Windows Protection Error - System Halted

[malexanian]

Please help!!!

Running a Dell Dimension, Windows ME. My daughters were on the computer the other day and my wife shut down. When she restarted later in the day, she got the Windows Protection Error - System Halted. I have read many of the articles on the support.mircosoft.com site about system restore. I have gone into safe mode and have tried to run system restore, but do not find a restore point to use. I do not believe that any new software may have been installed....

Does any one have any ideas?

[Strider]

Hi Malexanian,
I have seen that error caused by real hardware or virtual device drivers (.vxd's). Did you install any new hardware or have an apparent malfunction with any hardware the last time it ran correctly? Is there any more to the error message that will give a clue what is crashing it?
Can you boot into Safe Mode--mash F8 right after the POST screen or during the Dell logo screen? If so, look in Device Manager and see if anything has a yellow or red mark next to it. You can access Device manager by holding down the Alt key and double-clicking My Computer. Select the Device Manager tab.
Let us know what you find.

[malexanian]

Strider,

thank for the reply, I was able to boot in safe mode, that was how I originally looked at sys restore.

Checked device mgr, nothing obvious.

Here is what I got... Since my original post, I was able to run a scanreg /restore. I was given 4 earlier versions to choose from. I picked the most recent, that being said it was from july '03. Once I restored, i was able to get onto windows, but a few things have "changed"... All the programs that I had installed since that date are not working even though they display on the desktop (expected). Additionally and probably a more serious issue in this house, is that IE is not working:( . I am able to still connect to the internet through my wireless (which I find surprising):dizzy: .

ANY IDEAS???

Thanks again

[Strider]

Zowie, that's a long time since the last system restore.
Anything you installed after 07/03 won't have their registry entries and so may not work or not work right.
Now, about IE... A couple of thoughts. By going back that far, you're missing all the critical updates since then. I assume that Windows Update won't work if IE doesn't work? That makes it harder.... Upgrading to IE 6.0 might fix the problem.
Back up your irreplaceable data! Do you have or can you lay your hands on a Windows ME install CD? Not a 'recovery' CD from Dell. If you can find an install CD, you can install ME over itself and it will repair itself and leave your data and apps intact. Also look on your hard drive for all the ME install files. Sometimes they're stashed in C:\Windows\Options\Install or C:\Windows\Options\Cabs. Search for *.cab and if you find about 20 of them in the same directory, see if there is a setup.exe file in the same directory. If you can find setup.exe and all the .cabs, you can reinstall from there.
I've tried to give you a couple of things to try. Back up your data files, pictures, etc. then try whatever you feel comfortable with. Post back with results or questions.
Lots Of Luck,