Computer help forum: "Correcting error in index $SII for file 9"

Hi and thanks for the reply/info. XP is installed on the C: drive. Typed in the command you provided above. The response was "Invalid parameter - r"

Since I have no idea what Advance System Care has triggered I have no idea how to proceed. What next?

And, thanks again.

Thanks for correcting the command.

I was preparing to attempt it when, after turning on that computer, I was distracted and have exacerbated the problem, hopefully not fatally. When I returned to the computer from the distraction, it was already runnung CHKDSK. I panicked and just turned off the computer. Now, whenI turn on the computer, I get the following screen (black background with white text):

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectedly, or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders, choose Last Known Good Configuration to revert to the most recent settings that worked.

If a previous startup attempt was interrupted due to a power failure or because the Power or Reset button was pressed, or if you aren't sure what caused the problem, choose Start Windows Normally.

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

Start Windows Normally

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice."

None of the selections work. A couple of the selections produce a fast appearing/scrolling list of messages that, from a quick view (which is all that's possible before they disappear), all seem to include "...multi-disk...(r)...disk partition..." and other info. After that list disappears a blue screen with white text appears with the following info:

"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps.

Disable or uninstall any anti-virus, disk defragmentation or backup utilities. Check your hard drive configuration, and check for any updated drivers. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.

Technical Information:

***STOP:0x00000024 (0x00190203, 0x898c1178, 0xC0000102, 0x00000000)"

However, I am unable to accomplish any of the tasks specified in that screen. There's no cursor. The Esc key does nothing. Simultaneously depressing "Control/Alt/Del" does nothing. There does not appear to be any way past the screen. Restarting takes me to the first screen above and simultaneously depressing "Control/Alt/Del" at that screen just re-restarts the computer.

Am I done for? Hope you can help with this one.
Best regards.

Thanks again for the info/direction.

However, before sending my previous message, I had tried all five methods to re-start the computer, including "Last Known Good Configuration." (Sorry, guess I had not made that clear in the previous message.) In fact, I think that's the one I tried first. Just to be sure, I tried it again before getting into this reply. It takes me to the blue screen. One difference in the info on the blue screen from what I typed above - the 2nd "code" (or whatever it is) within the parenthesis in the Technical Information, instead of being "0x898c1178", it's "0x89890320."

Same problem as described in the last paragraph of my previous messsage from last night. There's no way that I have been able to do anything once the blue screen appears, except turn off the computer.

It does not even attempt to run CHKDSK when I turn on the computer now. The computer goes to the first screen described above - black background with white text - and no matter which of the 5 choices I select, it goes to the blue screen.

I appreciate you sticking with this.

Hi,

The file that XP hangs on when booting in Safe Mode is:

multi-disk-rdisk-partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\agp440.sys

Would that info mean that it will be useless to try and copy files and folders using Ubuntu? I'm hesitating doing that because it's beyond/more advanced than anything I've done before. Of course, at this point, how can I hurt the computer much more if I mess up? If that file name does not mean that it would be useless to proceed with the other methods you described, I'll give it all a go.

As for re-installing XP, I do not have a disk for it. Never received one when I bought the computer new, and foolishly never made a copy as was recommended. Can I use a disk from another computer? A friend has the XP disk for her EMachine and has offered to let me use it.

Thank you again!

You have to consider your options.

1. Using some other XP CD.
This one is full of traps and mines. The biggest trap is that the unsuspecting owner may use such and wipe out all their files. The second land mine is the license. It has teeth and will shut down the machine after about 28 days.

2. Using some free OS like Ubuntu.
Lots of upside in the free and cost aspects but some want Windows apps so they are usually unhappy. The user/owner that needs a PC for web access is usually fine with this. Another upside is the time you save on hunting down trojans and more.

3. Order restore media from Sony.
This is the best option with the issue they may not have them anymore. You can try Ebay next.

Bob

First things first: Use Ubuntu to back up all files you want to keep.

Instructions above are for running Ubuntu as a Live CD. That means no Ubuntu files are installed on your hard drive; everything that Ubuntu needs is running in system memory or on the CD itself. Once shut down, Ubuntu will disappear. That is not to say you cannot reuse the Live CD again, you can. It is just that Live CD operation is volatile and temporary. If the power happens to go out while running as Live CD, no harm can be done to your system.

It is clear that you are at an impasse. Some choices must be made to save your files; Ubuntu will do that for you when you operate within Ubuntu to copy and paste your files. Getting the restore media from Sony is not a given, given the age of the machine.

Restoring the system with the Sony media will wipe out all important files, and will put your system back to the day you first got it, so back them up first. Commonly, favorites and bookmarks are forgotten, but should be saved along with all the other files. This will allow you to pick up where you left off, without having to recompile all bookmarks/favorites all over again.

Turning over your system to your repair shop may be a good option. However, I have heard of cases where the tech failed to back up user files before restoring the OS on the machine. So, it is probably best for you to do this before you take it in.

As for the last driver line (agp440.sys) in safe mode, it is likely a .sys file is supposed to load after that, but this line will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer of different systems, so impossible for me to know what file following is missing/corrupt.

You can check these posts on Google here, but first get WOT installed in your browser to avoid less than reputable sites on your good system: http://www.mywot.com/

After that is done, see: https://www.google.com/#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=35&gs_id=d&xhr=t&q=windows+system32+drivers+agp440

You may find a situation close enough or exactly like yours somewhere in there. WOT will protect you from visiting a bad site, and will allow better and safer choices to be made in the future.

If you are having trouble starting the Live CD, check your BIOS settings to make sure the CD/DVD-ROM is set to boot first and not the hard drive Windows is on. This setting can be changed within BIOS by moving the hard drive below the CD/DVD drive. Be sure to tell your computer to save the new setting when you exit the BIOS.

The Ubuntu link above will give you an older version of Ubuntu with a familiar desktop. It should not take too long to learn how to move around and navigate within it to do what you need to do, unlike the newest version, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. That version has a different desktop and different ways of doing things in there, and is harder to operate within that environment as it is so different from what you are likely used to.

This is the easiest way to back up your files I know of, even if Windows is dead in the water.

Watch for three things when booting as Live CD:

1,) Keyboard and little man icons at bottom of screen. Hit enter on keyboard right away.

2.) Main Options screen: "Try Ubuntu without installing" is the default option and first in the list. Hit enter on the keyboard right away. This is the Live CD option.

3.) Language selection menu will pop up. If you want English, hit enter on keyboard right away.

Ubuntu will continue to load off the CD. This will take awhile, so go get a cup of coffee and relax.

To shut down, select the power button far upper right hand corner and select 'Shut down...' when you've got everything done. CD will pop out, remove it, press enter on keyboard, and system will shut down.

BTW, it is possible to surf the internet with the Live CD on your damaged system. Just so you know. Just do not save any files to your hard drive, but put them on a backup usb media instead.

Hope this helps. Ubuntu is a nice little tool to use to recover from disaster.

Hi,

Using the direct link to the file that you provided on 7/25, I burned 694 MB of Ubuntu onto a CD-ROM. (Your 30 minute estimated download time was spot on.) However, when I went back and checked the disk properties, it indicated that there is only one file, named: ubuntu-10.04.4 - desktop - i386.iso. The file type is: Disc Image File (.iso). Is that correct?

The next problem to arise came when I tried to boot using the burned disk. I managed to access the BIOS screen labelled "Boot Device Priority." I arranged the devices:
1st Boot Device [SS-HL-DT-STDVD-]
2nd Boot Device [1st FLOPPY DRIV]
3rd Boot Device [PM-ST3160021A]
That looks correct to me. However, there was a notation on the screen that said: "A device enclosed in parenthesis has been disabled in the corresponding type menu." They all appear to be in parenthesis.

Despite searching through all of the BIOS screens, I was unable to find a way to enable any of the devices. That would tend to explain, I think, why the computer won't boot using any of the 5 options available, as listed above in my message from 7/24 - Bigger Ooops, whether the file on the burned disk is correct or not. Is there a way to enable the devices that I have missed?

Also, I ordered a system restore disk from SONY. It should be here by the end of the week.

Thanks!

Hi,

Managed to burn the correct files to disc today. Have used it on the disabled computer and copied multiple files to a flash drive. Pretty amazing to me.

Waiting for the system restore disc from Sony now.

Thanks for your continued assistance. I'll let you know what happens after the Sony disc gets here. Hopefully the system restore process will proceed without any problems.

Thanks for the additional info about Ubuntu capabilities/functions. I'll do at least the hardware defect scan, but not right away.

I have another issue with an entirely differrent computer at the moment that needs to take precedence. I have to find a reliable, and easy to use, ".PDF to .DOC" converter for use with Word 2010. I've tried a couple but either the converted files can't be edited or they aren't there. Unfortunately, I did not make note of the first one but the 2nd one is from Doxillion.

So, I'm off to work on that and waiting for the Sony restore media to arrive. Thank you for your continued assistance.

Hi Kees,

Thanks for the suggestion.

Got stuck at a Sign In screen, after downloading/installing the preview. Want to try it, but need to wait for Microsoft to let me know when that's fixed.

Until then, do you know if after editing the PDF files they can then be saved as/converted to DOC or DOCX files?

that the PDF files I am trying to convert to DOC files were created by scanning documents and are not original PDF files created using an Adobe program. Is that possible?

Hi Kees,

Thanks for the link in your last message. Found some useful web sites for future use. The project that I needed the documents converted for had to be completed another way due to deadline requirements. But, your assistance was instructive, especially about scanned PDFs.

about your system is because the clue about the original hard drive is important. Hard drives do fail, especially when older than seven years old, (not to say a new one cannot fail much sooner) but the odds of failure increase substantially over time.

So, "SONY VAIO PC" is incomplete information as Google will show: https://www.google.com/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=SONY+VAIO+PC&oq=SONY+VAIO+PC&gs_l=hp.12..0l4.2936.2936.0.6534.1.1.0.0.0.0.149.149.0j1.1.0...0.0...1c.sArWH5U_TAk&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=f7bcdab3fe9d6679&biw=1280&bih=887

Many, many models and configurations to choose from here. Specific model information would allow us to know the manufacturer of the installed original hard drive, laptop or desktop, and allow us to point you towards a hard drive testing program made specifically for that hard drive that you could run and then see for yourself if your hard drive was, indeed, in good condition or not.

The function of the hard drive test from a manufacturer is to check for bad sectors and to ensure that the drive is not at risk of imminent failure.

MemTest is the name of the memory check program you ran, and three passes are usually more than sufficient to check for memory card failure.

You are to be congratulated for running this program, and by doing this, removed one possible obstacle towards a successful factory restore with the Sony discs you will receive very soon.

Second post will follow very soon with pictures on how to run the Ubuntu check on the Windows drive.

All pictures will be from the actual Ubuntu Live CD itself, so the process should be much easier for you to follow.

Hi,

I'll work on the tasks outlined in your last 2 posts over the weekend.

The Sony recovery DVDs (2) arrived. I'll hold off using those for the moment until testing/checking gets done.

Thank you once more!