Hello to everybody at AMHD, I hope you can help me.
Here’ the spec of the computer that’s having problems.

Dell Dimension 5150C
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3GHz
1 GB DDR2 SDRAM Memory
160 GB Western Digital Hard Drive
OS: Windows XP Home SP2

When I start my computer, it gets to the log on screen then the BSOD appears (after about 3 seconds). The only useful piece of information I can see is REGISTRY_ERROR, and there’s also a long digit number which changes each time I restart.
I can’t boot into Safe Mode (the blue screen appears). And it doesn’t let me start with the command prompt using F8. I’ve tried a Windows Repair but that didn’t work either.
I think I can get round the problem by reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows XP but there is some important data that I want to save before I do that.
Now, here’s my next problem:
I can access Dos with some utility disks that I have, but I can’t copy the files that I want from C: to D: (the CDROM Drive), because when I take out the utility disk and put in a blank disk, the drive becomes invalid.
The computer does not have a floppy drive. I do have a 2GB USB flash drive but I can’t access it.
The hard drive in the Dell is a WD1600 Western Digital. I tried it in my other PC but the leads that are attached to the WD are not compatible. I also noticed that there aren't any jumpers on the drive to change from slave to master.
I hope someone out there has a suggestion as to what I can do.
Many thanks.

This link has a file for a boot disk that will give you cd rom support
You can put the files on a usb and boot from that but, your system needs to be able to boot from a usb device, download the one that is labeled 98, it will work for xp
Windows Utility Boot Disk with CD-ROM Support (http://falcon.jmu.edu/~jarvislb/utils/boot_cd.html)

As far as the drive you have, it sound like you have an SATA drive, which would have a different cable, the cable that is currently attatched to the WD drive would connect to the motherboard, if the motherboard supports SATA drives

If the PC hat you are having the problem with supports IDE drives, you could put that on the problem PC with the WD drive and copy info that way, but of course that motherboard would have to support IDE and SATA drives

If you know someone with a PC that has sata drives, you could use their PC and copy your files that way

Wish I could be of more help about the bsod

Can't you take the drive out and put it in another machine -- copy the files you need then

Wipe the drive and put it back in the bad machine and reinstall your OS and files you need

this link has a file for a boot disk that will give you cd rom support
you can put the files on a usb and boot from that but, your system needs to be able to boot from a usb device, download the one that is labled 98, it will work for xp
Windows Utility Boot Disk with CD-ROM Support (http://falcon.jmu.edu/~jarvislb/utils/boot_cd.html)

as far as the drive you have, it sound like you have an SATA drive, which would have a different cable, the cable that is currently attatched to the WD drive would connect to the motherboard, if the motherboard supports SATA drives

if the PC hat you are having the problem with supports IDE drives, you could put that on the problem PC with the WD drive and copy info that way, but of course that motherboard would have to support IDE and SATA drives

if you know someone with a PC that has sata drives, you could use their PC and copy your files that way

wish I could be of more help about the bsod


Can't you take the drive out and put it in another machine -- copy the files you need then

Wipe the drive and put it back in the bad machine and reinstall your OS and files you need

Comments on this post
JBeaucaire agrees: This sounds rougher than it is, I have done this several times, it is by far the easiest way.

Thank you for all your help. I found a DOS command that did the trick.
Thanks again.