Can i restore my XP using Vista?! help xp is dead!

So my windows xp wont even boot i get a status oxc0000034. I recently installed a dual boot configuration. XP and vista are on two different hard drives though.

I put in my windows zp cd and select repair, type in my password but it says the password is wrong? Whats going on? I am the only account and the only person who uses the computer. and my profile is definetly admin!

Heres my setup:

(hard drive 1)C drive: windows XP
(hard drive 2)J drive, K drive. J has vista on it and vista works. K drive should have evreything backed up from norton ghost.

So will this work:

Install norton ghost on vista. And restore my C drive using the 50-60GB backup in my K drive that ghost made? because right now my first hard drive is essentially toast. I havent even tried running vista yet. Im scared ill mess up my computer even further.

I just dont want to erase that backup somehow. Is it safe? What else can i do to fix XP?

(edit) Also it seems my drive letters have changed in vista. my backup that was K is now d. my original C drive (for xp) is now F?? Can i still restore using the method above? or is my backup already going to be corrupted because of the drive letter changes! Im making sure not to navigate the backupdrive still.

 

Have you tried a blank password? Even though you are the only user (even with admin rights) you may not be the administrator.

If possible look in your BIOS to disable HD 2 during the repair. It's probably not necessary but may help, be aware you may have to do a repair install of Vista after repairing XP.

The ghost image may be your best option but please read below

Given the issues it may be best to ask someone to assist in person rather than relying on remote assistance, personally I'd have no problem dealing with this if I was at the keyboard but I wouldn't be comfortable helping remotely.

I'm sorry I couldn't help but perhaps others here can.

 

Ok thanks for the advice. Ill just hang in here and hopefully someone will bring in some insight. But i thought id mention i dont really care about my vista OS at all. It has zero saved data or settings on it. I just want my xp back with all my files and settings. And i tried the repair with just the XP hard drive attached. the other hard drive i d/c the power from it. Same effect right?!?

 

That helps

What happened?

English is not a first language for many users here, d/c could leave many whereas disconnected wouldn't In answer to your question yes often it's the same effect as long as the BIOS isn't confused now (looking for a second non-existent drive)

 

This is what happened:

before doing this i set the only boot option as the cd drive. I disabled the other hard drive 2 that has vista and the backup via my bios.

1. I load my windows xp cd it gives me 3 options
-setup windows xp (enter)
-repair a windows xp installation using recovery console (R)
-quit(F3)
2. I type R
3. it lists the only install directory of windows (c:/windows) i select 1 and choose the only installation.
4. It prompts me to type the administrator password, i type my password and it says its not valid.
5. I try no password and it just says:

6. I try numerous passwords, no luck!

again im the only account and i know the password that gets me into the logon screen normally, its not registering in this DOS lookiing windows or something. Im the only user and only person that uses this computer!

I dont know what else to do other try than to recover my C drive using norton ghost on windows vista. I just dont know that it will 100% work. I dont really want to reinstall windows and lose precious programs and documents considering i have a backup.

Edit: also, i tried more passwords but no luck, so i booted vista again. But this time it detected XP on the other hard drive and wanted to scan it. I quickly stopped it. What do i do?! Thanks!

 

No password is the option you require, however the recovery console may not be what you are looking for. I have to admit again I'm not comfortable giving remote advice regarding this (I don't dual boot nor use vista).

I've asked others who are more comfortable with this situation to for someone to assist. Be patient though these boards can get a little busy.

 

If you have your XP drive backed up on the second hard drive (with Vista) open the case and physically unplug it. Now your XP data is safe. Vista calls its boot "C" no matter what, so when you boot into Vista it is expected that your drive letters will be "rearranged ". Now, with your second drive disconnected, stick your XP cd in, boot to the CD and try again. If you do a clean install or a repair, you risk data loss, but you should be able to restore your data to the first drive from your back up on the Vista drive.
Johanna

 

Ok before i demolish my hard drive. Can i navigate my hard drive that has XP on it and copy the "program files" from my Hard drive 1 to hard drive 2?!

Hell can i even navigate the other hard drive while im using vista? or will it corrupt or something.

Is there a way i can just copy files from my XP CD in vista and just overwrite them by dragging them off the CD and onto the other hard drive using windows explorer?

 

HTH
Johanna

 

Well i do have the regisirty backed up from another program. so in combination with the program files folder and the saved registry would the programs then work?

I also tried reading the readme/help on norton ghost. But its not telling me if it backs up programs and the registry. I did do a full backup as far as the program is concerned. My entire XP os/ with programs and files totaled 58GBs or so. and combined my backup is around 60 GB's?!


hell as im typing this my xp just booted up magicly?? I did nothing to fix it. the only thing ive done is disconnected the other hard drive. What should i do to prevent this from happening again?! erase vista? not use the 2nd hard drive? id like to have the extra hard drive!

Ive disconnected the other hard drive in an attempt to boot xp and fiddled with the bios and it did nothing previously!

 

So XP booted okay and you have access to your files from within XP now?

I am going to ask the hardware techs to take a look at this thread.
Johanna

 

Yes, thankfully my xp works. I have tons of files on there. I setup dualboot and it worked for a few days and then out of nowhere it refuesed to boot. And then it decided to work again. I just want to try to prevent this from happening again. So im basically duplicatiting the hard drives. ill throw on XP on the larger drive, and partition the other drive with 2 partitions for backup and another OS if i feel bold again. Besides this new hard drive is faster!

What still baffles me is why i could'nt login to repair windows...when my computer decided to work it let me login just fine with my admin password. I went to the controll panel and verifed that im the only account w/ admin privlages.

 

Itsdaveonline:
You don't need special software to dual boot. Having the two OSes on different frives is the way I do it, too. XP can see all of Vista's files and vice versa. You do know how to go into the BIOS and change the boot order, right? Make the cd/dvd the first boot, and whatever OS/Drive you usually boot into next.

You have to have the recovery console installed before you need it- it's not something that you can use from a cd when the computer won't boot. You did insall the RC at a previous time right, right? Vista's repair is done from the DVD. You never mentioned whether System Restore was presented as an option or if you installed software or connected new hardware before the drive wouldn't boot. Why do you have the XP registry backed up? Do you mean you have a cloned drive?

The reason I want a hardware tech to take a look at this is that the boot drive (XP) wasn't being recognized for some reason.
Johanna