COMPUTER PROBLEM

Hi

I recently had to 'revamp' a friends computer. When I started it up (in any mode), it attempted to run Scandisk, would run out of memory, then report a fatal exception. The error was being caused by a disk error. I got round it by starting thecomputer (Win95), then pressing and holding down the F8 key after the drives had displayed in the BIOS screen. I then choose step-by-step confirmation, only allowing essential items to load. I found that if I allowed the system to process the registry it would crash, and if I allowed the WIN.COM entry to run, it also crashed. The solution was to disable these, finishing at a DOS prompt (C:\>) (asking the computer to boot to 'command prompt only' did not always work). I then ran scandisk in thorough mode, which completed, followed by Norton's Disk Doctor, again enabling the comprehensive surface check. Once these programs had run to completion, the system booted fine.

Hope this helps

OK, there is limited info here. A fatal exception is an error caused by software or hardware that Windows is not designed to contain. OD is typically a video issue. Have you installed anything new? The video card could be either conflicting with another device,incompatible with your Operating system,going bad, or has a corrupted .vxd file (the video driver file).
If you can not start in safe mode try using an emergency start up disk (if you have not made one, possibly ask a friend With Windows 98 to make a startup disk for you if you own Windows 95, 98 or ME)The start-up disk should at least get you to a Command prompt. Run scandisk,run MSD.exe(Microsoft Diagnostics), run scanreg (trys to repair corrupted registry),uninstall video card and swap it with a known good replacement-use a friends computer to go online to check for patches and/or updated drivers for your video card specific to your Operating system (especially for Windows ME) run an anti-virus scan (make sure your anti-virus is up to date-This is a last resort and if all else fails).
In Windows 2000 use the CD-Rom or start-up disks and select the repair option from the welcome to windows screen.
Good luck : - )feel free to write back if you have further questions-my alias is my email

Answer 1 is a good choice..I might add that if you absolutely can not get it into safe mode use an emergency start up disk. this will at least get you to a command prompt. Run scandisk. you also can, after scandisk run scanreg. If these two do not help Try to bring up msconfig from a command prompt and try answer no. 1 suggestions-this is called clean booting. you can do a selective start up to narrow down to what is causing the start up problem.

Have you installed any new software or hardware prior to this trouble? You didn't say what operating system you had...ME is a pretty finicky OS..sometime new software/hardware makes changes to files that ME can not handle. Also,OD errors refer to virtual device driver problems- in safe mode most vxd are not loaded-only real mode drivers like VGA video for instance- your video card may be conflicting with something else,is not compatible,the driver has become corrupt..Check the web site of the manufacturer of your video card.Look for issues specific to your operating system. Also, an up to date anti-virus scan can't hurt either. With out much more info. this is all i can offer...good luck

If you can get access to the internet, this Microsoft article may help:

"What Are Fatal Exception Errors?"

http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q150314

Good luck!

Keep pressing F8 and go through the Step by step confirmation process. Load only essential drivers.
If it don't help. Try reinstalling the O/S.