"keith scharding" wrote:

my windows xp installation has shut down completely
F8 functionallity (reboot) also freezes - safe mode and
restore freeze completely

the blue screen message after rebooting
with windows xp cd is

setupdd.sys Address F84C0B18 base at F84A1000

The maxtor harddrive installation software apparently
operates normally - (at first it wouldn't instantiate the
installation and maintenance functions). This does not
appear to be a hard disk failure; as I got the proper
information the second time and it warned me about erasing
all the data from the harddrive (reformat).

The problem began with a usb driver problem for an
external hp moviewriter which has heretofor operated
perfectly [25 dvds made]. I ran disk defragmentor and
it also performed perfectly and then I ran check disk
for errors and rebooted.....this was the last time I saw
my windows xp installation. Thank you for your attention;
I have valuable information on this computer and would like
to recover it.

Turn on the computer and start tapping the F8 key rapiding just as
soon as the first information of any kind shows on the screen. Keep
tapping until the Windows XP Startup Menu appears and then select
"Last Known Good Configuration" from the menu.

If that does not resolve the issue then repeat the startup F8 process
only this time choose "Safe Mode" from the menu.

When the system has booted into Safe Mode use Start - All Programs -
System Restore and select the most recent restore point that is prior
to the onset of the problem.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."