Command Prompt???

How in the HE- - do I boot to a command prompt with WINXP PRO??? I had to install a new motherboard for a customer and can't get back into windows because of the stupid STOP ERROR code. Is there a wasy that I can get to a command prompt so that I can copy her MUCH NEEDED files to another Hrad Disk and re-install WINXP PRO? I have been working on this system for 3 days straight now and have bben through every Microsoft Knowledge Base article on XP PRO and still can not find out the problem. I boot with the origiinal XP PRO CD and choose REPAIR and it just stops at STARTING WINDOWS...matter of fact...it is still sitting there now...2 hours now... i just need to get to a command prompt so that I can copy her files to another Hard Disk.

Thanks for the MUCH NEEDED help

J

 

If you're just trying to recover files, remove and install the drive in another machine as a slave... I'm sure you can figure it out from there...

 

Here's my problem...my OTHER machine has WIN98SE on it...with FAT32...which can't read a NTFS formated disk...any other suggestions beside reformating my 98 machine with NTFS?...cause I can't do that right now....

Thanks..
J

 

You are in a pinch!

There is no dos as you are thinking. Only the repair console and it will allow copying, but only to a floppy, as CDR and most removables need drivers that cannot load here. Would be grueling.

So don't try to repair, but do a full reinstall.

You have 3 basic choices.
1. Install and replace the old installation. Have it use the existing windows folder and repalce the files. Just don't have it to format as this will erase the data.

2. a safer route but messy. Have it install to the HD in a new windows folder. You will end up with a dual boot and the first one won't work as now. But you can get the data backed up and may can repair the original install.

3. even better if you have partition magic grow another partition and put the new install there, leaveing c: exactly as is.

Get ready:

Because it may not even install this way, if there is a problem with the motherboard or memory etc.

Good luck,

mike

 

Thanks Mike...I was going to try that re-install but as past RI INSTALLS has done...they write over the My Documents, Program Files and other folders desperately needed. There is nothing wrong with the NEW MoBo or memory so it should work fine. Thanks

J

 

xbot - take a look at HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP. You'd be booting from the XP CD and can get to a command prompt where you can do some of the things you did with earlier OSs booted to DOS.

 

I won't say it won't clear the My Documents for you. But I have done it and they were there.

You best play it safe.

Then best and safest shot. Partition Magic. Create new partition install there. You will have full asscees to the old installation.

If it will install at all. Hope so.

Mike

 

Have you tried bootdisk ?

They have some boot disks for XP and some utilities for recovery of files.

I'm wondering if you couldn't use a 98 startup disk and copy from one drive to another. I have never tried to do this but it sounds good.

Mike? is this possible?

 

Not if he has NTFS.

Yes if Fat!

Mike

 

Check this out. I put MY hard drive on IDE 0, the customers hard drive on IDE 1; my hard drive is FAT32, her's is NTFS. I booted in safe mode to my hard drive (XPPRO). I opened My Computer and there before me was D: drive(her XPPRO drive) and I double clicked it and was able to opy everything I needed to. Tell me how this is possible with MY hard drive being FAT32 and hers being NTFS??? I don't understand it. Would it have something to do with booting in safe mode??? ...Maybe... but I swear I veiwed and copied EVERYTHING from her NTFS formatted drive to my FAT32 formatted drive. This may be of some use to someone in the future.

Thanks for all the help. As usual, this is the BEST help site on the web.

J

 

Xbot, XP is not my area, but you took an XP Pro HD with FAT32 and read a XP Pro HD with NTFS. It does seem normal to me knowing that XP Pro will use FAT32 and NTFS.
NTFS reader for dos is something you might be interested in.

 

WinXP should be better at hardware re-detection than Win2K when changing a motherboard but sometimes you need to do an In-Place Upgrade (not a reinstall). Look at solution #2 at -->

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/other/motherboard/winxp.htm

and follow Solution #2. You shouldn't lose anything on the HD with this and you might even gain a usable HD again!

Good Luck!
Top Dog

 

Hi xbot

Not suprised about the read / copy. Many of us do this on XP / 9x networks daily.. also copy files to and from floppies (FAT32) is transparent on XP running NTFS. I was not aware you could so easily mount the NTFS drive into your XP FAT32 computer. Sounds like a handy tool for your line of work.

 

Hi Xbot

Glad you got the data.

As the others said since XP handles both FAT an NTFS of course it will work.

The smartest thing you did was booting up in safe mode.

Had you came up in full then your OS would have began detecting and installing based on this new MB.

Actually XP and 2K will do some things detecting of items that are needed or that get called even in safe mode. But will not go into full fledged device search/arbitration.

TopDog gave you the correct next step to get the OS on her computer back.

While I have replaced dozens of mother boards on win98 machines I have not had to do on any 2K or XP machines.

So in giving that some thought here is what I would do/reccomend for swapping a MB for 2k and XP.

First if you are upgading a working motherboard for a minor problem or just for the speed. Then the last thing (in safe mode) before shut down should be to remove all HW specific software and chipset software in add/remove.

Then all HW like video controllers, soundcards, USB devices, chipset specific items from the device mgr. Any HD controllers.

Any HW chipset specifics in System Devices and totally remove the USB ports and HUBS.

Then on boot go to safe mode first just to confirm a viable swap. 2K or XP will detect/remove a few key base components. If this is sucessful then go for it and be ready with the new drivers it will need.

No option to do these things because the MB went bad. Then safe mode on first boot for sure and if sucessful then do all of the above before a full boot.

Mike