[jsaklas]

rshaffer61,

Here is the boot.ini file:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW2
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW2="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

J.

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Everyone,

I may have come up with a way to run sfc /scannow

Norton Commander, which is on my computer, is an old DOS file manager program. Its advantage is that it usually can access the hard-drive directly bypassing WINDOWS. I found the sfc program in the WINDOWS/SYSTEM32 sub-directory, i.e. folder, (Again, the original XP is in WINDOWS and the new XP is in WINDOW2.) so I might be able to execute it from Norton Commander.

Should I try this tonight?

J.

Edited by jsaklas, 30 June 2009 - 10:38 PM.

[jsaklas]

Everyone,

I may have come up with a way to run sfc /scannow

Norton Commander, which is on my computer, is an old DOS file manager program. Its advantage is that it usually can access the hard-drive directly bypassing WINDOWS. I found the sfc program in the WINDOWS/SYSTEM32 sub-directory, i.e. folder, (Again, the original XP is in WINDOWS and the new XP is in WINDOW2.) so I might be able to execute it from Norton Commander.

Should I try this tonight?

J.

Edited by jsaklas, 30 June 2009 - 10:38 PM.

[rshaffer61]

OK this is important. By default your system will boot into Windows 2
When it does this is it the good or the bad windows?
In other words if you don't chose it will auto load #2

Edited by rshaffer61, 30 June 2009 - 10:36 PM.

[jsaklas]

Shaff,

Window2 has the GOOD Windows that boots up and works perfectly fine, at least so far.

Windows has the original defective one.

[rshaffer61]

rshaffer61,

Here is the boot.ini file:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW2
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW2="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

J.

Highlighted line needs to be removed. This will allow only the New working XP to be the only bootable OS.
My guess is that the original Windows became corrupted during installation or repair and then XP created a second bootup.
Do not worry as I have a copy of the original boot.ini so if something goes wrong we can fix it.
As long as you have the backup saved we are ok also.

Edited by rshaffer61, 30 June 2009 - 11:10 PM.

[123Runner]

rshaffer61... jsaklas wants to repair the old windows because it has all of his programs installed there. He does not have CD's for his programs. Taking the line out of the boot.ini file isn't going to help us is it?
I think we should look at the sfc command from Nortons if he can get there.
Also, what about the bootcfg/rebuild or fixboot ? Would those help on the old windows thru recovery?

you would want to use the 5th one down for bootable floppy and the 6th one for bootable CD. For the CD it would create an iso file. You can then use Burncdcc from my signature to burn it to the CD.

This is only a way to furthur test the hard drive for possible failures. I honestly do not see drive failure as a problem. Ignor this for now.

[rshaffer61]

You are correct 123Runner, it won't help.
Your suggestion for boot fix may work also.
The other option is to try and disable startup and services in msconfig.


I went over the entire topic again and I noticed something everyone missed. In post #23
jsaklas said

had this machine set up so that all are administrators. No one logs in.

Even if your account has admin rights it is still not the Administrator account.
Please boot into Safe Mode and log in as Administrator
If you did not setup a password for Administrator then leave it empty and click enter.
This account will give you full access to do system wide changes
If you can get to this then what I need you to do is the following. We may have only a short period to do this but let's try.


Lets see what you have in your startup and services

Please click on
Start and then to Run
Type in msconfig and press Enter
Now click on Startups
Then uncheck everything
Now click on Services
Click on the Hide All Microsoft Services
Then uncheck everything and restart.

Edited by rshaffer61, 01 July 2009 - 06:48 AM.

[jsaklas]

123.....
rShaffer 61
and anyone else.

I'm back on-line.

If we can not repair the original Windows and I must either acquire a new legit XP CD and load it, or if I can keep the one I already loaded from the DEll CD, it generates some questions:

1. Are you willing to help me "load up" or should I go to another forum. By load up I mean not load my programs, rather the setting up of the four users, the "porting" of the email of all four users, the porting of each users bookmarks, etc.

2. I have two keys, one is the handwritten one on the Dell XP CD that I used to load the new XP, the other is one I found by running a Keyfinder software. Currently I am prompted that I need to register my XP in 27 days. Can I register with either key and save me the money of buying a new XP disk (I do not want Vista - in fact, I'm tempted to use Linux and abandon all the crap the anti-Christ (Gates) produces - but I lack the courage.)

I'm hoping we can salvage the original XP.

[rshaffer61]

The question is was there dell xp on the system originally or was it a different version of XP?
This will determine which key you will use.
Setting up user accounts is simple so I don't believe this issue will be a problem with anyone.
The bookmarks you may have to work on as this will take time. Since you cannot access the old installation then the option of backing up emails and bookmarks is not viable.

[jsaklas]

rshaffer61,

I can't get into Safe Mode. After listing 20+ drivers and after a few seconds, the screen becomes black with the words Safe Mode in each corner and at the center top is: BUILD .xpsp_sp2 (and more but I could not write fast enought to copy it all down).

Then the machine again shuts down and restarts. Nothing I do (hitting keys, alt-ctr-del, anything) prevents it from shutting down and restarting.

IF there is any possible fix, it must come from outside the original XP. I have full access (I think) to all the files in WINDOWS, but I'm not sure about registries, etc.

[rshaffer61]

Since you can get access to the files then if I am reading this correctly you may be able to backup your bookmarks and emails.


Go HERE for step by step instructions on how to backup your bookmarks\favorites in Internet Explorer.

Go HERE for instructions on how to backup your emails and folders in Outlook Express.

Edited by rshaffer61, 01 July 2009 - 08:54 AM.

[jsaklas]

rshaffer61,

I hate to be a pain in the [bleep], but while one daughter use IE, the rest of us use Firefox. Also, one uses and old Netscape Mail (either 6.0 or 7.2) and the rest use Thunderbird.

Can you help me with these as well.

Also, with the new XP I don't have my burner software. Can windows copy these to a CD, if not I will use a formatted 3.5 floppy.

[rshaffer61]

Ok this is not as hard as it sounds.
Netscape is Firefox and Netscape mail is now Thunderbird
Go HERE for very simple instructions on how to backup Netscape Mail

Burner software you can find HERE under the CD\DVD Burning heading.
The backup should be able to go on a floppy depending on the amount that is in the file.

[123Runner]

jsaklas... I have something I need you to try. Follow this Rshaffer61.

I do not know if this will work. I am trying to get us to msconfig in the old windows. We might be able to do it through the command prompt in the new windows. This will require pure dos commands. If we succeed, then we should be able to do what Rshaffer61 suggested in post 37.
I am suspecting that in Dos we would probably see windows and windows2. With windows being the old/ bad windows.

The other possibility is what jsaklas mentioned in 1 of his posts about Norton Commander.

Lets start with the Norton commander part 1st because you were already at the windows\system32 directory.

Note: A search on my computer found msconfig.exe in the following areas.
C:\windows\servicepackfiles\I386
C:\windows\system32\dllcache
C:\windows\$ntservicepackuninstall$

jsaklas...Please attempt the following. What you should have on the screen is c:\windows\system32\dllcache>msconfig.exe and this is when you hit enter.
1. Get to the windows\system32 directory.
2. Then get to the dllcache directory.
3. Type in msconfig.exe and hit enter

If successful, we should have the the system configuration utility up (msconfig)

Then continue with the following:
Now click on Startups
Then uncheck everything
Now click on Services
Click on the Hide All Microsoft Services
Then uncheck everything in the box and restart

123runner

[rshaffer61]

Good suggestion 123Runner