"Windows Protection error"- Help!!!

[diver669]

Whenever i try to boot up my self- built computer, with an AMD Athlon XP 2000+ processor, 256 megs ram, and an MSI motherboard, it displays the error message "Windows protection error. The system cannot boot. System has stopped." I can start up in safe mode, but that is it. Nothing in the help has helped. please help!! Also, this started happening after i downloaded Alcohol 52%, a ripping and emulation program. However, i have downloaded the program before and nothing has happened. The computer is about 2 months old. Thanks!

[Tweaker]

Hey diver669 :cool:

Try using the safe mode at startup to Run scandisk, defrag your hard drive and run your anti-virus scan to see if there are any errors that might be the cause of the problem.

Also:

SUMMARY

Windows Millennium Edition (Me) includes the System Restore tool, but you cannot start the System Restore tool from a command prompt. Because of this, it may be useful to start the System Restore tool when you are unable to start your Windows Me-based computer normally or in Safe mode. This article describes how to start the System Restore tool when you cannot start your Windows Me-based computer normally or in Safe mode.

MORE INFORMATION

To start the System Restore tool when you cannot start your Windows Me-based computer normally or in Safe mode, you can temporarily change the Windows shell from Explorer.exe to Progman.exe:
Start your computer by using the Windows Me Startup disk.
At the Startup menu, choose Minimum Boot.
At the command prompt, type edit c:\windows\system.ini, and then press ENTER.
Edit the shell= line so that it looks like this:
shell=progman.exe

Press ALT+F, and then press S to save the changes to the System.ini file.
Press ALT+F, and then press X.
Remove your Windows Me Startup disk, and then restart your computer. When your computer restarts, Program Manager should start. If Program Manager does not start, repeat steps 1 through 7, being careful to follow these steps exactly, and then continue to the next step.
On the File menu, click Run, type msconfig in the Command Line box, and then press ENTER.
Click Launch System Restore to begin restoring your computer to a previous, functional state.
Notes
After you configure your computer to start Program Manager (Progman.exe), you can also start the System Restore tool by typing c:\windows\system\restore\rstrui.exe at a command prompt, and then pressing ENTER.
If you still cannot use System Restore, repeat steps 1 through 6. In step 4, change the shell= line so that it reads:
shell=explorer.exe

This sets the Windows shell back to Explorer.exe so that you can continue troubleshooting.

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];Q279736

[diver669]

Thanks for the help, Tweaker, but this doesnt help. I am led to believe that the startup files are corrupted, since when I bypass the startup files (and start in safe mode) everything works. The only thought i have had would be to upgrade to XP and not save the ME files so that there is no trace of whatever caused the problem. Can you please give me your thoughts on this?


:( diver669

[30111987]

try restoring the regestery
you need a boot disk (in safe mode go to addremove progs and then switch to the last tab)
put in the disk and reboot
choose start with cd rom support
type scanreg/restore and press enter
choose a previous version when you are asked
reboot, this might solve your prob

[diver669]

Thank you very much for helping out. It works perfectly now!

:):):):):) diver669

[30111987]

yay and its down to my help! :)

[AnnMarie]

Wtg 30111987!!! :D

[Tweaker]

30111987 :thumb: