This guide will explain how to fix the Windows error “We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.”
Are you getting this error message when you try to start up Windows:
We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.
If so, your Windows system files are possibly corrupt, or there is something wrong with your hard drive (bad sectors, etc.) Luckily, it’s usually an error that can be fixed without having to reinstall the Windows operating system.
Here are some steps you can take to try and fix the problem.
Method 1 – Repair Windows via Recovery Console by running CHKDSK
My first suggestion would be to restart your computer into the Recovery Console mode and run CHKDSK with the repair option to make sure there are no errors on your hard disk.
In order to get into the Recovery Console in Windows XP, you need to put in your Windows installation CD and press any key when it says boot from CD.
Now in the XP Professional Setup screen, press R to choose the Repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console option.
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Now you need to choose the installation that you want to run the recovery console too on, usually you can just type 1. Enter the password for the local Administrator account on the computer and press Enter.
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Now go ahead and type in the command CHKDSK /r at the command prompt to run the disk check:
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Method 2 – Do a Repair installation of Windows
In Method 1, we ran CHKDSK through the Recovery Console to try and repair any errors that may have been on the hard disk. In Method 2, we will do a repair installation of Windows, which basically replaces all of your system files without deleting any of your data. The OS is reinstalled, but all data is left intact.
After doing a repair install, you will have to reapply all Windows Updates. For this, you would put in your XP CD like before, boot to it by pressing a key when you see Press any key to boot from CD.
From the menu of options above, press Enter instead of pressing R. This is a little counter-intuitive, but you have to choose the option to setup Windows XP.
Press F8 to accept the license agreement and then press R to choose the Repair the selected Windows XP installation option.
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Note that it will look like Windows is reinstalling the operating system fresh, but it is not! It’s just replacing all of the Windows system files, so your data will not be lost.
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Always make sure that you are using the same XP CD that came with computer originally or the repair may fail in the middle! Allow the install to complete and then restart your computer and see if you can log on. Your desktop settings may be back to their defaults because of the repair.
Method 3 – Use Last Known Good Configuration option
A final thing you can try is to press F8 when the computer is starting to boot up and choose Last Known Good Configuration from the Windows XP Advanced Options menu:
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Those are basically your three options for the “Windows did not start successfully error”. Last resort would be to simply reinstall Windows, but that means you lose your data. Make sure to back it up first because Microsoft will no longer help you with issues related to Windows 95. You can also try to log into safe mode and if you can, that means you can try to do a system restore by going to the command prompt and typing in the following command:
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
Now follow the instructions on to choose an earlier state to restore your computer back to. Hope that helps someone fix their problems!
If this article helped you, I’d be grateful if you could share it on your preferred social network — it helps me a lot. If you’re feeling particularly generous, you could buy me a coffee and I’d be super grateful 
Oh my god… meny weeks of waiting for my laptop to be returned to me I finally get it back… With nothing changed, the computer guy… well I just guess he sucked. Because he really sounded ignorent when I was talking to him.
When he was at work I managed to find the missing disks and give them to him. He couldent fix it and now my laptop is back in my company.
I have put in the correct disk and started The Recovery Console and when I get the message:
Which Windows installation would you like to log onto
<To cancel, press ENTER>Now, heres the thing… When I try to type ANYTHING I can only type one letter. So.. I cant even type in a symple command like help..
Thanks Pls Help
Hi there
Does it give you an option to choose from for example 1 for windows ??
If not you may have a corrupt hive !
Try this to resolve it
CAUSE
This issue can occur if the System or Software hive for the Windows XP installation is missing or damaged.
RESOLUTION:
To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.
Use the Recovery Console Tool:
To restore a damaged registry hive, use the Recovery Console to restore the backup copy of the hive from the Repair folder. The Repair folder contains a copy of the system’s registry hives that were created after the first successful startup of Windows XP.
WARNING : Although data should not be affected by the following procedure, you may need to restore changes you previously made to programs or system settings since the first time you successfully started Windows XP.
To replace the damaged registry hive and restore the backup copy of the hive from the Repair folder: Start your computer to the Recovery Console.
Determine if the file that is mentioned in the «Symptoms» section of this article is present, and if it is, rename it:
In Recovery Console, change to the c:\Windows folder.
Type cd system32\config , and then press ENTER.
Type dir system , and then press ENTER.
If you cannot run the preceding command successfully (because the file is missing), skip to step 3. If you can run the preceding command successfully, type ren system system.bak , and then press ENTER.
NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file, replace «system» with «software» in the preceding command. For example, you would type ren software software.bak (instead of ren system system.bak ), and then press ENTER.
Type copy c:\windows\repair\system , and then press ENTER.
NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file, replace «system» with «software» in the preceding command. For example, you would type copy c:\windows\repair\software (instead of copy c:\windows\repair\system ), and then press ENTER.
You should receive a «One file copied» informational message.
Restart
Hope this helps
Darren
South Africa
We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully…
Discussion in ‘Software’ started by lexlap, Sep 14, 2011.
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I have a Toshiba Satellite m55-s3293 laptop that came loaded with XP home Edition. I pretty sure that I upgraded to XP Pro. It will not load and gives me the following message: “We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this.”
It won’t start in safe mode or normally nor will it start in the last known good configuration setting. When I try each mode it defaults to the original error message…I do not have the original Toshiba disks but the product key is on the back of the unit. I do have a copy of the XP disk. My other issue is the CD drive does not work so I can’t re-load XP to see if it works.
Here’s what I’ve done:— I have purchased a hard drive enclosure and have copied many of my files to my external hard drive. I couldn’t copy some of the files (asked for permission but kept defaulting to the question) but it’s not a life or death situation.
— I have also purchased a portable cd drive in hopes that it can be used in resolving this issueAny assistance is appreciated
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Try to boot from the portable DVD and do a repair?
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Can’t firgure out how to do it. I have a Toshiba SuperMulti Drive. I loaded the software on hard drive and placed it back in the laptop. I received the same error. How can I get the dvd to communicate to the dvd — in or outside of the laptop?
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Both the dvd & drive enclosure have y usb cables.
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Ok, I resolved the DVD issue…I was told not to use the consol and use the install instead and xp will give me another chance to do the repair without losing the saved data on my HD….It worked as prescribed untilto after the accept lisc. agreement screen. Instead of allowing me to begin a repair my options are:
1. To set up windows xp on the selected items, press enter
2. To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press c
3. To delete the selected partition, press D.Here’s what’s selcted:
C: Partition1 (SQ00398) (NTFS) 95205 MB (57693 MB free)I’m now stuck. Could this default be because this is a different xp version from the original istalled ver.? I’m using XP Pro and am pretty certain that I upgraded to this version and that’s what’s current on the system. At this stage the options I should have are to repair or new install. What should I do?
Here’s a link to the instruction I was using. Thank you:
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxprepair1_6.htm
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Guest
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#1
My HP Pavilion 501n, after working fine for 1.5 years, suddenly will not start up. The message screen starts with «we apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully.» There are options to start in Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, Safe Mode with Command Prompt, Last Known Successful Configuration, or Start Windows Normally. All choices error out and take me back to the same screen. The error screen shows only momentarily and I can read little of it. It seems to start with a STOP: error at an address I can’t read. I believe I see words like Registry and Corrupt.
How can I get past this error screen? I tried making a boot floppy from another XP machine, but the problem machine won’t show the C: drive. Any suggestions would be very welcome.
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#2
HI
I HAVE THE SAME MESSAGE
WERE YOU SUCCESSFUL IN THE FIX
HP TELLS ME ITS THE HARD DRIVE
WOLUD BE INTERESTED IN YOUR FIND
THANKS
NICK
Guest
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#3
So have you gotten any resolution to this problem? My computer just started doing the same thing this morning. I’m not a happy camper. Was it the hard drive, and were you able to save your data
—— nick wrote: —-
HI
I HAVE THE SAME MESSAGE
WERE YOU SUCCESSFUL IN THE FIX
HP TELLS ME ITS THE HARD DRIVE
WOLUD BE INTERESTED IN YOUR FIND
THANKS
NICK
Guest
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#4
So have you gotten any resolution to this problem? My computer just started doing the same thing this morning. I’m not a happy camper. Was it the hard drive, and were you able to save your data? Also, if you’ve resolved the problem, how long did it take and were you able to do it yourself?
Guest
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#5
I am having the same problem and my gateway has been sitting here for 5 weeks. I can not afford to take it anywhere. Anyone have a solution to this? Please email me if you can help. Thank you.
Guest
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#6
Here is my email addy. Please help.
Guest
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#7
I have the same problem. Please can anyone help?????
Guest
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#8
Same problem here…whats wrong? can anyone help me…email add: (e-mail address removed)
Guest
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#9
I HAVE SAME PROBLEM. THE ERROR CODE SEEMS TO BE THE FOLLOWING:
«*** STOP: 0X00000051, 0X0000003, 0X0000003, 0X0000000, 0XE11C800)»
WINDOWS WILL NOT START IN SAFE MODE, AND WHEN USE REPAIR FROM THE RECOVERY CONSOLE ON THE CD, WHEN YOU GET TO THE PART WHICH ASKS WHICH OPERATING SYSTEM, AND YOU TYPE «1» TO INDICATE C:\WINDOWS, IT JUST GOES BACK TO THE ERROR SCREEN.
MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE ARTICLE 307654 SEEMS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT ASSUMES THAT WHEN I ENTER ‘1’ TO INDICATE WHICH OPERATING SYSTEM, I WILL GET THE RECOVERY CONSOLE COMMAND PROMPT, BUT IT INSTEAD GOES TO THE ERROR SCREEN AGAIN……..
IS THERE ANYWAY AOUND THIS?
Guest
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#10
Freaky, guys…..ours just started doing the identical error for no apparent reason !!
Is this a bug that is going around ? How did you ever fix it (if you ever did)
When it started last night, I had a window of opportunity when I would get around it and into the system. HP ‘specialists’ hadme try a few things and then re-start it. Now, I can’t get backinto it at all. HELP !!!!
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#11
I am also experiencing the same problem. I have not yet found a way to resolve this issue. If anyone has been able to come up with a fix, please let me know. Thank
(e-mail address removed)
Bruce Chambers
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#12
Greetings —
WHAT «same problem?» If you don’t at least quote the relevant
portion(s) of the thread to which you’re replying, no is likely to
know what you’re talking about.
Help us help you:
Bruce Chambers
—
Help us help you:
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don’t ever count on
having both at once. — RAH
Guest
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#13
The message screen starts with «we apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully.» There are options to start in Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, Safe Mode with Command Prompt, Last Known Successful Configuration, or Start Windows Normally. All choices error out and take me back to the same screen. The error screen shows only momentarily and I can read little of it. It seems to start with a STOP: error at an address I can’t read. I believe I see words like Registry and Corrupt.
There seems to be a bunch of people out there with the same problem, including me. A virus maybe? If anyone has suggestions on how to fix this, I would appreciate a reply.
Guest
Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers
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#15
Hi,
You have a hardware problem. Either it is misconfigured in the system BIOS,
or something you recently added is conflicting. There is also a possibility
that your ram has failed.
What are your options?
1) Check the ram. There are free programs here:
http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/download.asp
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
But keep in kind that a thorough test can only be done with test equipment
at a computer shop. Software tests are not perfect in diagnosing these
issues. At the price of memory today, you may find that the test costs more
than a replacement stick.
2) Check BIOS settings, especially if you changed them from the defaults. If
the CMOS battery is dead, then your custom settings may have been lost when
the system is powered off. This may be the source of your hardware problems,
the defaults (which is what are loaded when custom settings are lost) may
not support the way your hardware is currently connected.
3) Did you install anything recently? Try disconnecting it.
—
Best of Luck,
Rick Rogers aka «Nutcase» MS-MVP — Windows
Windows isn’t rocket science! That’s my other hobby!
Associate Expert — WinXP — Expert Zone
Guest
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#16
I have the exact same problem except that I ran a test on the memory. Got a couple notices that I was running low on memory, but I have 1 GB. Now all I get is » boot failure — system terminated» I formatted the C drive and reinstalled windows XP…twice and still the same story! Also ran a test on the hardrive. Both the hardrive and memory check out ok
Pentium 4, 180 mhz, 2 100 GB western Digital Hard Drives and 1 GB rambus. Widows XP Proffessional.
sp2 is the last service pack for 64bit systems and sp3 is the last service pack for 32bit systems, to tell go to start/ my computer/ right click on my computer and choose properties/ if anywhere on the first general tab you see 64 then you have a 64bit system if you do not see 64 then you have a 32 bit system.
checkdisk figures will fluctuate, this is normal, if an error is found it is a good idea to run checkdisk again, and you can do this from within windows if it is now booting.
How to perform checkdisk
if you do not have Recovery Console installed, then run from the start menu
go to start, run, type in cmd
in cmd type in chkdsk c: /r and press enter
notice space between k and c, and : and /
type Y for yes and press enter
type exit and press enter
restart pc, allow checkdisk to finish and run again
this is a lengthy process depending on the size of your harddrive, the percentages will fluctuate, this is normal, you can view report in the event viewer.
go to start>run> and type in eventvwr.msc, click on the applications directory, and in the right hand panel choose winlogon.
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if you are booting now there is no need but if you need to run fixmbr you can disregard that warning, while there may be a possibility to an inaccessible harddrive, I have not had that problem, and I have run both fixboot and fixmbr several times after trying different linux downloads.
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parameters are the commands you use to perform whatever actions you want.
within the recovery console you can always type help and it will give a list of commands , then you can type in a command , a space and then /? and it will give a list of parameters, you can always google the commands and parameters for further knowledge,