XP disaster recovery HELP!!!!!!

Am I *******? I was in the process of installing SP1 when XP crashed. Now the machine goes into a boot loop. My install CD is a couple of days away via mail. Is there a way to recover (e.g. a safe mode)? The install process had completed creating the backup checkpoint befor ethe crash. How do I restore it? TIA.

 

To get into safe mode. use the F8 key at boot. When you can, go to Control Panel/System/Advanced/Startup and recovery
and uncheck auto restart to prevent an endless loop of boots when you are having trouble. I'm sure M$ meant well, but this feature can make you stark raving crazy while a troubled computer endlessly reboots.

Incidentally, I haven't installed the Service Packs. I read somewhere that the failure rate is 20%, and that once you install it, you can't remove certain parts. Is this true? Does anyone know?

 

Thanks for the reply. I thought it was F8 but it didn't seem to work. I guess I just wasn't hitting it at the right time. In any case I just held it down and eventually it worked.

Now for the bad news. None of the choices helped. I tried virtually every possbility and they all did the same thing. I guess I'm up the proverbial creek.

Can I install ME (I have that CD) and preserve XP to recover later? How would I do that? If I can get ME up I might be able to rebuild my backup recovery disk (that won't boot either, except when I tested it of course) and then restore the XP directory and registry from tape.

 

It just occurred to me. That can't work. NTFS file system. RATS!!!

 

Your best bet would be to boot from your original XP Cd and do a repair installation. You won't lose anything that way. Just proceed like you were installing, then after pressing F8 to accept the license, highlight the option you want repaired. That should return you to pre-SP1.

 

Thanks but I was hoping for a trick more immediate. As I said originally my CD is a few days away by mail.

 

Oh. I thought you awaited the SP1 CD, so it looks like you are up the creek.

Did you happen to install the Recovery Console (I'm sure you would have mentioned it!)?

If you did, you may be able to get hobbled functionality by restoring registry hives:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

 

No, I was getting SP1 via MS on-line update.

I have no idea what recovery console is so no I did not install it.

What I have is a Stomp (formerly Veritias) Backup MyPC disaster recovery set. After throughly testing the floppies produced and putting them in the drawer, the boot floppy decided to be an invalid system disk just when I needed it most. Now I don't have anything that can read an NTFS file system.

Thinking about it, I have an old Red Hat CD somewhere. Does anyone know if the Linux recovery shell can read an NTFS file system? Even if it could, the obvious next question is how do I restore the recovery checkpoint with just copy and/or rename?

 

Linux won't read NTFS as far as I know.

 

Thanks for the info. I know it reads FAT but figured reading NTFS was wishful thinking.