NOT POLITICAL! I need some computer repair!

My laptop is not booting up. I'm pretty sure I've got a corrupt file in there somewhere, but I don't know what the hell I'm doing. So, if anyone has any recommendations as to a competent, fair repair person in the Austin area, please let me know. Thanks in advance.

(to make sure it's just your hard drive), stuff like that?

However, the recovery disk that (might have) come with my computer is parts unknown. A different hard drive? On a laptop? I can barely turn the damn thing on for crying out loud... Technically ignorant = me.

But how far does it get? Does it do anything at all? Beep? Does the screen say anything?

Safe, last known good boot, etc...anyway, it tries to boot from there, then I get the BSOD, physical memory dump and stop...

Edit:When did this start happening?

Have you tried to restore to an earlier date?

it usually gives a reason and then a 0x code. See anything like that?

After a lengthy and protracted boot-up attempt, I get the following:

STOP: c0000218 (Registry file failure)
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\systemroot\system32\config\software
or its log or alternate
It is corrupt, absent or not writable

Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete
Contact God for assistance. ;)

BTW, Microsoft's note about the matter:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=822705

In my experience, the problem is usually hardware related. Memory or some other component is flakey, usually memory. If you've got multiple memory sticks in there and you've got enough to run Windows on one, then power off, take one out and try it again. (You may need to make sure that Slot 0 always has whatever stick you're testing). If this works for you, then go buy more memory. If not, then you need to do more debugging.

I'm in the middle of crunch time at work and moving houses, so I'm not really of much help Don't know many people here in town to suggest either as I do my own work. Might try Fry's, though it will likely run about $250 plus memory to fix.

Which house is Michael Dell's? I can think of a few ways to express my displeasure with his paperweight product.

Dell has to pump so much money into replubicans this time around, that he can only do it by filling the computers he sells, with parts from old pinball machines.

Worked properly and helped people like GOPisevil are now? Unemployed! Dell used to have industry leading free, life of the system tech support, right down on Metric Blvd. Then it moved to Round Rock. Then it became a sweat shop. Then it went to India. You know the rest of the story...

Oh, in between Metric and Sweat shop Dell went from mere Millionaire who actually consorted with the commoners to Billionaire who made sure the rabble knew their place.

Another couple places you might try are Altex on I35 or PC Guru (http://www.allpcproblems.com)

Really. It's the only hope, unless you have, unlike 90% of us, maintained scrupulous backups!

If you can get it you can define the problem & perform the microsoft trobleshooting procedures if not, you are left with the old stand bys:
1. Hardware Diags-it is probably a HW issue
2. renaming the Registry files User.dat and system.dat and replacing them with the backup files user.bak & System.bak
3. Parallel install

BSOD's often happen when the O/S cannot fully load. They are the result of the kernel kicking out an error. Considering how MS loads everything system related along with the kernel into Ring 0, any problem that comes up will result in a BSOD. While they do such a thing to help with inter-process performance issues, such an architecture carries with it a significant domino effect in that a single component failure can bring down the whole system.

There are self-booting CD's which perform a fairly sophisticated and exhaustive analysis of a computer system from a hardware level. I would suggest he not muck around with anything but those at this time and assume worst case. Why I recommend as much is that I'm assuming that any risk of data loss is a bad thing at this time. Memory issues can be intermittent or can create false positives for other problems, so what can happen is that you get about half-way thru a diagnostic or repair and have the fault kick in which in turn causes greater data loss.

I will happily defer to your obvious mastery of the subject! Your point about the Kernel errors is well taken.

PM me and I'll see what I can do

GOPis Evil lives in Yankeeland...
PM me what you charge for a consult.
I had bad luck with PC Guru myself...

He fixed my daughter's computer quick and reasonably! Support your local DUer!

I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and take it in to a local shop. Oh well, I didn't need that whole pay check anyway.

Dell sucks!

Go to Mactronics in Houston or Austin.

Shane Utley is the only person I have ever let touch my Macs! He is the Apple God.

http://www.applerepair.com/HOME.html

The BEST customer service you will ever experience.

My husband has a laptop and we've taken it to Mike on several ocassions. http://mikes-pc.com/

He works out of his home just south of Parmer and west of MoPac. He's very quick to turn it around.

For Macs, I have used HappyMac, 501 E. 53rd St. in Austin.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/22/dude-your-dell-is-on-fire/

I especially love the ad below the picture for discounted dell laptops. LOL