No option to repair windows Xp
Hi experts,
I am trying to repair an installation of windows sp using a windows Xp sp2 disk.
When I boot onto the disk, I get to the selection screen where I can see the partitions that have been setup. When I press enter on the C: partition, I get a warning about dual booting.
I f I press C to continue, I get to the page where I can either format the partition or leave it intact.
At no point can I press R to repair.
I have tried with an sp3 disk but no luck.
Thanks!
I am trying to repair an installation of windows sp using a windows Xp sp2 disk.
When I boot onto the disk, I get to the selection screen where I can see the partitions that have been setup. When I press enter on the C: partition, I get a warning about dual booting.
I f I press C to continue, I get to the page where I can either format the partition or leave it intact.
At no point can I press R to repair.
I have tried with an sp3 disk but no luck.
Thanks!
ASKER
the system was failing to boot past mup.sys when trying to go into safe mode.
having checked that the hardware was all ok, i was going to repair the os.
having checked that the hardware was all ok, i was going to repair the os.
Any error messages or BSODs in normal mode?
mup.sys was loaded successfully and it is usually the last driver shown in safe mode. Something past there is failing to load. Really nothing to go on there.
Press F8 for boot options and disable Restart on Error (not exact wording) and try a normal mode boot.
mup.sys was loaded successfully and it is usually the last driver shown in safe mode. Something past there is failing to load. Really nothing to go on there.
Press F8 for boot options and disable Restart on Error (not exact wording) and try a normal mode boot.
ASKER
sorry, i was not complete in my description.
the problem started when the computer had a virus the other day. no anti spam.virus software would run, and it appeared that the host file had been hijacked too.
in my attempt to fix, i tried to boot into safe mode, which failed... which lead me to to try the restore.
i can actually boot the computer normally, though the USB mouse and keyboard do not work past the bios, there is not even a light in the mouse (its a red laser one) and the caps lock and num lock lights do not respond.
the problem started when the computer had a virus the other day. no anti spam.virus software would run, and it appeared that the host file had been hijacked too.
in my attempt to fix, i tried to boot into safe mode, which failed... which lead me to to try the restore.
i can actually boot the computer normally, though the USB mouse and keyboard do not work past the bios, there is not even a light in the mouse (its a red laser one) and the caps lock and num lock lights do not respond.
I'll put on my thinking cap but will be out for a while. Will check in when I get back.
Your only real solution will probably be a clean install of XP. A repair install does not replace the registry even if you can get it to work. You should be able to access hard disk and backup data files using a boot disk such as UBCD4Win or Knoppix.
Your only real solution will probably be a clean install of XP. A repair install does not replace the registry even if you can get it to work. You should be able to access hard disk and backup data files using a boot disk such as UBCD4Win or Knoppix.
Try the following : nsert the Windows XP cd in your computer.
Restart your computer so you are booting off of the CD.
When the Welcome to Setup screen appears, press the R button on your keyboard to start the Recovery Console.
The Recovery Console will start and ask you which Windows installation you would like to log on to. If you have multiple Windows installations, it will list each one, and you would enter the number associated with the installation you would like to work on and press enter. If you have just one Windows installation, type 1 and press enter.
It will then prompt you for the Administrator's password. If there is no password, simply press enter. Otherwise type in the password and then press enter.
If you entered the correct password you will now be presented with a C:\Windows> prompt and you can start using the Recovery Console.
2. Type map and press enter.
It will give you the drive letters.
Note down the letter of you CD-ROM.
If it is a letter other than E you should replace the letter E with your CD drive letter when applying the expand command later on if the command is needed to be applied.
Type following commmands, pressing Enter after each one.
ren c:\windows\system32\driver
(It will returns to the prompt again without notification)
copy c:\windows\servicepackfile
(If you get a notification "1 file(s) copied" you don't need to do the next expand command and go to exit command. But if you get notification that the file doesn't exist proceed with expand command)
expand e:\I386\atapi.sy_ c:\windows\system32\driver
(You should be notified that the file expanded)
exit
Restart your computer so you are booting off of the CD.
When the Welcome to Setup screen appears, press the R button on your keyboard to start the Recovery Console.
The Recovery Console will start and ask you which Windows installation you would like to log on to. If you have multiple Windows installations, it will list each one, and you would enter the number associated with the installation you would like to work on and press enter. If you have just one Windows installation, type 1 and press enter.
It will then prompt you for the Administrator's password. If there is no password, simply press enter. Otherwise type in the password and then press enter.
If you entered the correct password you will now be presented with a C:\Windows> prompt and you can start using the Recovery Console.
2. Type map and press enter.
It will give you the drive letters.
Note down the letter of you CD-ROM.
If it is a letter other than E you should replace the letter E with your CD drive letter when applying the expand command later on if the command is needed to be applied.
Type following commmands, pressing Enter after each one.
ren c:\windows\system32\driver
(It will returns to the prompt again without notification)
copy c:\windows\servicepackfile
(If you get a notification "1 file(s) copied" you don't need to do the next expand command and go to exit command. But if you get notification that the file doesn't exist proceed with expand command)
expand e:\I386\atapi.sy_ c:\windows\system32\driver
(You should be notified that the file expanded)
exit
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
i installed malware bytes and ms sescurity essentials. malware bytes was able to run, but hung on removal and security essentials would not run as it could not connect to ms update servers (i think part of hte host file corruption...)
you can try this method :
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
--------------------------
An easier way is to boot from a Bart PE CD (or UBCD4Win CD) and use the file manager for manipulating files. Here the procedure :
1. rename c:\windows\system32\config
2. Navigate to the System Volume Information folder.
it contains some restore {GUID} folders such as "_restore{87BD3667-3246-47
The restore points are in folders starting with "RPx under this folder.
3. In such a folder, locate a Snapshot subfolder. This is an example of a folder path to the Snapshot folder: C:\System Volume Information\_restore{D8648
4. From the Snapshot folder, copy the following file to the c:\windows\system32\config
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
5. Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM to SYSTEM
6. Exit Bart PE, reboot and test
Use a fairly recent restore point from at least a day or two prior to problem occurring .
** you can add the other hives also with this procedure
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ BARTPE
http://www.ubcd4win.com/ UBCD4WIN
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
--------------------------
An easier way is to boot from a Bart PE CD (or UBCD4Win CD) and use the file manager for manipulating files. Here the procedure :
1. rename c:\windows\system32\config
2. Navigate to the System Volume Information folder.
it contains some restore {GUID} folders such as "_restore{87BD3667-3246-47
The restore points are in folders starting with "RPx under this folder.
3. In such a folder, locate a Snapshot subfolder. This is an example of a folder path to the Snapshot folder: C:\System Volume Information\_restore{D8648
4. From the Snapshot folder, copy the following file to the c:\windows\system32\config
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
5. Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM to SYSTEM
6. Exit Bart PE, reboot and test
Use a fairly recent restore point from at least a day or two prior to problem occurring .
** you can add the other hives also with this procedure
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ BARTPE
http://www.ubcd4win.com/ UBCD4WIN
ASKER
i never get an option to press R to start the recovery console so will try the bart PE option now. i'm worried that system restore was turned off though...
SOLUTION
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ASKER
yup, no agreement. just straight to the partition manager. i will use UBCD4WIN and see how i get on.
if system restore is off, will any of this still work?
if system restore is off, will any of this still work?
Also, I'd think that if you did go back to a system restore point earlier, you would get all the malware back. For that reason it is always good to remove all restore points after a malware cleansing, and then create a new, clean one after that.
ASKER
agreed, but in the case of just getting running, will i be able to without the restore points?
ASKER
just seen that i need to build UBCD4WIN. how can i do this if the computer will not boot and I am on a mac?
Firstly I would advise that you get another XP CD asyour current one may have been created without the prompt to repair, and then try running a repiar on Windows.
If you are not able to that, then I would advise a system restore, if no restore points are available then I would try the suggestion I mentioned in my earlier posts.
If that does not succeed, then I would advise you connet ur HD to another PC, backup and Re-Install
If you are not able to that, then I would advise a system restore, if no restore points are available then I would try the suggestion I mentioned in my earlier posts.
If that does not succeed, then I would advise you connet ur HD to another PC, backup and Re-Install
You'd have to build the UBCD4Win on another PC using one of your XP installation CD's as installation source.
On a MAC you could install a Windows XP Virtual Machine (VMware Fusion, and probably also Oracles Virtual Box should work, maybe there is also a VMware Player version for MAC), and then build the CD using that environment.
http://vmware.com
https://www.virtualbox.org/
On a MAC you could install a Windows XP Virtual Machine (VMware Fusion, and probably also Oracles Virtual Box should work, maybe there is also a VMware Player version for MAC), and then build the CD using that environment.
http://vmware.com
https://www.virtualbox.org/
ASKER
i have completed Step 1 from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545 and i can now boot into safe mode.
the trouble is that as i suspected, system restore is not activated, meaning that the only folder in System Volume Information is the one created NOW.
what should i do next as the registry is now surely unstable?
the trouble is that as i suspected, system restore is not activated, meaning that the only folder in System Volume Information is the one created NOW.
what should i do next as the registry is now surely unstable?
I think Willcomp's advice is the best so far. Save any data needed, then do a clean install.
ASKER
agreed... with the rebuild suggestions.
am taking the backup now.
thanks all for the help.
am taking the backup now.
thanks all for the help.
You're welcome. I don't recommend "nuke and pave" nearly as readily as some of our experts but there are times when it is the best and easiest course as in your case.
What were the symptoms/error messages that initiated your attempt to repair?