# Bad Pool Header



## un002

hi all, 
i having some probs with my comp... i really appreciate if anyone can help me understand what's wrong...and i'd be forever grateful if anyone could help me fix it....thanks
i don't know what happened but everytime i start me computer it goes to a blue screen ( for like a sec) and then it turns off and starts again and keeps doing the same thing...for a while i was able to enter my comp using the safe mode but now even the safe mode doesn't work...any ideas?

the error message says "BAD_POOL_HEADER"
STOP 0X00000019 (0X00000020, 0XF9E48F84, 0XF9E49BFC, 0XF98F2D84)

PS- the first time i entered safe mode i tried to restore it to prior setting but it didn't work...

thanks


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## Girderman

Read this thread:

http://discuss.pcmag.com/forums/1004321953/ShowPost.aspx

It describes many possible causes for this problem, and report any that are common to you.

Did you recently install any new software or hardware ?

From Safe Mode navigate Start>Run & type "msconfig"

set msconfig to boot in diagnostic mode and see if you can boot to desktop.


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## un002

hi
thanks for your help, but i can't enter safe mode... is there a way i can enter safe mode with prompts and than do msconfig....and can you please tell me how to access safe mode with prompt

thanks


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## quizme1220

un002 is your system a brand name (e.g. Dell, HP, etc.) or did you build it yourself. If you can giving us your computer specs it may help us help you, (name of mobo, cpu, ram, hdd, etc.) be as precise as possible. You may also want to take a look at this link http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-6031733.html.


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## Girderman

You enter Safe Mode by pressing the "F8" key repeatedly (about once per second) as soon as you turn on the power button.

The boot should "detour" to Safe Mode, and from there just select (the plain old) "Safe Mode". You should get a GUI that looks very similar to the normal XP desktop. The resolution will probably be bad, and the size of the icons & their proportions will be messed up, but still basically the same.

From there navigate "Start>Run" and then type "MSCONFIG".

Also, I really did ask those questions in order to get some answers. They were not for decorative purposes only. :tongue: 



> It describes many possible causes for this problem, and report any that are common to you.
> 
> Did you recently install any new software or hardware ?


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## un002

hi 
again thank you for all your support...but now i have another issue with my comp...for some reason it started giving "driver_IRQL_not_less_or_equal" message so i unplugged my comp and NOW THERE IS NO BLUE SCREEN NO ERROR MESSAGE BUT NOW MY SCREEN GOES BLANK AFTER THE WINDOWS XP START UP LOGO, AND THAN JUST SHUTS OFF, i even tried SAFE MODE but it does the same thing...can anyone help me


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## Girderman

Boot to Safe Mode again, this time choose "use last good configuration" and report back.

If you don't get a response quick, insert your XP Disk and boot from that to Recovery Console and run the following from the C:\ prompt:

fixboot
fixmbr
chkdsk /r


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## un002

hi
i tried the last known cnfiguration and it did the exact same thing, it show the screen saying WINDOWS STARTING and after that the screen goes black and the computer shuts off...also i don't have my windows xp cd for my desktop which is HP, but i do have restore dvd from laptop which is a gateway the cd is called "application, drivers and operating system restore dvd", will that work or do i need the xp cd i used on my desktop.

thanks... i really appreciate all your help


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## Girderman

I tread lightly when it comes to offering "help" on the pre-built machines (HP, Dell, Gateway, etc...) because their all kinda weird.

But my guess is No, a Gateway Restore (CD or DVD?) Disk will not work on an HP machine, and if it did manage to boot, it might completely mess the whole thing up.

However, I've read posts about some pre-builts that have a separate "restore" partition on the Hard Drive that you can access by hitting one of the "F" keys (F8, F12, F2 or whatever) during boot. As I understand it, these machines do not come with separate "disks", the recovery data is on the HD.

Also, I would assume that this option is presented to you during boot, in the initial white-on-black text that comes (from BIOS) before the color images from XP. Something like "Press F12 to enter Recovery Mode" or similar language.

AND (from what I think I understand from what I've read) these Recovery Partitions boot into something that looks like an XP disk's Recovery Console. Again, I've never owned one of these machines, and have never done this myself.

If no one comes along that has direct knowledge of your particular system, you might check the Support section of HP's web-site and see if they offer instructions on how to do a recovery operation. Read the FAQ's first, and look for key-words like "Restore", "Recovery" or "Reinstall". If you find something that looks promising, post a link here and I or someone else can look at it and get some sense of how your beast is configured and needs to be managed.

Post the exact model number of your system, and I can go looking for/with you.


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## un002

hi
i was looking on the hp website as you mentioned and it said that both win 2000 and xp have the same recovery console and i have the operating system back up cd...would that have the recovery console on it and how if yes than how do i get to it.

thanks

BTW my comp is HP - Vectra VL 420 MT


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## Girderman

*HP Search*

This Thread describes how to reinstall XP on a "replacement hard drive". This is the same way you would access Recover Console. The thread indicates an XP CD of some sort is used, which implies that your system had one at one time.

Are you the original owner ? If so, have you looked for an XP CD ? If not, would it be possible to try & get one ?

I'll keep looking, maybe there is a way around this . . .


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## Girderman

I read another thread on HP's site about your model and it also mentioned "Recovery" CD's.

If I were you, I would register on their forum and post a question asking if there is either a separate partition with recovery data on it, or if there is a way to purchase the Recovery CD's.

If the cost of these CD's is more than say $50.00, I would seriously consider purchasing a "for real" XP Installation CD and get away from HP and their oddball Restore Cd's.


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## un002

thanks for all your inputs...i am looking into some of your suggestions
thanks


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## Girderman

> However, I've read posts about some pre-builts that have a separate "restore" partition on the Hard Drive that you can access by hitting one of the "F" keys (F8, F12, F2 or whatever) during boot. As I understand it, these machines do not come with separate "disks", the recovery data is on the HD.


Install Everst Home (freeware) and attach it's report (don't post it in the thread). This report will tell if you have a FAT32 partition on the HD for doing a "Restore" operation.


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## hwk

I got this error also after reading about it and everyone saying how difficult it was to fix. I decided to use f8 and use last known good configuration. It return my computer to its previous state and I can know go back and see what changes cause this error.


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