Need Windows help with laptop!

Calling all computer geeks. Ran into a problem with my laptop the other day and need advice what to do next. I have my data files backed up so I'm just trying to restore the operating system.

I own a Dell Inspiron E1505 laptop that was purchased already loaded with Windows Media Center operating system. The system has been running fine for years.

Upon boot up I received the following error message that there was a problem loading msgina.dll.

"The logon user interface msgina.dll failed to load."

I do not own the Media Center system CD but I have a copy of a Windows XP installation CD.

Using this page's advice (link below) I loaded the following files to my laptop from the XP CD and overwrote the old files.

MSGINA.DLL
SHELL32.DLL
WINLOGON.EXE
SHLWAPI.DLL

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1129694&postcount=2

Now I get the following error message upon boot up:

"The procedure entry point AssocGetPerceivedType could not be located in the dynamis link library SHLWAPI.dll."

When I click OK it comes back up a second time, then I get both the msgina.dll error message from above and the SHLWAPI.dll error message.

Clicking OK again on the SHLWAPI error gives me an application error message in winlogon.exe.

"The instruction at "0x01038956" referenced memory at "0x00000674". The memory could not be read."

When I'm at a command prompt through the CD recovery program, I can browse the files on the HD but some folders like i386 give me an "Access is Denied" message when I try to look at them.

Find a copy of Hirens Boot CD and give that a shot. This *May* help you recover and repair some of your corrupt stuff on the OS.

Worst case, if you plan to wipe it (AFTER data recovery) Find a copy of a Live Linux distro and use it to traverse your file system and untimately back up your needed stuff.

IF you plan to rebuild it, stand by for some headaches as you will have to browse for all of your drivers again

If you contact Dell with the Service Tag they will send you a set of install disks. I have several Dells and they are very good about service. Once you finally get to talk to a person. Usually someone in India. They also have all of the current drivers and software on their site. Search by Service Tag.


You should have a hidden partition on the hardrive with restore files. I don't know how to use it but someone may help with that if you decide to go that way.

If system restore was turned on, those files should be backed up from a previous time.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_restore.htm

this link is for xp but should work for media center too. You can hold F8 (I think) during boot and try last known good configuration or you can use the windows xp cd to get into recovery console and manually look for and copy those files from a restore point into their proper folders.

k1v1116 said:

If system restore was turned on, those files should be backed up from a previous time.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_restore.htm

this link is for xp but should work for media center too. You can hold F8 (I think) during boot and try last known good configuration or you can use the windows xp cd to get into recovery console and manually look for and copy those files from a restore point into their proper folders.

Click to expand...

I tried the Last good configuration boot & got the same msgina.dll error message. I also got the error message when trying to boot to safe mode.

I was able to boot from an XP CD but I cannot access the files in the i386 directory. Says Access is Denied.

RonRock said:

If you contact Dell with the Service Tag they will send you a set of install disks. I have several Dells and they are very good about service. Once you finally get to talk to a person. Usually someone in India. They also have all of the current drivers and software on their site. Search by Service Tag.


You should have a hidden partition on the hardrive with restore files. I don't know how to use it but someone may help with that if you decide to go that way.

Click to expand...

Tried to contact Dell Tech support & since my system is out of warranty they want me to pay for the premium service.

Does the computer have a restore partition? Generally you would hit a key while the BIOS is booting and it will bring you to a recovery mode. From there you could "recover" the computer to it's shipped state.

Not all makers offer this, and some only offer on certain models.

You "could" try a repair from CD, but I'm not sure if Media Center edition could be repaired with an XP CD. If that doesn't work, maybe just do a fresh install with XP CD and forget the media center stuff (unless you really like that extra stuff).

Did you just install PCAnywhere?

In the many times I have repaired clients computers, when I run in to issues such as this I will boot using a UBCD4Win repair disk. I'll try going backwards in the recovery options as described here http://www.icompute.info/repair_windowssystem32config.htm . If I can't get that to work, I'll boot up with an XP CD and do a repair installation. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. The fact that you have Media Edition without the CD virtually insures that you won't be able to do a repair installation. So, the final route to take is a complete reinstall. I have a Dell E1505 laptop too and was able to download drivers from Dell. Good luck!!!

If you have another computer, download a free copy of "puppy linux" and burn it to a cd. Put CD in your bad computer, and re-start. This version of linux will run off the CD, AND will be able to see all your files, letting you copy them to a USB drive.

Then re-install if you need to.

t

cercueil said:

Did you just install PCAnywhere?

Click to expand...

Nope......

Geoffro said:

The fact that you have Media Edition without the CD virtually insures that you won't be able to do a repair installation. So, the final route to take is a complete reinstall.

Click to expand...

My wifes gateway laptop w/media edition did the same thing while loading a ATT disk and it corrupted the recovery partition Did a restore and it only restored XP and none of the gateway default programs, XP and only XP,wanted to threw the damn thing into the wall.

I had to go to gateway and DL & install each & every driver 1 at a time.

Soperbrew said:

Tried to contact Dell Tech support & since my system is out of warranty they want me to pay for the premium service.

Click to expand...

Sorry. Did they want you to pay for Premium Service to help troubleshoot? Maybe you could cut through the BS and tell them you simply want the disks that should have came with the computer in the first place.

Those hidden partitions are a PITA as far as I'm concerned. I've never been able to use it, and it takes up drive space I paid for.

Good luck.

Soperbrew said:

Nope......

Click to expand...

I had a similar problem with the same dll years ago but it was related to a PC Anywhere install. That was a quick fix but it looks like this isn't.