XP startup problems....help
My son has installed 'Longhorn Transformation Pack 9' on his XP SP2 Pc and it has totally mucked it up.
After installing and rebooting it failed to load complaining first ntodkrnl.exe was missing or damaged. I was able to boot to the console from an install CD and copy on a version from my PC (same version SP etc.) then it would boot to a logon screen and complain about shell32.dll and msgina.dll so I have copied over these as well (all the originals were missing). Now the PC will boot and allow login but the desktop does not load it seems to stick with the wallpaper. I can get the task manager up but that is all. If I boot to safe mode I get the same in that it does not load up the desktop/start bar etc. only the 'safe' wallpaper. He did create a system restore point prior to install but am unable to run anything to roll back to it or uninstall the software.
Any ideas - reinstall is not an option at the moment as he has a lot on his PC he needs
thanks
Martin
After installing and rebooting it failed to load complaining first ntodkrnl.exe was missing or damaged. I was able to boot to the console from an install CD and copy on a version from my PC (same version SP etc.) then it would boot to a logon screen and complain about shell32.dll and msgina.dll so I have copied over these as well (all the originals were missing). Now the PC will boot and allow login but the desktop does not load it seems to stick with the wallpaper. I can get the task manager up but that is all. If I boot to safe mode I get the same in that it does not load up the desktop/start bar etc. only the 'safe' wallpaper. He did create a system restore point prior to install but am unable to run anything to roll back to it or uninstall the software.
Any ideas - reinstall is not an option at the moment as he has a lot on his PC he needs
thanks
Martin
When you say you are unable to run anything to roll back to, do you mean you have tried restore points before that have been made before the one he created or do you mean you cant run the restore program?
B/c if you mean you can't get to the retsore program have you tired holding down the windows logo button and pressing "r" at the same time to see if the run dialog box comes up and then if it does type in restore and run the rstrui.exe program from there
B/c if you mean you can't get to the retsore program have you tired holding down the windows logo button and pressing "r" at the same time to see if the run dialog box comes up and then if it does type in restore and run the rstrui.exe program from there
What about if you get the task manager up go to File --> New Task and type
Explorer.exe or even just Explorer
See if that helps ?
Explorer.exe or even just Explorer
See if that helps ?
ASKER
Guys
Expolrer.exe was also missing from the PC - I have copied this on and now get a desktop loading and have been able to go back to the pre install resore point. It all looks ok at the moment but am running some check just to make sure
Martin
Expolrer.exe was also missing from the PC - I have copied this on and now get a desktop loading and have been able to go back to the pre install resore point. It all looks ok at the moment but am running some check just to make sure
Martin
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Please try the following :
1. Shut down the computer
2. Turn it back on ,
3. Press the F12, or boot through CD rom
Note : The CD Rom labeled ( Operating system reinstallation Disk ) should be present in the CD ROM drive. If you boot correctly, the next screen would be a blue screen that reads Windows XP reinstallation
4. On the First interactive Screen, Press R to enter the recovery Console
5. select the option 1 for when it asks for which windows to repair.
6. Then it asks for administrator password. Hit the enter key.
7. The path comes to “c:\windows”
8. Change the path as shown “c:\windows\repair”
REN SYSTEM.BAK SYSTEM
9. From the path mentioned in the above line copy the files mentioned as shown
below.
“c:\windows\repair>copy system c: \windows\system32\config”
“c:\windows\repair>copy software c:\windows\system32\config
“c:\windows\repair>copy sam c:\windows\system32\config
“c:\windows\repair>copy security c:\windows\system32\config
“c:\windows\repair>copy default c:\windows\system32\config
10. When the above mentioned files are copied to the respective path.
11. Take out the windows xp cd and restart the system.The system would work fine.
1. Shut down the computer
2. Turn it back on ,
3. Press the F12, or boot through CD rom
Note : The CD Rom labeled ( Operating system reinstallation Disk ) should be present in the CD ROM drive. If you boot correctly, the next screen would be a blue screen that reads Windows XP reinstallation
4. On the First interactive Screen, Press R to enter the recovery Console
5. select the option 1 for when it asks for which windows to repair.
6. Then it asks for administrator password. Hit the enter key.
7. The path comes to “c:\windows”
8. Change the path as shown “c:\windows\repair”
REN SYSTEM.BAK SYSTEM
9. From the path mentioned in the above line copy the files mentioned as shown
below.
“c:\windows\repair>copy system c: \windows\system32\config”
“c:\windows\repair>copy software c:\windows\system32\config
“c:\windows\repair>copy sam c:\windows\system32\config
“c:\windows\repair>copy security c:\windows\system32\config
“c:\windows\repair>copy default c:\windows\system32\config
10. When the above mentioned files are copied to the respective path.
11. Take out the windows xp cd and restart the system.The system would work fine.
If your copying from the "C:\windows\repair directory or wherever the repair directory is then why do you still need the windows xp cd in the drive whilst your doing that ? I mean I would understand if you were using the expand command to expand them things off of the cd or something to that extent.
I mean once it has booted off of the cd and your in recovery console, do you still need the cd in the drive ?
Also I'm not entirely sure on this , but isnt the repair folder in a different location sometimes like in the system volume information folder ??
I mean once it has booted off of the cd and your in recovery console, do you still need the cd in the drive ?
Also I'm not entirely sure on this , but isnt the repair folder in a different location sometimes like in the system volume information folder ??
This is because, without the CD you will not be able to get into the recovery console, without the CD, more over if you remove the disk, the system may hang, you can try to remove the same, however i would suggest not to risk it.
ASKER
rossfingal
A useful suggestion as this did find a couple of problems
Thanks
Mtech
A useful suggestion as this did find a couple of problems
Thanks
Mtech
Try a Repair/reinstall (over the top of itself):
Info here -
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Maybe wait and see if anyone here has other options. :)
RF