XP repair needed on old system

Hello,
I am not a beginner but not exactly intermediate user. I have a 10 year old sony vaio vgn-a790 laptop, it has never had any bios updates nor are any available.

I am using XP home with sp3 installed. I have either a virus, or possibly a power outage issue. I have a black screen that gives the choices to use last best known, safe mode, safe mode with networking, etc. None of which work if I choose one the system goes into an auto reboot. I don't get a blue screen with an error. I have stopped the reboot loop, but now the system just hangs on the logo screen. I also get a black screen with a bunch of lines of text that end with multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\windows\system32\drivers\ mup.sys

I have tried several different softwares out there including hirens to try & fix but they don't play on my cd/dvd burner. I have the system set to boot from cd/dvd player. Should an iso img be burned with a certain cd and or speed?

I have a cd that I made years ago, I don't remember how or with what I created it, when I try to play it, it does go to the set up screen. When I press enter I get to an error that says can not find EULA. I have my product key and I don't get the screen that asks me to put that in.

So due to that I purchased a new windows xp sp3 cd that arrived scratched, and I am using a borrowed friends windows 7 laptop, where I copied the files from the purchased windows xp sp3 cd to try and make a bootable iso cd to try to use in place of the scratched cd. My issue is in reading the instructions for iso buster to make a slip streamed cd, I found that this does not apply to me because the retail ms disc already has sp3 on it. So I just want to use it to make the iso on a new clean cd with no scratches on it. What is the procedure for that and are there any instructions I can follow on your site for that? I have made one already using imgburn, but that didn't work, maybe I did something wrong don't know for sure, I just started the software, and chose the folder that I copied the files to on my friends computer, nothing like your instructions where it says to choose the microsoft corporation.img

So I am thinking I need detailed instructions. Thank you for any help!

 

Hello,
Thank you for the reply. I have burned a disc using image burn on 10x speed the computer I've borrowed won't burn any slower than that. I played it and got as far as pressing enter, after it finished loading drivers? it appeared to be doing that. Then a blue screen that had these words on a white bar at the bottom of the screen. Examining 476938 MB Disk 0 at, Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi... and it just hung there for 10 minutes and then I shut down the computer. Did I burn this disc at a speed too slow? Should I have waited longer than the 10 mins or ? thank you

I can not do the suggestion for the other disc regarding EULA, because I can not partition the hard disc.

 

The hard disc is only 2 years old, and it's not dead.

 

Do you need to recover data files from the hard drive?

 

I need to get my computer running again, worst case I will buy a case and remove the drive and transfer the data when I get a new computer, but I have been waiting for 9 months for it to get released and there is still no date on that. So I was hoping to get the computer running again. But yes, there is a major amount of data, I don't want to destroy.

 

If the drive is functional, the easiest way to recover your data is to physically remove the HD from the laptop and connect it to another computer using a product like this:

SATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter

Here is a short (6 min) video that gives a little more detail:

Data Recovery With USB Hard Drive Adapter

You can then copy your data files, and check the drive for damage and malware.

Be aware that if you do have malware there is some risk of transferring it to the other computer, so copy data files to a USB stick and scan them there for malware.

You can also use a live Linux distro that runs from the CD or DVD. That can be confusing if you do not already have some experience with Linux, and it will fail if there is anything that is wrong with the rest of the computer hardware, or if the drivers needed are proprietary and not supported within Linux. That could be a reason why your Hirens Boot Disk did not work.

 

Thanks for the link. Can't I just scan the drive itself, instead of transferring the data to usb and scanning? I would like to try a thumb drive with xp on it. But I've found so many different instructions I'm not sure which way to go. I was also wondering if I bought a new cd/dvd player if I could boot from it, instead of the one in my computer, but I've a feeling it won't show up in the bios, to boot from will it? Also, would you happen to know if this would work, since I can't get passed that screen after selecting the enter button from the xp cd, http://support2.microsoft.com/kb/307545
was thinking of trying any of these to get the comp going again.
http://www.msfn.org/...omusb-with-gui/


http://en.kioskea.ne...ootable-usb-key


http://www.winsetupfromusb.com/


http://www.911cd.net...topic=24825&hl=


http://reboot.pro/to...n-a-simple-way/

One other thing I have copied the files from the windows xp sp3 disc, to a borrowed windows 7 laptop. I was going to attempt using this method first "http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/Slipstreaming_Windows_XP_Service_Pack_3.html " but I see in the instructions that it says to extract the microsoft corportation.img. When I copied the files from the disc, in looking in the folder I copied them to, I don't see that .img file anymore. I think it didn't get copied over. did I do something wrong in copying the files, or are these instuctions only to be followed when the disc in actually in the player? I also downloaded http://xdot.tk/ to slipstream with the xp home sp3 files. Not sure of the process but want to add them to the disc, and then create the usb drive to try & boot the computer.

 

Yes you can scan the drive instead of the files, but it might be safer to quickly get your data onto another media and then see what you can do with the drive.

Since you cannot boot into any of the usual repair options, and you don't have a working operating system, it's unlikely that you will have success adding a new CD/DVD drive. I will be surprised if you get XP on a USB stick to boot the computer.

Note the warning from the Microsoft link that you posted:

"Warning: Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system. The system hive on OEM installations creates passwords and user accounts that did not exist previously. If you use the procedure that is described in this article, you may not be able to log back into the recovery console to restore the original registry hives. "

Brand name laptops often have a modified operating system and proprietary software. Your laptop has a high video resolution and that may be an issue. Your only chance of reinstalling XP may be using the Sony disks and then going through the long process of bringing the installation up to date. That process will destroy your data files.

Your plan of buying a new computer and then using the existing drive as a secondary is better.

You could buy another drive and make a clean install on that, and then attach your existing drive as a secondary. You could buy an external USB enclosure instead of just an adapter.

Remember that you are dealing with a 10 year old laptop and there may be a hardware component that has failed. XP is an OS with no future. It's one thing to keep using an old but working computer, and another to spend a lot of time and money bringing one back to life. It will likely be cheaper to buy a new one.

I see you have added some more links. Will look at them tomorrow.

 

Ok so the Microsoft article is out, I won't do anything that could prevent data recovery, could you elaborate on the high video resolution. Does it mean that I should not have burned the cd at 10x speed. I read on MSFN that older laptops might do better at 4x speed. However I'm unsure if that is true for mine, I know this borrowed laptop I'm using cant burn at slower than 10x and that was the speed I used to make the iso disc, that seemed to get stuck, however it could be the disc player, I never really used it much, and I've replaced it once from a parted out model, on ebay. However it does play my one disc until the point where it says can't continue due to EULA.

I would get the computer now if it were available, but it's not. I have to get one as future proof as possible, and I can't go over $3,000 that is including an external monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse, external cd/dvd, router, and adobe cc. So I am choosing asus nx500 closest to 15" mac book pro retina without being an apple. I need it to last at least 7 years, like this one lasted 10.

I just realized I do have another option, if the usb doesn't work, I have access to my mom's old computer, it's a dell desktop, I think it's windows, xp pro, I think the disc, has been cleaned of all data. I will try to get it going, and then if usb doesn't work, just transfer data to that, if it's possible. Just in case the usb drive doesn't work, can you recommend a case for the hard drive, I think metal over plastic, with maybe a rubber bumper for safety? Also do you know if I can clone the hard drive once scanned for viruses, so that I don't loose things like outlook emails that are super old, and software, settings, extensions, and plugins, I don't think her old comp has usb 3.0, maybe I could add that to it?

 

The video resolution has nothing to do with the speed at which you burned the CD. After the CD is burned there should be a verification stage. If it verifies, it's good. If the CD/DVD player was working before this issue developed, it probably still works. The more things you replace or change, the more complicated the problem becomes.

Things like Linux distributions and boot disks have fairly generic video drivers. If the laptop is set up for high def multimedia, you may have a problem with boot disks delivering a display that is very magnified and blurry. The native linux driver may not work. It's just another complication.

The Sony support site has a long list of drivers available for download. Reinstalling from the Sony disks is more likely to result in having the correct ones.

The EULA issue is an old one with XP, especially trying to install from a USB stick. The computer is set up to look for it on the hard drive and on some machines installing from a USB stick results in trying to boot from there.

The web is full of long threads about failed XP installs and repairs. That's why the cry of techs is backup backup backup. It's much easier to reinstall a saved drive image than it is to repair and rebuild an OS with all the user programs, data and settings that you mention.

The idea of using your Mom's desktop is workable, depending on how old it is. You might be able to mount the laptop drive inside the desktop case and avoid the whole USB thing. All the specs regarding the drive have to match.

I don't have recommendations to make regarding which laptop to buy or which drive enclosure. You should verify that you can read the drive before spending money for an enclosure to hold it. Things like USB 3.0 are way down the to do list.

It might save you a lot of grief to pay a repair shop to recover your data to a DVD and test the drive. If you give them the bare drive instead of the whole computer, you may be able to bargain on the cost of the work. Don't know what resources you have available in your area.

 

Which of those links that I sent do you think is best to try the usb bootable method on the laptop?

I think the dell desktop is around 8 years old, one of the 2 hard drives in it, is around 3 years old, maybe four. If I take out my hard drive and put it in a case can I then clone it to one of the drives, after running a scan for viruses?

 

No opinion on the first question.

On the second, you can.

 

Is there a best method, in your opinion for cloning, I've never done anything like that before? thank you

 

Following are some links that may help you:

Cloning vs. imaging

Free Drive Cloning Software

How to Clone (Copy) a Hard Drive in Windows XP

Everybody winds up choosing a method that works for them. Just because "it works for me" does not mean it will for you.

You have a computer that isn't working and a drive that won't boot. If you can get the drive connected to a working computer, and find that you can read the files on it, you should be able to copy them. That doesn't mean the operating system or the application programs will run in the new location.

 

FWIW, here's what I often use that works well: Cavalry "Retriever" Series EN-CAHDD2BU3C-ZB 2.5" & 3.5" Black Standalone SATA Hard Drive Duplicator + USB 3.0 Dual-Bay Dock