[RKinner]

We might get lucky but if you want to be sure then I would wipe it and reinstall XP. Do you have the CD?

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I pretty sure I do not. And the whole point here was to not have to reinstall. I want to try for "lucky". I'm a lucky guy.

Call me "Lucky", and what is the next step?

[rootkits-r-evil]

I pretty sure I do not. And the whole point here was to not have to reinstall. I want to try for "lucky". I'm a lucky guy.

Call me "Lucky", and what is the next step?

[rootkits-r-evil]

I looked, and there is no CD. Which is OK, because I really, REALLY don't want to give up and re-install the OS and lose years of work setting it all up. That would be admitting defeat.

Reinstalling the OS = Disaster.

[RKinner]

Looking at the boot.ini I see something funny. It says:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\

Seems to me that is the hidden partition it is calling for. I would think the regular partition would be 1 and not 2.


Open boot.ini in notepad as you did before and make it say

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
UnsupportedDebug="do not select this" /debug
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Good Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Then next to the last line is a copy of the original last line with the partition number changed to 1 and the word Good added before Microsoft. Otherwise it's the same.

File, Save. (This is a read only file so you have to tell it you want to write it.) If it won't let you, open up a command prompt as before and type:

attrib  -r  \boot.ini

Then try to save it. Reboot and you should have three choices. Pick the one that says Good Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. I want to see if that boots.

Ron

[rootkits-r-evil]

Then next to the last line is a copy of the original last line with the partition number changed to 1 and the word Good added before Microsoft. Otherwise it's the same.

File, Save. (This is a read only file so you have to tell it you want to write it.) If it won't let you,


It wouldn't.

open up a command prompt as before and type:

attrib -r \boot.ini


Then try to save it.


It said, "Not resetting hidden file -C:\boot.ini"

Because I have to go back and forth with a thumb drive, I didn't cut and paste the text. Does it matter how many spaces between "attrib" and "-r"? or anything like that?

[rootkits-r-evil]

I typed it exact. That is two spaces. Same thing.

[RKinner]

Try

attrib  -r  -h  -s  \boot.ini

one space should be enough. I use two in the code box so that you can see where the space goes.

[RKinner]

If that doesn't work then try the official MS way:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022

[rootkits-r-evil]

If that doesn't work then try the official MS way:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022


I read it three times and it made no sense to me.

[rootkits-r-evil]

I think that worked! I'm going to try to reboot.

[rootkits-r-evil]

OK, as you said, it gave me three choices. (Four actually, including, "don't chose this.")


BUT....

I selected "Windows Good", and it gives me a black screen that says,,.,

"windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<Windows Root>\system32\hal.dll

please re-install a copy of the above file.

[RKinner]

Is the PC that works also an XP? You can try copying the file from C:\Windows\System32\hal.dll on the good PC to the bad PC. Problem I see is getting it onto the C:\ drive. I suppose you can boot into the bad Windows and copy it to C:\ then boot into the Recovery Console, log on to the C: drive and type:

copy E:\hal.dll c:\Windows\System32\hal.dll

[RKinner]

or just try the one in E

copy E:\Windows\System32\hal.dll c:\Windows\System32\hal.dll

[rootkits-r-evil]

"Is the PC that works also an XP?"

Yes.

"You can try copying the file from C:\Windows\System32\hal.dll on the good PC to the bad PC."

Not sure how to do that.

"Problem I see is getting it onto the C:\ drive. I suppose you can boot into the bad Windows and copy it to C:\ then boot into the Recovery Console, log on to the C: drive and type:

copy E:\hal.dll c:\Windows\System32\hal.dll "


I don't understand. You're over my head here.

[RKinner]

Find the hal.dll file on the good PC.
Copy it to the USB drive.
Move it to the bad.
Copy from the usb drive to C:\hal.dll

Boot into the Recovery console. Select C:

Type:

copy E:\hal.dll c:\Windows\System32\hal.dll