Stop messages: aka BSOD

[cyborg]

Okay here's the problem: how the hell am I supposed to access STOP messages from the Recovery Console?

I cannot roll back to a previous configuration: there is none - it is a new install. The install is a customised XP disk designed to load SATA drivers ("downgrading" a laptop from Vista) for the HD. No, Safe Mode will not boot.

This is what you get from an operating system where everything is GUI based I suppose...

[wuschel]

Okay here's the problem: how the hell am I supposed to access STOP messages from the Recovery Console?

I cannot roll back to a previous configuration: there is none - it is a new install. The install is a customised XP disk designed to load SATA drivers ("downgrading" a laptop from Vista) for the HD. No, Safe Mode will not boot.

This is what you get from an operating system where everything is GUI based I suppose...Check the BIOS setup if it allows you to disable AHCI. For non-server systems the performance advantage of AHCI over legacy task file operation mode is minimal, if existent at all.

Most likely the SATA driver in the image you created is not the proper XP driver for your system.

This can also happen if e.g the laptop has the four port version of the ICH8 south bridge. This one is capable of AHCI mode, but is not supported by the Intel WinXP AHCI driver for the ICH8.

The solution is to hack the device id of your ICH8 SKU into the driver .inf file. The driver will cease to be "signed" and technically this most likely is a copyright violation, but apart from that this solution is known to work well.

[a_unique_person]

I know someone else who tried to downgrade a laptop to XP. They just gave up in the end. This is a guy with plenty of years of experience.

[cyborg]

Well it was fixed in the end by using another custom XP installation someone else had made.

If anyone does ever find out the answer to the OP I'd still like to know...

[wuschel]

Well it was fixed in the end by using another custom XP installation someone else had made.

If anyone does ever find out the answer to the OP I'd still like to know...Re-reading your original inquiry, I'm still not sure I understand what you mean when you want to "access" a STOP message.

It does not, by any chance, come down to pressing F8 during system boot and then selecting "Disable automatic restart on system failure" now does it?