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Windows XP repair - gone wrong


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#1
Bullwinkle88

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Hello,

After weeks of work I finally got my PC to accept the new 8800GT video card from nVidia. And THEN I made the mistake of attempting to do a copy of the C drive to my D drive using a new software package I bought on line (which was highly regarded by a PC software ratings company).

I went to bed with it running. When I woke up my PC wouldn't boot up. The recovery CD I made with this software wouldn't work either.

So I did an XP repair. Now I have a PC which takes 10 minutes to boot up and minutes to respond to a mouse click. The only thing that does work is my Netscape browser, which is how I'm writing this message.

Apps either don't work or do so VERY slowly. My D drive cannot be read (I/O device error). Also, I couldn't install sp2 - it erred.

The good news is that my data is intact (I think). But the system won't let me into Device Manager or even Add/Remove programs. My video drivers are default, my icons are there but on a blue screen.

To make matters worse, I run my business off of this PC so I need a solution ASAP.

I've tried a DOS prompt attempt at restore but it only takes me to yesterday, when this disaster struck.

Outside of buying a new HD and starting over (using my current C as a data source), is there any hope?

Edited by Bullwinkle88, 02 May 2008 - 09:47 AM.

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#2
The Skeptic

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I doubt if there is. XP repair is a process that you use as a last resort, at least that's what I do. As a matter of fact I hardly use it at all, I'll rather take a deep breath and do to clear format. Very often it ends with many more problems that you started with.
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#3
Ztruker

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Can you boot to Safe Mode? If yes, are there any System Restore points available before this all happened? If so, give one a few days before this happend a try.
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#4
Bullwinkle88

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Yeah, I did that. Went into safe mode and accessed restore through the DOS prompt. No deal. I couldn't return to April 30th - the last time I had a 100% healthy PC.

It did get me to May 1st, where I am now, and I can get a quick response from mouse clicks. However the apps programs are missing files, etc.

I ordered a new HD today. I'm planning on starting from scratch this coming week. My business should have a newsletter coming out next week and Word barely works. Plus my email is screwed.

But what I don't understand is why can't I access Device Manager, Add/Remove Programs, or even Search???

Anyone know why those services are unavailable?

Could I do a repair on this repair?
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#5
Ztruker

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Try this.

Click on Start then Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Services tab then the Enable All button.

Reboot and see if anything is different.
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#6
Bullwinkle88

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The Enable All tab is not active because everything is enabled.

Any other ideas?
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#7
happyrock

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Check to see if your computer is running in PIO mode.

open Device manager... double click on the IDE/Atapi controllers ...double click on the primary controller ... click on the Advanced settings tab and check to see what the drive is set to.... the drive should be UDMA Mode 5 or 6.

Windows XP downgrades the Ultra DMA transfer mode after receiving more than six CRC errors. When possible, the operating system will step down one UDMA mode at a time ...
If the mini-IDE driver for the device does not support stepping down transfer modes, or if the device is running UDMA mode 0, Windows XP will step down to PIO mode after encountering six or more CRC errors.

All timeout errors are logged in the system event log. These types of errors could be caused by improper cabling ...or a bad cable...you need a 40-pin 80 wire cable....
if you continue getting such errors it ....would indicate imminent hard drive failure..
BACKUP EVERYTHING YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT NOW

To try fixing it...

Open Device Manager....Double-click IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers to display the list of controllers

Right-click the icon for the channel to which the hard drive is connected...usually the primary... select Properties... and then click the Advanced Settings tab.

In the Current Transfer Mode drop-down box, select DMA if Available if the current setting is "PIO Only."
If the drop-down box already shows "DMA if Available" but the current transfer mode is PIO... then you must toggle the settings....

Change the selection from "DMA if available" to PIO only, and click OK.

Then repeat the steps above to change the selection to DMA if Available....
reboot
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#8
Bullwinkle88

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Your recommendation sounds good, but as I've said I can't open Device Manager.

That is my main problem - along with Add/Remove Programs, Search, etc.
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#9
hfcg

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Your recommendation sounds good, but as I've said I can't open Device Manager.

That is my main problem - along with Add/Remove Programs, Search, etc.

When I see this I think of malware.
I suggest you go to the Malware Forum and run all the steps located in the START HERE. These self-help tools will help you clean up 70% of problems on your own. If you are still having problems after doing the steps, then please post a HiJackThis Log in THAT forum. If you are unable to run and/or post a HJT log, then post that in your initial post in the topic you create in that forum.

After the malware experts help you to get device manager, add and remove programs, and search back you can start on the other problems
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