Microsoft Updates

[shought]

Today I noticed that I still had 10 Microsoft Updates awaiting... I installed them, browsed some sites and rebooted. Thing is, it never actually 're' booted. It will get past the hardware check screen and all, but the Windows XP screen(with the progress bar) will never appear :)

Well, I figured my installation was screwed anyway, but I decided to try a 'repair install', never did that before and today I remembered why. (btw: I never have System Restore enabled) To begin a repair install apparently I need to get into the Recovery Console, but it won't let me in without some 'Windows XP recovery floppy', since I don't even have a floppy drive in my PC anymore, this was a problem :P

Now there were only two options left: taking out my HD and plugging it into some other computer OR driving myself nsane. Obviously I picked for the latter and I tried Google :D Eventually I found a program that was able to create a bootable Windows disk(bootable as in run-from-CD) which I could use to access my files and even move them to my other PC(using my network). It's really a great tool with lots of functionalities, at least, so it says.

I'm now burning it and going to try it, I'll report back if it solves all my problems and we might feature it on the frontpage if I can convince our other staff members of the usefullness of this tool :P

[Marik]

what about option number 3?

reinstall windows

[Bizarre™]

If you can access Computer Management, check for System Tools > Event Viewer.

BTW, if you still have the folder C:\WINDOWS\repair\ you can get a fresh backup of your registry there :)

Note:

You can only copy the file(s) in the folder I mentioned above to C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\ by:

1. Accessing another computer (via another HD, OS, etc.)

2. Microsoft Recovery Console

[shought]

Marik, I'd like too, but first I need to recover some data from my PC :)

Now I'm trying Ultimate Live Boot CD, the tool I was using some time ago was outdated and didn't work with my network, so now I've got a new one :P

And well, I figured, now I'm in this situation I can better try to make it as bad as possible :D :fool:

I'll try recovering my registry after I get my files :P

[Lite]

You can do a repair installation without accessing the recovery console. Do you have a copy of your windows CD?

[tonyblair]

Hi Shought,

There is another possibility to access your data on your PC :

If you have more than one partition on you HDD, than you can install a second OS (xp or higher).

You will have a dualboot. After the installation the second OS will be the main, and will give you

the hand on your PC and access all your data.

To avoid being locked by my OS (what ever the reason) I have two OS on my DISKS (one live and one sleeping)

[Jota.Ce]

Have you ever tried newest versions of Hiren's BootCD ???

They come with an impressive Mini Windows XP that allows you to do everything you want. But if you need to have access to a SATA drive, then you'll have to supply drivers (Mini WinXP has an option to load drivers on bootup, i don't know if you can do that later).

Hiren's BootCD can be booted from an USB, and now its very easy to make an USB bootable key with HBCD (i even wrote a guide).

[Bizarre™]

IMO, repair installation for XP sucks:

1. Bloats your registry

2. Generates useless files

3. Destroys settings of some programs

4. Can sometimes do more harm than good

The above is all based upon my factual experience.

That's why if anything goes wrong (damage beyond repair), I just reload a backed-up fresh install of XP since it saves me time, effort, and energy.

[KotaXor]

You can activate the Recovery Console if you have the XP CD, no need of floppy.

Boot from CD....as though you are about to reformat, key in 'r' for recovery console.

Good luck!

[shought]

At this moment I'm using my 'broken' PC with Ultimate Boot CD :) It has integrated network drivers and all kinds of other drivers, you can even integrate some yourself.

(ps in case you guys hadn't noticed yet, fixing this shit isn't #1 priority anymore for me ;) I'll just take this opportunity to play around a little, I'm going to backup any important files for now and then I'll try doing a Repair install(following your instructions, so at the screen where I'm shown the partitions and their sizes I should press ' R'? I'm pretty sure that last time I tried I had to press r before the Windows CD loaded it's own 'core' and then it asked me for some floppy, but I'll report back later(props this day, but maybe not)).

Hmmm, that became quite a long ps, let's go on. I've once tried Hiren's BootCD, but it fails for me, it takes AGES to load the right drivers... This thing however just ran, I actually clicked 'Cancel' at the 'Detect network settings' window, but it still did it, like it can read my mind ;)

Ok, now I'm going to be late for school, thanks you guys! Kidding :P

[shought]

That repair install didn't work, when I pressed r nothing actually happened, but that doesn't matter, even if it had worked I would've only copied some more profile data and stuff like that to the other PC.

For those interest my PC is up and running again :dance2:

[Jota.Ce]

You can activate the Recovery Console if you have the XP CD, no need of floppy.

Boot from CD....as though you are about to reformat, key in 'r' for recovery console.

REcovery console can be "installed" in Windows and it appears as another boot option in OS Menu selection...

1/ Insert WinXP CD.

2/ Open up the Start->Run dialog, and then type in the following command,

adjusting the drive letter to match your CD-ROM drive:

d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

3/ Run

[shought]

This time I created two partitions, 80 GB each(no, I don't like those 500GB or 1 TB HD's, I'll only use 100 GB anyway...) and I'm thinking of creating a dual boot system. The thing is, I don't know what my second choice is gonna be. A few friends of mine recommended me Linux(of course), but I myself would like to see Windows 7...

Anything I should know before creating a dual boot system?(Like 'Don't ... or you're gonna end up getting screwed!' or something like that)

Anyway, I might as well not make a dual boot system and use my 80 GB system as a backup partition...

[myidisbb]

did you figured out what caused it or how you fixed if it f ou did? besides reformat.

if you make a dual sysystem wouldnt win 7 that you would have right now have a time limit for that realease/beta? just curius

[shought]

No idea what caused it, it happened after I installed these updates and I can't point out anything else that might have to do with it...

What do you want to know about Windows 7?

[KotaXor]

No idea what caused it, it happened after I installed these updates and I can't point out anything else that might have to do with it...

What do you want to know about Windows 7?

So, how did you get it back up again?

As Windows 7 is now in beta or RC, you will have to reformat if the Final version is out!

[shought]

I just used Ultimate BootCD to create a network connection and move some of my files to another PC, then I reformatted and installed XP again. Total time to reinstall(including all programs and settings): 3 hours :lmao:

I understand, but I've got a separate partition, so that doesn't really matter :hehe:

[KotaXor]

I just used Ultimate BootCD to create a network connection and move some of my files to another PC, then I reformatted and installed XP again. Total time to reinstall(including all programs and settings): 3 hours :)

I understand, but I've got a separate partition, so that doesn't really matter :think:

So, the Microsoft updates actually screwed up your pc! :frusty:

Wonder which updates is causing the problem?

[myidisbb]

I just used Ultimate BootCD to create a network connection and move some of my files to another PC, then I reformatted and installed XP again. Total time to reinstall(including all programs and settings): 3 hours <_<

I understand, but I've got a separate partition, so that doesn't really matter :sneaky:

So, the Microsoft updates actually screwed up your pc! :frusty:

Wonder which updates is causing the problem?

wonder if its a xp or 7 update?

[tonyblair]

This time I created two partitions, 80 GB each(no, I don't like those 500GB or 1 TB HD's, I'll only use 100 GB anyway...) and I'm thinking of creating a dual boot system. The thing is, I don't know what my second choice is gonna be. A few friends of mine recommended me Linux(of course), but I myself would like to see Windows 7...

Anything I should know before creating a dual boot system?(Like 'Don't ... or you're gonna end up getting screwed!' or something like that)

Anyway, I might as well not make a dual boot system and use my 80 GB system as a backup partition...

Hi shought,

You made a good move.

Creating two partitions : this will gives you lots of advantages ( Formatting only one partition and not all the disk when you need or oblige to do it, making a dualboot system, having two drives for better archiving directories and files...)

Going to Dual boot system: this is a must to master your computer and not beeing screwed up by a faulty OS (or activations ...), Under your second OS you will have access to all the protected files of the first OS (as it is sleeping and not active, you can delete change the files in Windows\, Program files\ directories without that warning "You do not have permission...". With dual boot you test new OS, modifications of the OS, installing weird things without the fear that you will be locked out of your datas.

Now from my own experience, the problems are : It needs HDD space ( if you want to install lots of applications and games), it needs taking care of the two OSs  (upgrade, firewalls, AV ...).

Now I don't understand why you didn't like 500GB, 1T? If it is budget wise (I understand), But if it is technology I don't agree with you. If you care about failure of the Hard disk than you are not safe with 100GB too (old technology, MTBF is not better than actual drives). The solution today is to have more than one HDD in your system with updated backups ( on DVDs, CDs or the second HDD).

The choice of the second OS : ( choice.... this word sounds good, Dualboot gives you a choice!) . Microsoft recommand that the second OS has to be the same or higher version. I think it your choice linked to whant you do with your PC.

My choice for myself ( a triple boot with 3 OS's : XP for games, Vista for daily work and the third for testing windows7 ) <_<

[shought]

I like a setup of two HDs, but I don't have the money for that. I don't like those 500 GB, 1 TB things because you just don't need them... 160, 200, 250, 320 GB will suffice for almost every need.

Thanks for your opinion on this <_<

[KotaXor]

So true, prefer 2 HD myself too! Presently have 2 HD!

[dumble]

I like a setup of two HDs, but I don't have the money for that. I don't like those 500 GB, 1 TB things because you just don't need them... 160, 200, 250, 320 GB will suffice for almost every need.

250 GB is 30euros... You dont have 30euros?? i think you need to get a job :D :)

And you do need 500GB, 1TB harddisks if you download HD/blueray-movies, they are getting more and more populair nowadays..

[KotaXor]

He did say he is going to school!LOL

[shought]

I go to school, do some shit here, play tennis, play soccer, fitness AND I have a job, I think my schedule is pretty packed for now(also I have to watch TV some time as well!).

But I said I don't have money for 2 HDs, so 30 x 2 would be 60, WOW, I did learn something in school...