No c:\windows\repair\system file!!

[mtrox]

Working on a computer today...got things fixed up then used System Mechanic to clean up the registry a bit. Something went goofy as it deleted bad entries and I couldn't boot back up. I go through the BIOS, then the Windows splash screen, then I get a black screen with an arrow pointer....nothing else.

So I went into the repair console thinking I'd just rename the system and software hives from windows\repair, get back in and do a sys restore to before Sytem Mechanic made changes. There's no SYSTEM in windows\repair to copy. Am I screwed now? Is there any other backup of SYSTEM from the first install that you know of? Anyone know of a way I can use a backup from the system restore folder?

[Thrax]

You could always see if my article worked. :P

[mtrox]

Thrax I read that.....I've got a completely F'd up registry...but I know I've got good ones in Sys Restore. Would your deal get me back in so I could use sys restore to get back to the restore point I made before System Mechanic?

[mtrox]

So Thrax I wanna try your trick but your directions are pretty specific about what I have to do if this is a Prescott chip. It's a Pent IV running at 2.6 (or so the sticker says on the outside of this HP), but how do I find out more about it when all I can get is a command prompt through the repair console?

[Thrax]

/noexecute=optin is flagged by default for any nx/xd chips, even without the switch as of some post-SP2 update that I can't specify. /fastdetect is all anyone needs now.

[mtrox]

Thanks but I figured out it was a Northwood any way. Went all through your steps, then rebooted. Now I get three choices after the BIOS.

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Micosoft Windows Recovery

I've booted into both of the top two...same result. After the splash screen I get a black screen with a white mouse pointer that I can move. Did I screw up your trick or am I in the ditch here?

[Thrax]

It'll automagically add a second entry on some PCs. If that happens (It's hit or miss, I don't know why), it can be fixed by editing the boot.ini manually inside Windows.

Looks like you're up **** creek. WinXP/2K should make copies of the registry on first full boot when it's first installed.. That's a long time and many updates ago for most people, but they're there if you want me to track down the info.

[mtrox]

Ya know Thrax, if you know where they are I'd love it. Only place I know is windows\repair\.....and that's got SYSTEM but not SOFTWARE.

[Thrax]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/

[mtrox]

About the time you posted I got in. I was in that same KB article you saw. I didn't do it their way. I used Knoppix, stole the registry files out of the last restore point, copied them to system32\config, then rebooted. I'm back where I was at 3:15 today. Client hasn't lost a thing, and best of all, I solved my puzzle.

[mtrox]

Next time I will waste no time. I'll just go in with Knoppix or Bart's, copy the registry from the last restore point and reboot. This was a well spent day.

[Thrax]

See, I have last-knowns turned off, so I'd really be screwed. Good on ya, mtrox. :)

[mtrox]

Thanks for hanging in there with me Thrax. Always helps to have someone to talk it through with. Shoot that one's so good I'd write it up, but I think you first have to explain Barts or some Live Linux CD before you even get to the meat of the thing.

[Thrax]

Smells like an article. I'm sure Keebler would love to see it in writing. ;)

[mtrox]

I'll take a swing at it...maybe over the holidays when I'm sitting with the rellies. I might be able to avoid the whole knoppix/Barts thing by doing it all command line from a repair console....