HELP! Any computer experts out there?

[Darkfin]

Long story short:




Can anyone help other than to recommend taking it in to the geeks? I would rather fix this myself if possible.

Thanks!

[psimonl]

Try boot with Windows cd inside your cd drive. When asked, choose repair from menu: That should install a "recuperation console". It should rebuilt your boot registry...

Good luck
SImon

[Fred Sanford]

Yep. Seen this before.

Here's what you need to do brother...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822705

Start at the "Troubleshoot" section.

[Darkfin]

You guys rock!!!

Thanks for the replies! I will get on it tonight and let you know what happens tomorrow!

[Fred Sanford]

Darkfin,

You get it fixed bro?

[Darkfin]

The OEM recovery disk didn't recover anything, though the BIOS is showing lots of discs that it is not capable of booting from, that I have no idea where they are (I have 2 optical and one HD only) unless they are partitions.

Today I picked up Iolo's System Mechanic, as it comes with "Drive Medic" emergency recovery CD. I will give this a shot this weekend. Keep your fingers Xed!

BTW, the MS data page said to not use that method of system recovery with OEM installed OS. This is getting to be just a bit above my skill/knowledge level....

Oh, and have fun at BLADE for those who are going!

[tonydahose]

BTW, the MS data page said to not use that method of system recovery with OEM installed OS. This is getting to be just a bit above my skill/knowledge level....

that is all above my skill level, good luck lee

[i.v]

OEM installed OS usually means that your computer came pre installed with Windows such as IBM's or Lenovo's often come (they come with ghost drives hidden users and drivers and so on).
If you installed Windows by yourself and have the installation CD then this fix should do the trick: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/

Keep in mind that in many cases it's not worth to recover since many more Windows components may be corrupt and if nothing overly valuable is on your computer you can consider attaching your disk into another computer, salvaging all files that are important to you and then just format and reinstall windows. This might just be even faster.

[MAT888]

Sounds like you have to give it a clean formatting the system is to much corrupted.

Back up your files you want to save and use kill disc or another software to clean your harddisk proper without some garbage staying on it.


After that insert your genuine Windows version to reinstall. :cool:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

I don't know the version you are working with i guessed it was XP. NTFS or FAT?

Determinate on which of the "2 optical and 1 HD" :? disks is the operating system. I guess it is the 1 HD one????

Remember to alter your Boot Sequence: your CDROM should be number 1:
If not ; change your BIOS settings:

To change your BIOS settings ; it should be listed in the manual with your pc. Touch the apropiate key required while restarting your unwilling pc...lol

The newest pc's just detect your harddrive EOM hidden partitionss and they dont work properly... THIS SUCKS MAJOR as a lot of all package deals new pcs all in one systems aren't delivered any more with discs to recover...












Good Luck Bro

[vampyrewolf]

if you have data to recover before reinstalling... I'd recommend Knoppix. Live CD, based on the Debian linux kernal (think 5.1.1 is 2.6.x)... has no issues with seeing ntfs/fat partitions. Comes with K3B on the disc for burning your data with your 2nd optical drive.

[Darkfin]

Well after much fiddling with the BIOS, I got the computer to boot off of the Drive Medic recovery disk. It looked good until...

INVALID OPCODE (a bunch of digits).

sigh.

Unfortunately, I can't even get it to a C: command prompt, so I fear that I have more problems than just the registry.

As far as formatting and reinstalling, as I cannot get to a command prompt, this does not seem like an option.

I guess my next step is to take it in to the computer geek store with my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the suggestions.

PS: I have Dell's WinXP SP2 reinstall disc, alas it would not boot off that disc.

[Fred Sanford]

Darkfin,

Look in the BIOS and see what the boot order is set to. Is the only copy of Windows XP that you have the Dell reinstall disc?

Do you have any CD that it will boot from?

[vampyrewolf]

Unfortunately, I can't even get it to a C: command prompt, so I fear that I have more problems than just the registry.

As far as formatting and reinstalling, as I cannot get to a command prompt, this does not seem like an option.

External cases are your friend I've got 3 extra here... 1 IDE-USB, 1 IDE-USB/SATA-USB/ESATA, 1 IDE-RJ45.
If you have a 2nd computer you just toss the "dead" drive in a case, hook it up and start pulling data off it. Your system will treat it as a big USB drive, can do anything you want at that point.

A Knoppix disc (if it boots) will give full access to your disc, letting you burn to your other optical drive without having to fiddle around with moving drives.

[rlw1979777]

Hello Darkfin.

This code set is from a deleted or corrupted batch file in your registry. If its corrupted the only thing you can do is reformat to segragate the bad file and keep the Hard drive from recognizing it. If its just deleted, you should be able to use your windows CD to reset your registry. You do this by going to your Boot menu on the bios screen, usually F2 or F12. Then tell it to boot from the CD with your windows CD in the bay. After that happens try to "Repair" it within the menu. If it wont then you knwo that your hard drive has a corrupted portion which can be remidied during the reformat process, hopefully this helps.

[rlw1979777]

Also you do not need a command prompt line to reformat or fix this. Make it boot from the windows CD through the F12 or F2 option on the Bios right when you turn on your PC.

[A.P.F.]

The bottom line, is that the registry is pooched, IMO. As Dell often use proprietary drivers, your best bet is to run the Dell disk after changing your boot order in the BIOS to 'CD ROM'.

[Darkfin]

Hi Ron and Percival, thanks for chiming in. The computer fails to boot from Dell's supplied Win XP SP2 "Reinstall disc". The disc does not suggest that it has any "recovery" abilities, and unless I am mistaken, I am not able to boot from it based on the files in its root directory (autorun, readme, setup, setupxp, win51, win51ic, win51sp2). Note the absence of autoexec.

And while it is definitely the registry, I am also concerned that it is the hard drive, or whatever software other than the BIOS controls the hard drive. Last month, I had my external HD stop working, which I just attributed to it being a cheapo (160GB for $50). As I only had photos, music and other storage related stuff on there (including pix of every knife I have ever owned), it was not too great a loss. Now I am beginning to wonder if the OS's control of the USB was the culprit. I need to attach it to this old laptop to see if perhaps this computer can read it, but that is another issue.

I decided to try one more brand of recovery software CD, since Iolo's system mechanic was a bust. Will update Wed.

Thanks again!

BTW, if that new recovery CD fails, is there a way to make a boot disc on a USB flash drive? SOmething I can download from somewhere? The USB is the 1st drive on the boot list, even before the HD (1. USB/Floppy, 2. HD, 3. CD/DVD--I cannot change the order, but I can turn them on or off via the BIOS.)

[rlw1979777]

In Dell BIOS's when you first start up your PC in the Right hand corner, is a prompt to ask for F12 for Boot Menu. At that stage tell it to boot from the CD Rom. The days of having to literally write out to repair or format are over. From there you can use your XP CD to run a repair, or reformat. The CD's that are designed to save you in this event, rarely work. You have to do it manually using the XP CD. This is all done while it is in that Black Screen with the word DELL on it right at startup. Usually you have about 3 seconds as the BIOS set to either enter the setup of the BIOS or go to a boot menu.

[Darkfin]

*sigh*

Well there is good news and bad news. The f12 trick worked, and I was in the process of using the recovery utility until it asked for an administrator password. I never set up an admin PW, but it apparently has one anyway, so that was a dead end.

Thus I opted to reinstall XP. After an hour of work, it finished. And to my surprise, it now not only does not recognize any of my software, but none of the hardware either (the NIC, Video card, sound card, modem, etc)! Which basically leaves me in much the same position as before, albeit looking at a windows screen and not a BSOD.

Is there any way to make the new OS recognize software and hardware that was already installed w/o reinstalling it piece by piece?

[rlw1979777]

yes there is. Install the drivers for that hardware. Its probably a blue CD that you got with your Dell.