectors, then it's probably best to try the second part of my directions. I don't expect it will fix things, but at least the steps involved shouldn't take you very long (as opposed to running a second chkdsk, which would take hours).

Just to recap, the second part of those directions can be summarized as follows:

Boot to safe mode, click on start-->Run, type "msconfig" (without the quotes) and press ok.

In the System Configuration menu which pops up, select "diagnostic startup," then click Apply, then OK.

The computer will ask if you want it to reboot. Allow it to do so.

When you get another bluescreen, post back here so we can go on to step 3.

Demosthenes

I am attempting to follow your instructions but at the moment I am having trouble getting into Safe Mode again. Will report back when I do.

I have finally managed to get into Safe Mode this morning. Logged in under Administrator and completed the following which did result with another Blue Screen.

Boot to safe mode, click on start-->Run, type "msconfig" (without the quotes) and press ok.

In the System Configuration menu which pops up, select "diagnostic startup," then click Apply, then OK.

The computer will ask if you want it to reboot. Allow it to do so.

When you get another bluescreen, post back here so we can go on to step 3.

That makes drivers the most likely culprit.

The sptd.sys driver is the one that's apparently loading just before the BSOD, so it's probably the cause. SPTD.sys is associated with Daemon Tools, and has been known to cause BSODs.

So, boot to safe mode, go to Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, and Uninstall Daemon Tools (if it's listed.) Then reboot. See if that fixes anything.

If that doesn't work, you may have to manually remove/rename the offending driver, which I'll give instructions for if needed.

[Edit] It looks like it's very likely that the driver will remain active after the install, in which case you'll still get a BSOD after uninstalling Daemon Tools. If that's the case, boot to safe mode again. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers and look for a file named sptd.sys. Right-click the file, click Rename, and name it sptd.bak.

If there is another file which starts sptd followed by numbers (such as sptd9885.sys,) rename that file as well (to sptd9885.bak, for example).

Reboot. If that does the trick, there are some registry entries we'll also have to modify to clean things up completely.

Hey Demosthenes

Heres where I am at...

In Safe Mode under Add/Remove Programs there is no Daemon Tools. I believe the program that installed this SPTD is Alcohol 120. It is not listed there and when I try to use the programs own uninstall it doesn't recognize the program as being there.

Now I am in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers. It has 2 files; SPTD.sys which I renamed SPTD.bak the other file is SPTDDRV1.sys Should I go ahead and rename this?

I'm not sure, so for the moment leave it alone and reboot. I believe the SPTDDRV1.SYS file is a Microsoft SCSI driver, so we should avoid disabling it if possible.

If you still get a BSOD on reboot, then it's probably worth renaming the second file as well.

EUREKA!!!

A successful Start up with no BSOD.

A window has popped up stating that "we have used the System Configuration Utility and currently in Diagnostic or Selective Startup" But then you probably already know this.

I think I heard The Halellujah Chorus singing, Greyfuss!

Did Greyfuss get this 'puter fixed?

Yes, every time you make changes in msconfig, you'll see that message on every subsequent boot until you click the "don't show this again or start msconfig when windows starts" check box.

And as a side effect, until we reenable your services and startup programs, you won't have antivirus, which is probably okay since you also won't have internet access.

Sooo.

There are three things that still need to be done.

First, we need to make a system restore point. We're about to make some registry changes, and it would be good to have a known bootable OS to come back to in case something goes wrong.

Second, we need to re-enable all the things we disabled, other than SPTD.SYS

Third, we should probably get rid of the remnants of the SPTD driver.

Step 1: Create a Restore Point

Click Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> System Restore

When the Welcome screen appears, select "Create a Restore Point" and then click next. In the Restore Point description box, type a descriptive name (such as Before SPTD repair) then click Create. Once Windows tells you the Restore Point has been successfully created, feel free to click OK, close any open windows, and go on to step 2.

Step 2: Reenable everything in msconfig

Click Start-->Run...

Type "msconfig" and press OK.

Select Normal Startup and click OK.

Windows will ask if you wish to reboot. Cross your fingers. Then reboot.

If Windows successfully reboots, go on to step 3.

Step 3: Remove SPTD permanently.

Go to the DuplexSecure website and download SPTD for Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Windows 7 (32-bit). (The file name is SPTDinst-v162-x86.exe)

Run the downloaded program.

If it detects SPTD installed on your system, you should get the option to Uninstall. Click Uninstall.

When the process is complete, reboot.

If No SPTD version was detected, and/or the Uninstall option is not available, or there are any errors during the uninstall, report them here. Otherwise, following the reboot, make sure everything's functioning properly.

Fantastic

Ran the SPTD uninstaller but it found none

"No SPTD version was detected
Select action to be performed"

The only button was Install so I did nothing. Selected Normal Start Up in msconfig and had a perfect reboot.

WTG GF!!

I never thought of that when I got the BSoD after opening a file last month. I went the *format* route. Like you, I was totally unable to boot into Windows. Thankfully I have a 2nd HD also running XP and I just dragged all my files to the other HD before the format. But you never remember everything

I hope it doesn't become necessary, but I will try to remember all you did!

Linda

Great!

I half expected the uninstallation of SPTD to fail, especially since we renamed its sys file.

Unfortunately that means there are a couple of registry entries still lurking in your registry that don't really need to be there, and when Windows boots it's probably looking for SPTD.SYS, failing to find it, and writing an error in the system log file.

However, none of that should affect the performance of the computer in any noticeable way, so I'm content to leave things alone rather than possibly do damage to a working system.

Demosthenes

Thank you very much for sticking with me and giving such easy to understand instructions. And thank you to all who helped and those who offered encouragement. I have learn a lot and because of the expert help this was kinda fun.

Thanks again for giving the old girl new life.

Does this mean that I should not reinstall the Alcohol 120 again as this is the one that states upon installation that it uses SPTD Pass Through? I have been using it for a long time with no problems until now. Could the SPTD.sys file just become corrupted and a reinstall correct that?

That's debatable. I see four possible outcomes:

1. You install Alcohol 120, which works fine.
2. You install Alcohol 120. It works, but some time later you uninstall the software and reboot. You get a BSOD and have to go to safe mode and rename the sys file again in order to get Windows running.
3. You install Alcohol 120 and get a BSOD on the next boot
4. You install Alcohol 120. It works. Some time later you uninstall the software and reboot. The uninstall successfully removes not only the sys file but the leftover registry entries as well, leaving your computer in better condition than it is right now.

Unfortunately, I'm not really sure which of the above possibilities is most likely. As you can see, the possibilities range from improving the situation to creating a recurrence of the problem which you have to go fix again. Certainly reinstalling Alcohol would be risky.

WOW, Way to go!!!! Lucky man you are
Mr. GreyFuss!!!
Great job Demosthenes and gang!!! GB Tech's rock

I want to offer to adopt Demosthenes! Nicely done, guys.

Thank you Demosthenes

I do like the program and if I reinstall it, thanks to you, I will know what to try if the Blue screen reappears.

Winfrey

Yes, I am very lucky that knowledgeable people come here and volunteer their expertise in teaching and helping us out.