If the home computer is the one in your signature that is being overclocked ... I have seen overclocking cause this problem before. Try not overclocking it and see if that helps.
 
Since you said this is happening both at home and at work, it could also be a virus that is being tracked back and forth.

well
 
not over clokcing this one, the syste,m is the VAIO
 
and i did virus scans, nadda, trojan scans, nadda
 
now today, when i tried to do a recovery from the XPO cd
i got some weird error
 
got to find it, will let yeah know.
 
perhaps my mobo, or HD is mesed up

Sorryfor the "kind of" double post - cause i was having a new problem, i started a enw thread, but it seemed to relate to it as well.
 
my bad:
 
on with the problem!
 

Quote:SEE HERE FIRST:
 
http://www.ntcompatible.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=22634&sid=5a8719eaf8e3c65f3d34fefc297f5879
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Or just read this:
 
FIRST run a chkdsk.exe /f on the disk pci.sys is resident on! Usually same disk your OS is on under C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS... this is where MOST drivers are stashed!
 
It may be in fact, corrupted! And, boottime checkdisk on your %WinDir% homedrive usually C:, can fix it!
 
SECOND, check the registry where drivers initialize and be sure its pointing pci.sys to the RIGHT place to load it at OS boottime (I imagine because it deals in interrupts & hardware guidance this driver is NOT PnP and is boottime initialized).
 
EDIT: It's under SYSTEM DEVICES in Device Manager tree!
 
Also, use Computer Management from Control Panel -> Administrative Tools... Go to Device Mgr. & use its menu for VIEW and see the left hand side pane when Hidden Non-PnP drivers tree item appears and check the state of the pci.sys driver (if it appears there, if not see it elsewhere there as it should be listed!)...
 
EDIT PART: IN MY P.S. BELOW - I've got an idea, & that's to use an older pci.sys model driver (or vice-a-versa) if you have to from a build of the OS earlier than the one you have now, same OS, but pre Service Pack build... bit risky, but sometimes it actually fixes things! The way I list/enumerate HOW to go about it though is relatively risk free IF you follow its directions & use Recovery Console (install it from your CD using winnt32.exe /cmdcons).
 
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Did that once on a Cd-Rom issue here & this is a KNOWN fix for some issue with them I can no longer exactly recall... something about aspi stuff iirc (probaby not though)
 
Also with ScSi drivers across platforms by hacking .inf files!
 
(To wit: I had used old Fireport40 ScSi drivers from NT 4.0 on NT 3.51 that said in its documents would not work on NT 3.51!)
 
Well that turned up b.s.! They do for that board, & I had to add them to the .inf for scsi adapters in NT4 as well & loaded them from it when searching new devices...
 
Odd, because the driver models on alot of levels are diff. from NT 3.5x to NT4.0x radically very often on many a level since the OS architecture is more complex on NT4.0 in many ways with a diff. model of Ring Access for instance at the video driver levels.
 
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NOW!!! Hey my man, WHY'd you double post this here:
 
http://www.ntcompatible.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=22625&sid=564b97406a64f4295721b38dc837a9dc
 
Too?
 
(On your dual post above: Hey, I get it that mistakes happen, no biggie, I make 'em myself! Especially double posts, I got ridden hard for that & merited it by putting posts in both NT and XP sections here when the topics applied to both a year or so ago)
 
BUT, my man, you're "disrupting the flow" of that other URL I put in here's post bigtime, & we're on a 'beetching session' in that one!
 
LOL, so please, let us go off on that topic dude & CHOP THAT ONE OUT IF YOU WOULD THANKS!!!
 
*
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
APK
 
P.S.=> Try an older build of it (or vice-a-versa)...
 
The way I list/enumerate HOW to go about it though is relatively risk free IF you follow its directions & use Recovery Console (install it from your CD using winnt32.exe /cmdcons).
 
FIRST you install the Recovery Console first & learn what its ENABLE & DISABLE commands do in addition to LISTSVC...
 
Next, you can have both file versions online renaming this pci.sys (failing current one) to pci.old & using an older original pci.sys driver from your CD-Rom for the OS...
 
If old (replacing your current) fails at next bootup, you can also rename this older one & put back in the new one... ENABLE & DISABLE turn on/off drivers and services from the RC too... these are your tools, this is my idea, try it out... cannot hurt & you have outs!
 
ALSO, check for BIOS and driver updates FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF YOUR MOBO & EQUIPMENT, very important! Also, OS Service Packs & patches abound too, be sure you try those as well... apk

 
 
 
thnx m8, but 1 problem, i can not get into windows at all to even computer management and stuff.
 
Even if i Press F2 (to run the recovery console in the XP boot of the cd) - i get the error
 

Code:

An unepected error occured (536854784) at d:\xpclient\base\boot\setup\arcdisp.c.

 
or
 

Code:

An unepected error occured (536854784) at d:\nt\base\boot\setup\arcdisp.c.

With windows 2000.
 
Here is what i have done now to try and fix this. (for what i know)
 

1.Cleared off the 80g HD and made it 1 HUGE parition (as if i just bought it) - tried to run XP booted of the CD to do a fresh format - got the error:
 

Code:

An unepected error occured (536854784) at d:\xpclient\base\boot\setup\arcdisp.c.

 
2.Tried using a Windows 2000 Cd:
 

Code:

An unepected error occured (536854784) at d:\nt\base\boot\setup\arcdisp.c.

 
3.Flashed my Bios as i was getting 6 serial ports on IRQ 4 showing up - do a reboot , it would have one, as it should.
 
4.Tried the above after flashing my bios - same errors.
 
5.Took out the hard drive completly and tried to boot of XP and win 2k CD - Same errors as above - So how can it be refering to a D drive - when i got no Hard drive in the computer? And even when i did, it was 1 big partition (should be C)
 
6.Formated the 80g drive in another computer (with least components) - put the HD back in my VAIO - same pci.sys error message. - i have done this before with an old 95 sysrtem and it worked - formating in one comp, then put the drive in another comp.
 
7. Copied the pci.sys from a working computer over to the drive of the VAIO - same pci.sys error.
[/list:u]
 
 
 
ANYWAYS! - while i got some time i will try what u suggested above, just wanted to let yeah know everything i have tried.
 
i am thinking my mobo is messed some how. The other day i took it apart (when this issue started) and the comp had only been on maybe 30 mins just rebooting on and off, and my cpu heat sink was DEUM! hot! - mayeb a short or something
 
am almost ready to get a new mobo - one with ddr or rambus - but REALLY! curious why this is happening.

will be trying all this out to day if work is not to busy
 
your patience is appreciated! thats for sure!

didn't geta chance to try anything last nigth or at work, so will tonight when i get home, but right now gonna go check otu TechNet
 
 
Dido with the keeping the pencil sharp - i could of just got a new mobo and stuff now, and never really know what the issue was, but i am sick of the easy way out, time to leanr why this crap happens!

i love u man!!!
 
<---- never knew technet was free - though u had to pay for it or something.
 
 
From technet:
 
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q316400&
 

Quote:"An Unexpected Error Has Occurred (536821760)" Error Message When You Try to Install Windows XP
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 
SymptomsWhen you attempt to install Windows XP, the installation process may not complete successfully. Setup may stop at the beginning of the process or immediately after the first required restart, and then you receive an error message similar to the following:
 
An unexpected error has occurred. (536821760) occurred at line 1768 in D:\xpclient\base\boot\setup\arcdisp.c
CauseThis behavior can occur because of damaged random access memory (RAM) modules or a damaged RAM slot.
ResolutionTo resolve this issue, use one or more of the following methods, as necessary:
Remove one or more of the RAM modules in your computer, leaving at least the minimum amount of RAM required for Windows XP installation. If this resolves the issue, either replace these modules with new RAM modules or reinsert them after Setup is completed.
 
NOTE: Verify that your computer's performance is not affected when you reinsert the old RAM modules.
 
-or-
Install the RAM modules into different (unused) RAM slots in your computer.
 
-or-
If you still experience problems before or after Setup, replace all of your computer's RAM modules with new RAM modules.

... and I said.. "Eureka! Eureka! Eureka! You must be GOD". Thanx a tonne man.. I love both of you whoever you are, wherever you are!
 
I had EXACTLY the same issue and had been searching the world over for the solution. I had a 1000 bucks on this computer and it does not work.. same issue.. same stop error while installing ANY OS (XP, 2000), same pci.sys and isapnp.sys and ntfs.sys missing. Tried everything under the sun.. until I found you both.. GOD! I went through all of the above while I was searching on the net and found the solution... its the damn RAM.. and guess wat.. I never thot of it because it passed the POST RAM test so I thot the RAM was definitely fine. But bet was I wrong....
 
Thanx a tonne buddies....
 
-ciao
Ayaan
A Very Happy Man Now

Memtest86 is one of the best memory testers I have ever seen, plus it's free!

i have the same prob too
tnx
btw
how does the ram get damaged anyway?

I had the same problem but was able to get it fixed using the program Volkov Commander (with NTFS Support). It comes on the Hiren BootCD.

Originally posted by Alec§taar:

Quote:Now, to have my A.M. coffee... 
Sure hope it's extra-strong