Error which occurs after Windows XP is already installed

If you receive the "Stop: 0x0000000A" error message after Windows XP is already installed, recently added third-party software or hardware may be causing the error. First, try the methods in the "Troubleshoot third-party software and hardware" section to troubleshoot other components. You may want to have support documentation available for any recently added software or hardware. If these methods do not resolve the issue, then try the methods in the "Restore Windows" section.

Troubleshoot third-party software and hardware

Method 1: Examine recently added third-party software

If you have installed any third-party software, try to remove or disable it so that it does not load. Then, restart the computer to see whether that software or driver is causing the error.
• If there is more than one piece of third-party software, remove or disable each one at a time, and then restart your computer after you remove or disable each to try to isolate which third-party software is causing the error.
• If removing the third-party software resolves the Stop error message, then there was an issue with the software that was causing the error. Report this issue to the vendor to try to resolve the issue.
• If removing the third-party software did not resolve the Stop error message, then the software is not the problem. Go to the "Method 2: Examine recently added third-party hardware" section.

Method 2: Examine recently added third-party hardware

If you added any hardware devices or drivers after Windows was installed, remove the recently added hardware, and then restart your computer to see whether the hardware is causing the error.
• If there is more than one piece of recently added hardware, remove each device or driver one at a time and then restart your computer after you remove each to try to isolate which hardware is causing the error.
• If removing the recently added hardware resolves the Stop error message, then use one or more of the following methods to try to resolve the issue:
a. Obtain updated drivers for devices if they are available.
b. Contact the vendor of the device or driver to see whether there are any known issues with the hardware.
c. Run diagnostics to make sure that the hardware is working correctly.
If this method resolves the Stop error message, you are finished.
• If removing the recently added device did not resolve the Stop error message, try to restore Windows with System Restore. To do this, go to the "Restore Windows" section.

Restore Windows

If troubleshooting recently added third-party software and hardware does not resolve the Stop error message, try to restore Windows. To do this, first try method 1.
Method 1: Use the Last Known Good Configuration feature

The Last Known Good Configuration feature is a recovery option that you can use when you cannot start Windows XP after you make a change to your computer, or when you suspect that a change that you previously made may have caused a problem. This feature restores registry information and driver settings that were in effect the last time that the computer started successfully. For more information about using the Last Known Good configuration, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307852 How to start your computer by using the
Last Known Good Configuration feature in Windows XP
• If this method restores windows and resolves the Stop error message, you are finished.
• If this method did not restore Windows or did not resolve the Stop error message, go to method 2.
Method 2: Repair the Microsoft Windows Xp installation
If you were unable to restore Windows by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, try to restore Windows by repairing the Windows XP installation.
Prerequisites
Make sure that you have the Windows XP installation CD or DVD available.
Suggested materials
Before you start the troubleshooting steps, you may want geto have the following available:
• Antivirus or BIOS-level software documentation
• Computer documentation about how to set up your CD or DVD drive as the first priority startup device
To repair the Windows XP installation, follow these steps:
1. Disable any antivirus program and BIOS-level antivirus protection. For help get antivirus security for your computer
2. Make sure that the CD or DVD drive is the first priority startup device. See your computer documentation for information about how to do this.
3. Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD or DVD drive, and then restart your computer.
4. When the instruction to "Press any key to boot from CD" appears, press a key. Your computer starts from the Windows XP CD.
5. When the computer starts from the CD, the system verifies your hardware, and then prompts you to select one of the following options:
• To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER.
• To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
• To exit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
6. Press ENTER.
7. Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.
8. A box lists your current Windows XP installation, and then the computer prompts you to select one of the following options:
• To repair the selected Windows XP installation, press R.
• To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing, press ESC.
9. Press R. After you repair Windows XP, you may have to reactivate Windows XP if you changed some hardware.
• If this method restores Windows and resolves the Stop error message, you are finished.
• If this method did not restore Windows or did not resolve the Stop error message, go to method 3.
Method 3: Use the Rollback Driver feature

If you can start your computer in safe mode, use this method to restore Windows when method 2 does not work.

The Rollback Driver feature enables you to replace a device driver by using a previously installed version. You can use this feature if you have installed a new device driver that causes your computer to be unstable. When you use the Rollback Driver feature, you can restore (or roll back) the previous device driver, and continue to use the computer. For more information about how to use the Roll Back Driver feature, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
283657 How to use the Roll Back Driver feature in Windows XP
• If this method restores Windows and resolves the Stop error message, you are finished.
• If this method did not restore Windows or did not resolve the Stop error message, go to method 4.

Method 4: Use the Windows XP System Restore feature
If you can start your computer in safe mode, use this method to restore Windows when method 3 does not work. Windows XP System Restore takes a "snapshot" of critical system files and some program files and stores this information as restore points. You can use these restore points to return Windows XP to a previous state. For more information about how to use the System Restore feature, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306084 How to restore the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP
• If this method restores Windows and resolves the Stop error message, you are finished.
• If this method did not restore Windows or did not resolve the Stop error message, go to method 5.

Method 5: Use Recovery Console

We recommend that you use the Recovery Console to restore Windows only after safe mode and other startup options do not work. If you cannot start your computer, you can run the Recovery Console from the Windows XP startup disks or CD-ROM.

You can use Recovery Console to enable and disable services, format drives, read and write data on a local drive (including drives that are formatted to use the NTFS file system), and perform many other administrative tasks. The Recovery Console is especially useful if you have to repair your computer by copying a file from a disk or CD-ROM to your hard disk, or if you have to reconfigure a service that is preventing your computer from starting correctly.
Prerequisites
Make sure that you have the Windows XP installation CD or DVD available. For additional information about how to use Recovery Console, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307654 How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
• If this method restores Windows and resolves the Stop error message, you are finished.
• If this method did not restore Windows or did not resolve the Stop error message, go to method 6.
Method 6: Rename the problem software or driver

If you can start your computer in DOS or safe mode, use this method as a last resort when all other methods to try to restore Windows do not work.
• If Windows is located on a FAT partition, start the computer by using MS-DOS, and then rename the problem software or driver.
• Otherwise, use safe mode with a Command prompt to start the computer, and then rename the problem software or driver.

For more information about safe mode boot options, visit the Microsoft Help and Support Web site and see "A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP."
• If this method restores Windows and resolves the Stop error message, you are finished.
• If this method did not restore Windows or did not resolve the Stop error message, visit the following Microsoft Web site for information about how to contact Support:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/

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