[free32]

I agree. Now, you can at least boot to Windows, so you can easily back up your data.
Before reinstalling Windows, I'd...

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD, and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.

Man - call me pig-stupid and put some lipstick on me, but how can i determine which southeast asian country made me my happy hard-drive for my HP computer?

Edited by free32, 22 June 2009 - 09:20 PM.

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Go Start>Run, type in:
devmgmt.msc
Click OK.
Device Manager will open.
Look under Disk Drives. It may tell you.

[Broni]

Go Start>Run, type in:
devmgmt.msc
Click OK.
Device Manager will open.
Look under Disk Drives. It may tell you.

[free32]

I really appreciate your help! But this dog just wont hunt. Entering device manager says "navigation to web page cancelled." I can copy, but the paste function is gone. So -- any other way you can think of to salvage some stuff without paste before I reinstall? And as I do not have windows XP cd, will windows console do it?

[Broni]

Did you type exactly devmgmt.msc?
Every letter counts.

[free32]

Yeah - just as you instructed.

[Broni]

Something totally wrong here.
If you want to save some data, you need to slave the drive in another computer (http://www.dtidata.c...ave-hard-drive/), or use hard drive enclosure.

[free32]

During the fix, cd.. was NOT accepted, but cd (without ..) was. Would this matter?

[Broni]

I'm sorry. Come again?

[free32]

Sure - the commands you instructed me to enter, attrib -h, del boot.in ---- you said to start those with a command "cd.." When I entered that command it was not accepted. So, knowing how flexible and forgiving these machines are, i entered "cd" instead, without the two periods ".."
This was accepted without a reply message.

So, do you think the fact the the first command "cd.." you said to enter did not go thru way have had some problem result?

[Broni]

"cd" command does nothing, "cd.." command should bring you to root directory, so the prompt looks like this:
C:\>
You have to be in root directory to perform other commands.

[free32]

so when I enter "cd.." at c:\WINDOWS>, it says "command not recognized." It did however accept the ATTRIB commands.... I was able to boot computer after, not having done all this from the c:> drive. Any idea on any other way to get to c: drive to reboot windows console disk and retry?

PS YOUR answer on post #1556292 looks like the problem I have as I think anitivirus and reg error software may have deleted some good stuff. this may be why i could copy, but not paste. that threat had no resolution.

Edited by free32, 26 June 2009 - 12:58 AM.

[free32]

Alrighty --- turns out 'cd..' should be with a space. 'Cd ..' worked. Redid process and it went thru, but still do not have paste. just cut. maybe due to malware remover program deletions?

Ps, tried to do replacement, not repair, it said end user agreement was not available! make any sense?

Edited by free32, 26 June 2009 - 03:23 AM.

[Broni]

cd.. with a space?
Never heard of a weird command like this.
I'd stop banging your head, and go for reinstall.