What laptop?

50Twuncle

first78 wrote: »

Managed to start the computer in safe mode but have no idea what to do next?

Right - from within safe mode

1. Save any documents/addresses/email back ups that are important to you....
to USB or CD/DVD or even paper

2. Open Disk Management
by <START> run diskmgmt.msc
This will let you see the breakdown of your hard disk set up (to check whether you have a restore partition on your hard disk)
Look for a partition D which may be called RESTORE/RECOVER or similar - or it may be called nothing - it should be a smaller size than your main C partition...perhaps 20Mb or even smaller...

If there is no restore partition - it limits your options

Close all open boxes

Next - try (depending on the results of the antivirus scan)
a SYSTEM RESTORE to previous known good time - Again from within SAFE MODE

1. Navigate to the Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools program group and choose System Restore.
2. Choose the Restore my computer to an earlier time radio button and then click Next >.
3. Choose an available date on the calendar on the left.
   Note: Available dates are those when a restore point was created and are shown in bold. You can not use System Restore to undo Windows XP changes to a date that a restore point does not exist.
4. Choose a specific restore point on the right.
   Note: All restore points created on the date you selected in Step 3 will be listed here. This includes any restore points that you created, scheduled restore points that Windows XP created, and those created automatically during the installation of certain programs.
5. Click Next >.
6. Click Next > on the Confirm Restore Point Selection window to begin the System Restore.
   Note: Windows XP will shut down to complete the System Restore so be sure to save any work you might have open in other programs now.

Let me know whether this works

first78

21Twinkle wrote: »

Right - from within safe mode

1. Save any documents/addresses/email back ups that are important to you....
to USB or CD/DVD or even paper

2. Open Disk Management
by <START> run diskmgmt.msc
This will let you see the breakdown of your hard disk set up (to check whether you have a restore partition on your hard disk)
Look for a partition D which may be called RESTORE/RECOVER or similar - or it may be called nothing - it should be a smaller size than your main C partition...perhaps 20Mb or even smaller...

If there is no restore partition - it limits your options

Close all open boxes

Next - try (depending on the results of the antivirus scan)
a SYSTEM RESTORE to previous known good time - Again from within SAFE MODE

1. Navigate to the Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools program group and choose System Restore.
2. Choose the Restore my computer to an earlier time radio button and then click Next >.
3. Choose an available date on the calendar on the left.
   Note: Available dates are those when a restore point was created and are shown in bold. You can not use System Restore to undo Windows XP changes to a date that a restore point does not exist.
4. Choose a specific restore point on the right.
   Note: All restore points created on the date you selected in Step 3 will be listed here. This includes any restore points that you created, scheduled restore points that Windows XP created, and those created automatically during the installation of certain programs.
5. Click Next >.
6. Click Next > on the Confirm Restore Point Selection window to begin the System Restore.
   Note: Windows XP will shut down to complete the System Restore so be sure to save any work you might have open in other programs now.

Let me know whether this works

I'm at work all day but will do this as soon as I get in tonight, thanks

Cycrow

closed wrote: »

what does the blue screen say - most blue screens aren't hardware related, and therefore can be fixed without spending money

does safe mode work

if it's branded, you may not need the windows disc to reinstall.

Actually, blue screens are almost always hardware related
Weather is hardware failures or driver errors, they are all hardware related.
The only non hardware related problems would be OS curruption, is often caused by a hardware failure anyways.

If its an OS or Driver error, then they can generally be fixed without needing to replace any hardware, as long as it wasn't a hardware failure that caused them to break in the first place

Software on its own doesn't cause blue screen error, they only expose the problem

closed

A driver is a piece of software. Trying to pick non-existent holes in posts isn't resolving the op's problem.

OP uninstall rapport if it's installed.

Cycrow

closed wrote: »

A driver is a piece of software. Trying to pick non-existent holes in posts isn't resolving the op's problem.

OP uninstall rapport if it's installed.

Driver is connected to the hardware its for, so it is related to hardware.
A blue screen error from a driver will happen because its accessing the hardware in a way it shouldn't be.
Software on its own will not trigger a blue screen error (maybe for windows 95 but certainty not for xp/7/8)

stating that blue screens are mainly caused by software is whats not helping because its not true.
removing/reinstalling some software might temporarily solve the problem, but it wont fix the cause

thats the same as treating the symptoms not the cause, if you really want to fix it, you need to find out whats causing the error in the first place.

and you do that by checking the error code of the blue screen and/or analysing the dump file

closed

It is true, blue screens happen on machines with pefectly working hardware all the time, you're not helping the op by continuing this pointless pedantic argument

first78 wrote: »

The blue screen says something about invalid process attach attempt...no idea what that means.

elektra

I agree with Closed, uninstall Rapport if it's installed.

see this post, it worked for that user who had a very similar problem to OP.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4629501

50Twuncle

Isn't RAPPORT supposed to protect you from terrorist action, murders, aids, sore throats, biting insects, fire, floods, football hooligans, power failures and viruses ?

Why would anyone want to install such a brilliantly conceived program on their personal computer in the first place ?

Don't tell me - their bank advised them to.....??
incidentally Rapport (if installed) is not simple to uninstall (I was advised by Nationwide to use it a few years ago) - you need an "uninstaller" to remove it - available (surprisingly, for very little money) from your bank !!

first78

21Twinkle, there was no partition D. Did a system restore but then got the blue screen just as the restore finished.

Is there anything else I can do or should I start laptop shopping?

50Twuncle

first78 wrote: »

21Twinkle, there was no partition D. Did a system restore but then got the blue screen just as the restore finished.

Is there anything else I can do or should I start laptop shopping?

Have you managed to save any data that you wanted - email addresses etc ?

That means that you need software to reinstall Windows - Which I assume needs doing - since it is too unstable as it is



Just one suggestion - can you go back into safe mode - and try this (this assumes that it stays out of blue screen)

1. Open My Computer by double-clicking on the icon on the desktop.
2. Right-click on the drive letter that you wish to check for errors (usually C and click on the Properties menu item.
3. Choose the "Tools" tab and click on the Check Now... button
4. Two options are available in the next window:
   • Automatically fix file system errors will correct many file system errors detected.
5. Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors will perform a search for areas of the hard drive that may be damaged or unusable. If found, this tool will mark those areas as "bad" and prevent your computer from using them in the future. This is a very useful feature but may extend the scan time as much as a few hours
6. Click Start.
7. Allow the Error Checking program to run its course until complete.
8. Restart the PC if prompted to do so.

If that fails or is unable to complete - then it looks like its going to be a new computer ...