Your son did the right thing by using the “safely remove hardware” icon before removing his USB device. Unfortunately, Windows did not cooperate. Other users have experienced similar problems when safely removing their USB sticks. In some cases, the problem was due to a failed CPU; in others it was bad memory; others had bad sound cards; others still experienced corrupt system files.
So what does this mean for your son’s computer? It means that we have a bit of investigating to do. First, we need to find out the exact error code as that often yields clues to the problem. Then we’ll need to start up Windows in Safe Mode and poke around Device Manager. Finally, we’ll run a few tools in an attempt to clean up the cause of the error.
Boot up the computer and write down the EXACT error message. Next, head over to Microsoft.com and enter the exact message in the search box. This little trick often yields detailed knowledge base articles covering the same, or similar, problem that you have. A solution may even be presented. If so, great!
If not, it’s time to dig in further. The first order of business is to get that computer up and running. Reboot the PC and press the F8 key to enter Safe Mode. This loads up the computer with just the basics. The screen will revert to VGA, so the icons will appear large and the colors will look a bit strange. But, your computer should load in this mode.
Now, let’s look at the Device Manager which is found in the Control Panel. Go to Start, Control Panel, System, Device Manager. (If you have Vista, go to Start and type Device Manager in the Search bar. Click the icon that appears). Do you see any devices with a “yellow triangle with exclamation point” icon? That icon indicates a problem with the device which could be the cause of the problem. Click the troublesome device and see what the status message indicates. You may need to update the driver, re-enable the device, or perform a few troubleshoot steps, all of which can be done within this area of the computer.
After dealing with any hardware issues, reboot the computer and see if it starts normally. Hopefully it did. If not, and if hardware doesn’t seem to be the culprit, let’s move on to some of the tools that you can use to get the computer to a more stable state. First, let’s try System Restore (Windows XP and above). Go to Start> Programs> Accessories > System Tools> System Restore. Now, follow the prompts to restore the system settings to a point in time where the computer was functioning normally. (Note: this only works if you have previously had Windows creating System Restore points.) Reboot the PC.
Finally, if the computer is still not starting properly, reboot into Safe Mode once again. This time, go to the Start button, click Run, and type in: sfc /scannow. You’ll need your Windows CD in an available disc drive. SFC checks your operating system files for damage and corrupt. Any missing or damaged files will be replaced with clean copies on the Windows CD. This tool works wonders when your computer won’t start due to operating system file corruption.
Your son has a bit of work ahead to get the computer back to normal. These tips should help him narrow down the problem and find a solution.
Celeste Stewart | September 19th, 2008
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