STOP 0xC000021A error

[multiplex77]

Hi everyone,

My laptop was working fine this morning at home. When I came to work and booted up, I got this error after the Windows splash screen:

STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}
The Windows Logon Process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000005 (0x00000000 0x0000000)
The system has been shutdown.

I tried rebooting multiple times and the same error occurs.

I tried doing a system restore to my configuration on 21 Apr and 17 Apr, but the same error still occurs.

I can, however, login using Safe Mode with Networking.

I've tried going to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/156669, and followed the instructions on configuring DrWatson, but the DrWatson isn't writing anything to the log file.

Is this an indication that my hard disk has crashed or there is some OS corruption?

What can I do to fix this problem?

Thanks for the help.

[Irene]

You might find some help in the link below....

Scroll down the menu on the right-hand side to 21A Process terminated

LOOK HERE

[multiplex77]

Thanks Irene. You mean this?

0xC000021A: STATUS_SYSTEM_PROCESS_TERMINATED

(Click to consult the online Win XP Resource Kit article, or see Windows 2000 Professional Resource Kit, p. 1561.)

This occurs when Windows switches into kernel mode and a user-mode subsystem, such as Winlogon or the Client Server Runtime Subsystem (CSRSS), is compromised. Security can no longer be guaranteed. Because Win XP can’t run without Winlogon or CSRSS, this is one of the few situations where the failure of a user-mode service can cause the system to stop responding. This Stop message also can occur as a result of malware infestation or when the computer is restarted after a system administrator has modified permissions so that the SYSTEM account no longer has adequate permissions to access system files and folders.

I saw that earlier. I've already done a full virus scan and found nothing. I didn't modify any permissions -- I had just booted up successfully an hour before the crash.

Is there any other way of checking what could be wrong?

[andsome]

Do you have a back up in a program such as Acronis? :D

[Irene]

Another possibility HERE ?

[Scarecrow Man]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318666 suggests installing the latest updates for Internet Explorer. Have you tried this?

[multiplex77]

I don't know what happened, but this morning when I booted up, everything was fine. No more error message. No more blue screen.

The only thing I did yesterday was to do a defrag of my hard disk.

I can't explain what fixed this. Is this a HDD problem that I should fix anyway?

Thanks.