ntfs.sys 0x00000050

[trubluluder93]

So here's the deal, Windows has quit on me, and refuses to boot in safe mode or last known configuration. When I put in the xp boot disk, it refuses to enter recovery console, just gets stuck at "examining startup environment." If I try to set up XP, I get the blue screen- ntfs.sys, Page_fault_in_nonpaged_area, and then STOP: 0x00000050

The computer is a Dell Dimension 8200, with no hardware additions in a year or so. I tried testing the individual sticks of RAM but nothing shows up on the monitor, and the computer just beeps at me. Now I've found out the machine has two sticks of 128 mb of RDRAM, so I don't believe they can be tested individually? Memtest also came up clean after 30+rounds. I've been reading on here about minidumps, but I've never tried accessing them, and I don't think I can at the moment since Windows won't start at all.
Thanks for your time

 

[raybay]

Failed hard drive, usually a Quantum, Maxtor, or Western Digital. You can often still rescue the data using the hard drive as a slave, after a new hard drive is installed with Windows XP..
The computer is now about six years old, so the hard drive failure is normal.
The Rambus memory can be tested in that machine... good thing yours passed the memory test, as the replacement memory is incredibly expensive, when you can find it.

 

[tweaks_sav]

If it is a Dell press F12 on bootup and goto the Dell Diagnostics. It's a proprietary partition that has memtest/hdtest/etc built in.

If your memory tested fine, then I would say it is your HD. But it could also be your mobo (caps), dirty/scratched CD, or failing optical drive.

 

[trubluluder93]

Tweaks, there's no option for Dell Diagnostics on the boot menu, I just get 1- normal, 2-floppy drive, 3-hard disk c:, 4- cd-rom drive.

Raybay, is there anyway to see if a failed hd is indeed the problem? I would imagine swapping in another computer, but I have no experience with removing/installing an hd, nor do i have another comp available to do that.

Thanks guys

 

[raybay]

If you have a recent Dell, you press <F12> as you boot up.
We must know your Dell model (from the front bezel) or from the service tag on the side or back of the case.
As for the hard drive, it isn't as difficult as it sounds, but if you have never opened a computer case before, it can be stressful.
The hard part is locating another hard drive known to work.
Unplug the computer, then you must remove the case cover... usually just two screws you can remove with a phillips screw driver.
Then you unplug the power plug (four colored wires) and the EIDE cable which is a flat cable with 80 wires and 40 connectors. Plug those two into a borrowed hard drive. Then plug in the computer. press the power switch.
See if there is a difference... but without software, it is difficult.
Do you have a knowledgable friend.
You can unplug the drive and try it in another system.
Or you can remove the drive, and install another. Hard drives can be had cheaply... at www.zipzoomfly.com 80 to 160 GB drives run from $40 to $60...
Buy one. Install in with a screw driver, and some common sense. Then put your Dell recovery disc (usually maroon, gray, or light yellowish green) in the CD drive. The press the switch. Usually, the computer will boot to the cd which will then format and install the hard drive.

Find a knowledgable friend, and buy him or her a case of coca cola or their favorite beverage. Have them do it.

 

[trubluluder93]

Its a Dell Dimension 8200, from 2002. Pressing F12 at bootup only gives me the 4 options that I listed above

 

[trubluluder93]

Ok, so I put in a new hard drive, and everything is working fine. Now I'm onto trying to salvage what was on the old drive. I made the new drive as master, and the old one as slave but I still get the same blue screen with a ntfs.sys error when I start windows

 

[raybay]

Disconnect the Slave drive, and change the jumper on the master drive if it is a different jumper setting when used alone, and try again.
This will help you learn if the problem is in the hard drive, the old hard drive, or elsewhere.
If you get the NTFS error again when using only the new drive, you may have to waste some time reformatting the drive once more.

 

[trubluluder93]

The master drive works perfectly by itself. Its just when the old drive is connected that there is an ntfs error

 

[raybay]

Well, there you have it. A chip has gone bad on that old drive. You will need to be quite creative to recover that data...