Use Recovery Console To Get Windows Operable?

I've the pleasure of never having to recover from an OS crash...until now.

Scenario:

1) Upon booting, error message received reporting that Windows files are missing and to insert the XP CD and press 'R' for Recovery
2) Inserted CD, pressed 'R', message "The Recovery Console provides repair and recovery functionality ", then sits at C:\> prompt...

What needs to be done next to get XP operable again?

The Windows XP Recovery Console KB article does not provide this.

 

If you have a list of the missing files, you can use the recovery console to extract copies from the CD. But it is not much fun.

If you can boot to the OS at all (safe mode maybe or 'last known good configuration' or similar), chances are good that from a start => run line

Code:

sfc /scannow

will fix you up.

Otherwise, the simplest solution may be a repair install of XP. Normally it replaces missing/damaged stuff but leaves your OS and installed apps intact. Normally.

 

Hi, Newt ~

Cannot get to the OS at all. No list of missing files available. I thought 'repair installation' does not exist with XP? The only options are to format the drive and install or use Recovery Console.

 

To repair your existing XP installation don't select the first repair option. Instead, at that same screen press enter (To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER). You'll then be given the option of installing a new copy of XP or to repair the one you have now.

 

Hi, Zander ~

Will this be after it formats and sets up the Windows files? There has been no second repair option and now it has rebooted and finalizing installation. It looks like a fresh install not a paint-over like you could do pre-XP.

 

Go to this page and click on the link that says "how to repair install ". There's pictures of of the screens you should see while doing this.

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

 

As per the above quote, it seems that the option may not appear for whatever reason and no to install, but no further info as what to do in that event.

The repair screen did not appear as indicated. What appeared was the option to format the drive space.

 

Some KB Article that could save or destroy your system

I have the exact problem. Could you tell me the exact error message you get when you try to boot up the machine? This KB article decribes how to fix registry corruption, first, rip up the old one, put a fresh one in and restore your original registry through safe mode. I am am personally comtemplating this method as it's my only hope, (no XP CD, HP support is a joke, and I have files that I have not backed up ). If you feel the risk is acceptable, then you can try, but I am still waiting for an answer if this is the right thing to do.

Also, your registry may be so corrputed that the setup disk cannot detect an XP installation. The XP registry is basically, 5 files in the folder:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG

-System
-Software
-Sam
-Security
-Default

 

Restoring registry did not work.

The error message was simply "Error loading Windows" as it was booting and just stays there. The option to boot to safe mode nets same result.

I had an Acronis True Image image, but the *ing thing was corrupt, even though it was verified when created.

I gave up and simply reformatted. I only lost email and the competition's data directories, so I only cried for about 10 minutes.

 

The moral of the story is to always -->*USE*<-- your backups after you create them, (not lets some jumble of zeros and ones "verify" the image) and to NEVER NEVER defragment the image. Also, never delete anything in the folder System 32 unless your sure it's spyware!!! (I learned the hard way!!!, that's how I corrupted my OEM version of 98 on my Aptiva, had to use the "red disk of doom" aka reformat recovery disk to fix it)

 

How do you 'use' a backup to see if it is good? If I would've used my corrupted image on my good system, it would've hosed it.