New here and a question.

[dzi_kev]

Hi everyone... I'm new here.

I searched the forum for some mention to the problem I'm having, but couldn't find anything. My mom just bought a new computer from dell, and I was upgrading it from windows xp home to windows xp pro. The install was going fine, but when windows started to detect the hardware, the computer gave me a blue screen that said BAD_POOL_CLEARER and I can't do anything else. I tried to boot from the XP cd to do a clean install, but XP setup can't find the hard drive. it's a sata seagate. I tried hitting f6 and installing the drivers for the sata controller, but it still won't find the hard drive.

any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks.

[MCT]

sounds like u have a bad harddrive.. aslong as your pc is under warranty dell is obligated 2 replace it.. i would give them a call

NOTE: i would install XP Pro FRESH, not an upgrade.. try doing that

regards

[dzi_kev]

sorry, mistake in the message. the error is BAD_POOL_CALLER not clearer, and in response to you MCT, I tried to do a clean install from the home and pro version. I can't really send the hard drive back to dell though because it has information on it that I need to get off for her business.

is there any kind of dos utility that I can boot that will work with serial ata drives so I can try and copy the important data off?

[MCT]

i think spinrite will do that (not 100% sure as ive never used it)

but if u break the drive threw tinkering dell may void your warranty & u may have 2 pay for it..

[TomcaT]

I can't really send the hard drive back to dell though because it has information on it that I need to get off for her business.

Doing a fresh install of XP would have wiped the data anyhow, so just send the drive back and get it replaced before you invalidate any warranty.

This highlights a very common problem, that people just do not backup their data!!! it is doubly important to do back ups if you are running a business....... "off topic...." sorry!

[SiMoNsAyS]

i've got many solutions to your problem, the first one (and easiest for me) it's to create (or find on the net) a WinPE edition with CDR software and SATA drivers to boot from the CD and burn all the files you want to a CDRW. if you decide to create your own the first step it's to check www.nu2.nu, i built my own basic version with nero in a few hours.

if you don't have a CDR drive follow the same steps but don't add the CDR software and add a freeware file manager and use LAN to connect it to other PC, copy necessary files on the other PC and return dell their trash!

if you don't have a CDR, and don't have a LAN: look for someone with a motherboard that supports SATA, extract the HardDisk and connect it. boot from the local HD and copy files from before connected SATA to local, burn them etc.

there are many variations of these methods i'm sure you will find the solution. if all of the above did not work (i don't recommend it), boot from PE with SATA drivers and copy files from HD to A: if they are small and not a lot of them.

hope it helps

ps: i've found latest version of WinPE here http://www.nu2.nu/download.php?sFile=pebuilder3032.zip