How to initiate XP Repair Install
PLEASE READ ENTIRE POST, I REALLY NEED SOME HELP HERE!!
I hope someone can help me with this situation. A Dell Optiplex 745 that is a member of a Server 2003 domain (More on the machine configuration in a moment) started with a "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\
Okay, this machine does not have an optical or floppy drive, and the Repair Console is not installed on the HDD, so that option is out. I moved the SATA HDD to my laptop using a USB adapter, and browsed to the Repair folder. There was a system.bak file, but no SYSTEM file. According to my past experience, the MS KB, and what I have read elsewhere on the Internet, there should be a SYSTEM file in the Repair folder. (Explorer is set to show all hidden and system files). I moved the system.bak file to the Config folder and renamed it SYSTEM.
Now the machine starts, goes to the desktop and then the USB mouse and keyboard are not functional (The KB does function during POST, the computer does not have PS/2 ports). It is not possible to do anything, plus the problem is not really fixed because it normally goes to the logon screen instead of straight to the desktop. If the Mouse and KB were functional I might try a System Restore.
Now I want to do a repair install. I am not able to do this and here's why: Since the machine has no CD-ROM I attempted to temporarily add one and there is no IDE port on the MB. I used an IDE to SATA cable and hooked it to SATA port #1 on the MB, Enabled SATA port #1 in the BIOS and set the boot order to boot from the CD-ROM (which the BIOS recognized) first. It simply would not boot from the CD-ROM. I even added an IDE PCI card with the CD-ROM attached, and the Setup program froze at Setup is inspecting your computers hardware configuration.
So after several hours of trying different approaches, I seem not to be able to run Repair Console or otherwise fix this issue. My first question is Where is the SYSTEM file I expected to see in the Repair folder? And secondly, is there any way to run Repair Console, or get it installed on the drive while attached to another machine? Or any other method to deal with this?
Thanks so much for your time!
Bill
I hope someone can help me with this situation. A Dell Optiplex 745 that is a member of a Server 2003 domain (More on the machine configuration in a moment) started with a "Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\
Okay, this machine does not have an optical or floppy drive, and the Repair Console is not installed on the HDD, so that option is out. I moved the SATA HDD to my laptop using a USB adapter, and browsed to the Repair folder. There was a system.bak file, but no SYSTEM file. According to my past experience, the MS KB, and what I have read elsewhere on the Internet, there should be a SYSTEM file in the Repair folder. (Explorer is set to show all hidden and system files). I moved the system.bak file to the Config folder and renamed it SYSTEM.
Now the machine starts, goes to the desktop and then the USB mouse and keyboard are not functional (The KB does function during POST, the computer does not have PS/2 ports). It is not possible to do anything, plus the problem is not really fixed because it normally goes to the logon screen instead of straight to the desktop. If the Mouse and KB were functional I might try a System Restore.
Now I want to do a repair install. I am not able to do this and here's why: Since the machine has no CD-ROM I attempted to temporarily add one and there is no IDE port on the MB. I used an IDE to SATA cable and hooked it to SATA port #1 on the MB, Enabled SATA port #1 in the BIOS and set the boot order to boot from the CD-ROM (which the BIOS recognized) first. It simply would not boot from the CD-ROM. I even added an IDE PCI card with the CD-ROM attached, and the Setup program froze at Setup is inspecting your computers hardware configuration.
So after several hours of trying different approaches, I seem not to be able to run Repair Console or otherwise fix this issue. My first question is Where is the SYSTEM file I expected to see in the Repair folder? And secondly, is there any way to run Repair Console, or get it installed on the drive while attached to another machine? Or any other method to deal with this?
Thanks so much for your time!
Bill
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The system is repaired. I hooked the drive back to my laptop and searched it for "SYSTEM". A number of folders and files resulted, including several named "_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM"
Thanks for the help. Bill