105 replies to this topic

[Alantb]

Well nothing says hit a key --- but maybe I'm not quick enough to catch it. I've reset the BIOS to look first for a CDROM. It seems to try . . . . but I'll try to grab it before it can get on to using the hard drive. More later. Cheers, thanks for trying so hard.

[oldman960]

Hi Alantb,


The Windows Cd you are using may be damaged and not bootable. We could test it on the workng computer. If found to be faulty we can create a bootable version of the Reovery Console.

To test the CD you have, using the working computer,

You computer must be able to boot from the CD.

Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.

1. Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted.
2. When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
3. You should now see a list of installations and the prompt "Which Windows Installation would you like to log on to?"
Select the appropriate number for the Windows installation that you want to repair. If you only have one, press 1.
4. When you are prompted, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.

You should now have a C:\windows> prompt

At the C:\Windows promt type exit and hit enter. Your computer will now boot to windows.

Let me know if you were able to boot from the cd and access the Recovery Console.

Thanks

[Alantb]

Hi Oldman - that sounds a bit dodgy to me. I don't want to upset my only working computer. I'll have to do a serious backup first. See you on Monday. Have a nice weekend! : Cheers!thumbup:

[oldman960]

Hi Alantb,

If you follow the instructions for running the Recovery Console from the CD there should be no problems. All we are doing is trying to determine if the CD is bootable.

However if you have reservations about doing this we can make a legal Windows Recovery Console CD. You can use your working computer to do this, you're only making a CD and not any changes to your computer.

Please read the instuctions and ask any questions if they are not clear.

Burn recovery console cd

• Download recovery_console_cd.zip file to your drive and extract it to its own folder (c:\recoverycd for example).
• Download floppy disk setup package xp pro for your operating system (XP pro) and save it to the folder you extracted the zip to.
• Rename the floppy disk setup package to Bootdisk.exe.
• Insert a blank cd into your burner.
• Double-click the RecoveryCD.bat file and follow the prompts to burn a cd that will allow you to boot to the recovery console.

Once the CD is made use it on the non working computer

• Mak sure the computer is set to boot from the CD
• Insert the CD in the computer
• Reboot the computer

Follow the previous instructions for entering the Recovery Console. Don't make any changes just let us know if you were successful in entering the Recovery Console.

[Alantb]

Thanks for sticking with me pal; just now things are a bit busy domestically, I'll come back as soon as I can get some sense out of things. Cheers, Alan

[Alantb]

LIFE is being unfair as usual. My CD burner on the 'spare' machine failed after ruining a CD. (one reason I got the one that's not working). I will try again later on the laptop. Still trying - Alan

[oldman960]

Hi Alantb, Ok.

[Alantb]

REAL! Finally got a Recovery Disk. Well it booted but gave me a question that I couldn't answer so I typed 'help' and it gave me a list of functions. Thought of 'fixboot' but being cautious I typed 'exit' which rebooted the disk of course.Then I decided I needed more advice - please. Cheers, Alan

[oldman960]

Hi Alantb, What was the question? Don't try any of the options as I think it may be a missing file so those options won't help. They may even cause more prolems.

[Alantb]

Sorry, I was a bit unclear. I got a long list of options on the left of the screen, which included 'fixboot', I think you know what I mean. I didn't feel happy about going any further without guidance. But at least we've proved that the CD drive works! Currently the I've set up the bios only to boot from the CD which is the first and only choice. Should I include the HDD as second choice next time ?

[oldman960]

Hi Alantb,

It would seem the XP disk you tried using earlier was at fault. Any luck in locating the XP disk that came with the computer?

You can try setting the computer to boot to the HD second and see what happens.

When you boot into the Recovery console you should be presented with a C:\windows> prompt

-From the prompt, type the following commands, one at a time, hitting enter after each:

cd system32
dir

Note in the first line there is a space after cd

Use the space bar to scroll down the list and look for the presence of this file winlogon.exe

Let me know if it's there and the file size and date. There may also be a file named winlogon.old. Let me know if you find either.

[Alantb]

Hi Oldman; What I get is this (in order):- "Windows Setup" "Setup is loading files" "To Setup Windows XP press enter to Repair press R" (I hit 'R') "R - Examining disk config" I now get the C:\Windows prompt Enter CD System32 Dir Winlogon is not there. Which would explain a lot, I think!!! Cheers, Alan

[Alantb]

Forgot to say that I don't have the original disk. There are good (and legal) reasons. Cheers, Alan

[oldman960]

Hi Alantb,

That would explain why the computer won't boot.

The Recovery Console is limited in the places we can go. Let's see if this folder was created when windows was installed.

We want to start these instructions from the C:\Windows > prompt so depending if you have exited the Recovery Console will determine which steps you will need to do.

If have not exited the Recovery Console and are still in the C:\Windows\System32 directory type cd c:\windows and hit enter.

note the space after cd

If you have existed the Recovery Console and need to renter it, start from here

From the C:\windows> prompt type this line and hit enter

dir

Do you see a directory named i386 ?

If not type this and hit enter after each

cd c:\
dir

note the space after cd

Is the folder now listed?

Thanks

[Alantb]

(I thought that I'd answered but somehow it got lost).
No I didn't find i386
??