Question BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO blue screen after display repair, Windows won't boot

[KittensEverywhere]

After much tinkering, I managed to get my display to work properly again, but I think some of that tinkering managed to break something else. When I turned my computer on after repairing the display, everything was fine - I was able to access my desktop, my files, programs and so on, then I shut it down. I went to use the computer again later and it became stuck in an endless loop of Windows Explorer restarting and crashing, so I shut it down again (as in a proper shutdown, not just turning it off). Third time I booted up, Windows won't start and I get a blue screen with the BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO message along with the code *** STOP: 00000074 (0x0000000000000002 0xFFFFF880037FFAED 0x000000000000014D)

I've tried several things already, none of which have worked. The things I've done already are:

• Startup Repair. Said Windows can't automatically fix the problem, but revealed a corrupt registry as the culprit.
• Unplugged all external hardware save for the keyboard and mouse (so I unplugged my modem, tablet, and USB extension cord)
• Entering the BIOS settings to edit things. It was something about switching AHCI to IDE or vice versa. My computer didn't have either of these options in BIOS, so I couldn't change them. I did reset the BIOS to the default settings in the BIOS screen, but nothing happened.
• System Restore. Due to resetting the BIOS, I think I lost any previous restore points, so I couldn't do this.
• Safe Mode. I got the same blue screen with the same error message, so I couldn't access my usual desktop to do a clean boot or anything.
• chkdsk. Said everything was normal.
• bcdedit /deletevalue {default} numproc and bcdedit /deletevalue {default} truncatememory. Said that neither element could be found.
• bootrec /rebuildbcd and bootrec /scanos. Told me total identified Windows installations: 0
• bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot. Machine told me the operation was completed successfully .
• sfc /scannow. Machine told me there is a repair pending and that I must restart then run sfc again. Since I can't properly boot up, the repair can't be done. I think the pending repair is the memory scan I tried doing.

Prior to these problems, I also tried a lot of things to repair my original problems, which included reseating the RAM, reseating and replacing the CMOS battery (used the original battery because the computer didn't seem to like the new one), resetting the BIOS, replacing the inverter board (which is what it needed), and replacing the motherboard (then putting the old one back in). I have not tried to repair Windows from a disk because I got the computer second-hand and don't have a Windows disk.

I'm thinking I have no choice at this point but to reinstall Windows, but I wanted to find out if there's anything else I could try before doing that.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO often means the Windows Registry is corrupted.
A Windows reinstall will create a new registry to overcome that issue.

 

[KittensEverywhere]

@PhillipCorcoran, I was afraid of that, particularly because there were more files I needed to back up that I forgot about (I did manage to get some backups right before my display broke). I don't even know if I can properly reinstall Windows 7 since I don't have the product key or the installation disk/DVD for this machine. Is reinstalling the only option or just the easiest option?