[westcparts]

when booting system stops and displays can not continue
system32\drivers\ntfs.sys missing or corrupted

put the setup cd in & restarted pressed f12 to boot from cd

drivers were (apperantly) reloaded:

then the welcome to windows scrren is displayed;

press enter to continue

to repair windows installation from repair console press "R"

to quit windows without installing press F3

well it is hung at this point...

Which way to go

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Boot up with the XP CD in the drive and let Setup run. Go past the "C" and "R" repair options by presssing Enter just as if you're doing a clean install and you'll eventually get an option to "Repair an existing installation". That's the one you want. If it asks about formatting you've gone wrong, so start over.

You'll get to keep your existing apps & settings, but you need to re-install SP2, Windows Updates & any unsigned drivers afterwards. NOTE: Be aware that you'll lose any protection from Blaster / Sasser type worms. Don't go online without a firewall, whether the built in Windows one or 3rd party.

How to Perform A Re-Install Of XP
Repair XP


can you try that and tell me what stage you get stuck at..if you get stuck at all

[dsenette]

Boot up with the XP CD in the drive and let Setup run. Go past the "C" and "R" repair options by presssing Enter just as if you're doing a clean install and you'll eventually get an option to "Repair an existing installation". That's the one you want. If it asks about formatting you've gone wrong, so start over.

You'll get to keep your existing apps & settings, but you need to re-install SP2, Windows Updates & any unsigned drivers afterwards. NOTE: Be aware that you'll lose any protection from Blaster / Sasser type worms. Don't go online without a firewall, whether the built in Windows one or 3rd party.

How to Perform A Re-Install Of XP
Repair XP


can you try that and tell me what stage you get stuck at..if you get stuck at all

[dsenette]

disregard the xp part of that..i just saw that you're on 98....the steps should be the same..but let me do some research

[westcparts]

i'm at the point of the system is hung in my first post

it will not accept "enter" "R" or F3

should the system be shut off(power button) or how to get out of this
screen as original post

Thanks
Michael

[dsenette]

i've got one quick question before we try to just shut the darned thing off in the middle of an install....


what kind of keyboard are you using ? usb? ps/2?

[westcparts]

No we're working on another computer sorry for the confussion..
its another PC behind me ...

Michael

[dsenette]

right....and what kind of keyboard is that computer using

[westcparts]

ps/2

Michael

[dsenette]

rats...i was hoping you were using usb or wireless or something....tht would have made it a little easier...(because it was possible the machine just didn't recognize the keyboard)....try another keyboard on the machine...just to make sure it's not that...if that doesn't work...then...well...you'll probably need to turn off the machine to get out of that screen

[westcparts]

nay sorry tried another keyboard didn't respond...<sigh>

Michael

[westcparts]

Ok Hmmm

the puter is a dell .

the original setup cd is a reinstall cd , so sorry we thought it was XP Pro
we got past the "R" option then the XP PRO CD
(windows cd, not dell cd) said that it could not find a prior version of windows
installed on the PC. It wants to put in a full version cd of XP home edition(which
we have but it is the original Dell cd) or a cd of xp pro, win 2000, millinum, 98 or
win 3.1 to use the upgrade windows xp pro cd. we are at the point of putting in the
Dell xp home edition or F3 to abort the setup.. They really don't want to upgrade
to xp pro.. your suggestion at this point

Michael

[dsenette]

ok...so i can figure out what's going on....

this is a dell machine with xp home on it? or 98?
you have an xp pro disk(not for the dell)...and a recovery disk(for the dell)?
the xp pro is an upgrade version?

[westcparts]

yes the PC is a Dell pre loaded with XP Home edition
yes the DEll CD has a label to reinstall only , not for new PC's
yes we have the XP Pro upgrage CD (windows version not dell)

Michael

[dsenette]

ok...well...what you don't want to do is use the xp pro disk....

what you do want to do is use the dell recovery disk...you should be able to choose a repair optioin during the setup from that disk...so...now that you've turned the machine off and gotten out of the section you were stuck at....go ahead and boot to the dell recovery cd

[westcparts]

ok a t the DOS prompt c:\windows\system32\drivers\ under the dell recovery cd
found the ntfs.sys file

but unable to find the file on the recovery cd (d:) drive to replace it

Michael