Recovery of corrupt WinXP System file on IBM A31p

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?

a) Given the IBM A31p ThinkPad dreaded black screen of death:
Windows could not start because the following file
is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows
Setup Utility usnig the original Setup CD-ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair:

b) And given I just received the two IBM recovery disks
(and also given somewhere on my hard drive is a recovery
windows XP I think). And given I don't have any pristine
(i.e., non IBM-supplied) Windows XP Professional CDROM.
And given all I want to do is press 'r' at the right time.

c) How can I follow the instructions?
That is, at which point do I press "r" to recover the one
missing or corrupt file?

1. When I try to use the IBM recovery disks, they try to
reformat and wipe out the whole system (all I need is the
one corrupt file).

2. If there is a Windows XP recover lurking on the hard
drive of the IBM A31p laptop (if it was there originally,
it's still there, somewhere, as I've never reformatted),
then how to I access that on-disk WindowsXP to press the
"r" button to recover the missing file?

3. Is there some other way to recover the one missing file?

Please help me as I'm dead in the water,

Julie
 

kelly

Distinguished
Apr 14, 2004
16
0
18,560
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

To fix the "windows\system32\config\system file is mising or corrupt" where
Xp wont boot:

Go to Recovery Console and type:

cd system32\config
ren system system.old
ren system.alt systemalt.old
copy c:\windows\repair\system
copy c:\windows\repair\regback\system
exit

Recover from a Corrupted Registry Preventing Win XP from Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307545

--
All the Best,
Kelly

Microsoft-MVP Windows® XP
2004 Windows MVP "Winny" Award

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm


"Julie Tobatias" <tobatonia@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3f54ab44.0406032301.48f3f567@posting.google.com...
> How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?
>
> a) Given the IBM A31p ThinkPad dreaded black screen of death:
> Windows could not start because the following file
> is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
> You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows
> Setup Utility usnig the original Setup CD-ROM.
> Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair:
>
> b) And given I just received the two IBM recovery disks
> (and also given somewhere on my hard drive is a recovery
> windows XP I think). And given I don't have any pristine
> (i.e., non IBM-supplied) Windows XP Professional CDROM.
> And given all I want to do is press 'r' at the right time.
>
> c) How can I follow the instructions?
> That is, at which point do I press "r" to recover the one
> missing or corrupt file?
>
> 1. When I try to use the IBM recovery disks, they try to
> reformat and wipe out the whole system (all I need is the
> one corrupt file).
>
> 2. If there is a Windows XP recover lurking on the hard
> drive of the IBM A31p laptop (if it was there originally,
> it's still there, somewhere, as I've never reformatted),
> then how to I access that on-disk WindowsXP to press the
> "r" button to recover the missing file?
>
> 3. Is there some other way to recover the one missing file?
>
> Please help me as I'm dead in the water,
>
> Julie
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

> How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?

You can't!

Since you bought an IBM ThinkPad, you don't get the "real" Windows
XP intallation CDROM (from which you can press the 'r' to recover).

The only thing the IBM installation CDROM can do is re-format
your disk and install a brand-new WinXP + IBM stuff image!

I'm afraid you're hosed (because IBM doesn't ship the Windows XP
Installation CDROM).

You're only hope is to find an IBM expert who knows how to run
the Windows XP Recovery Console from the secret spot on your hard
disk that came shipped with the ThinkPad.

Your other hope is to find someone who can show you how to boot
into Windows 95 (or whatever) from a floppy; and then to show you how
to manually fix the corrupted hive.

One other option, since the IBM A31p ThinkPad has two bays, you can
borrow a bootable disk for the first bay, and put your original boot
disk in the second bay ... and then maybe (I don't know how to make
the first disk recognize the second disk) fix the problem that way.

All in all -- you're totally hosed unless someione knows more than
I do & helps you.

Orak Listalavostok
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hi

If you have a 'Recovery' disk from your PC supplier, you can access the
Recovery Console with a set of floppy disks:

"Windows XP Home Edition Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install"
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e8fe6868-6e4f-471c-b455-bd5afee126d8&displaylang=en

"Windows XP Professional Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=55820EDB-5039-4955-BCB7-4FED408EA73F

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


"Julie Tobatias" <tobatonia@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3f54ab44.0406032301.48f3f567@posting.google.com...
| How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?
|
| a) Given the IBM A31p ThinkPad dreaded black screen of death:
| Windows could not start because the following file
| is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
| You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows
| Setup Utility usnig the original Setup CD-ROM.
| Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair:
|
| b) And given I just received the two IBM recovery disks
| (and also given somewhere on my hard drive is a recovery
| windows XP I think). And given I don't have any pristine
| (i.e., non IBM-supplied) Windows XP Professional CDROM.
| And given all I want to do is press 'r' at the right time.
|
| c) How can I follow the instructions?
| That is, at which point do I press "r" to recover the one
| missing or corrupt file?
|
| 1. When I try to use the IBM recovery disks, they try to
| reformat and wipe out the whole system (all I need is the
| one corrupt file).
|
| 2. If there is a Windows XP recover lurking on the hard
| drive of the IBM A31p laptop (if it was there originally,
| it's still there, somewhere, as I've never reformatted),
| then how to I access that on-disk WindowsXP to press the
| "r" button to recover the missing file?
|
| 3. Is there some other way to recover the one missing file?
|
| Please help me as I'm dead in the water,
|
| Julie
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I suggest you start with a virus scan. That message can be because you have
a virus.
"Julie Tobatias" <tobatonia@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3f54ab44.0406032301.48f3f567@posting.google.com...
> How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?
>
> a) Given the IBM A31p ThinkPad dreaded black screen of death:
> Windows could not start because the following file
> is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
> You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows
> Setup Utility usnig the original Setup CD-ROM.
> Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair:
>
> b) And given I just received the two IBM recovery disks
> (and also given somewhere on my hard drive is a recovery
> windows XP I think). And given I don't have any pristine
> (i.e., non IBM-supplied) Windows XP Professional CDROM.
> And given all I want to do is press 'r' at the right time.
>
> c) How can I follow the instructions?
> That is, at which point do I press "r" to recover the one
> missing or corrupt file?
>
> 1. When I try to use the IBM recovery disks, they try to
> reformat and wipe out the whole system (all I need is the
> one corrupt file).
>
> 2. If there is a Windows XP recover lurking on the hard
> drive of the IBM A31p laptop (if it was there originally,
> it's still there, somewhere, as I've never reformatted),
> then how to I access that on-disk WindowsXP to press the
> "r" button to recover the missing file?
>
> 3. Is there some other way to recover the one missing file?
>
> Please help me as I'm dead in the water,
>
> Julie
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Julie Tobatias" <tobatonia@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3f54ab44.0406032301.48f3f567@posting.google.com...
> How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?
>
> a) Given the IBM A31p ThinkPad dreaded black screen of death:
> Windows could not start because the following file
> is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
> You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows
> Setup Utility usnig the original Setup CD-ROM.
> Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair:
>
> b) And given I just received the two IBM recovery disks
> (and also given somewhere on my hard drive is a recovery
> windows XP I think). And given I don't have any pristine
> (i.e., non IBM-supplied) Windows XP Professional CDROM.
> And given all I want to do is press 'r' at the right time.
>
> c) How can I follow the instructions?
> That is, at which point do I press "r" to recover the one
> missing or corrupt file?
>
> 1. When I try to use the IBM recovery disks, they try to
> reformat and wipe out the whole system (all I need is the
> one corrupt file).
>
> 2. If there is a Windows XP recover lurking on the hard
> drive of the IBM A31p laptop (if it was there originally,
> it's still there, somewhere, as I've never reformatted),
> then how to I access that on-disk WindowsXP to press the
> "r" button to recover the missing file?
>
> 3. Is there some other way to recover the one missing file?
>
> Please help me as I'm dead in the water,
>
> Julie

I'm hoping that you have F11 option at the start up. Turn off the computer.
Press and hold enter key and reboot and enter the ibm bios and see if you
have F11 option. Press F11 and that'll take you to the secret location and
from there you can do whatever. I hope so.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"ZX4" <kimlagoon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3Nnwc.6292$QT3.6214@nwrdny01.gnilink.net...
>
> "Julie Tobatias" <tobatonia@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:3f54ab44.0406032301.48f3f567@posting.google.com...
> > How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?
> >
> > a) Given the IBM A31p ThinkPad dreaded black screen of death:
> > Windows could not start because the following file
> > is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
> > You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows
> > Setup Utility usnig the original Setup CD-ROM.
> > Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair:
> >
> > b) And given I just received the two IBM recovery disks
> > (and also given somewhere on my hard drive is a recovery
> > windows XP I think). And given I don't have any pristine
> > (i.e., non IBM-supplied) Windows XP Professional CDROM.
> > And given all I want to do is press 'r' at the right time.
> >
> > c) How can I follow the instructions?
> > That is, at which point do I press "r" to recover the one
> > missing or corrupt file?
> >
> > 1. When I try to use the IBM recovery disks, they try to
> > reformat and wipe out the whole system (all I need is the
> > one corrupt file).
> >
> > 2. If there is a Windows XP recover lurking on the hard
> > drive of the IBM A31p laptop (if it was there originally,
> > it's still there, somewhere, as I've never reformatted),
> > then how to I access that on-disk WindowsXP to press the
> > "r" button to recover the missing file?
> >
> > 3. Is there some other way to recover the one missing file?
> >
> > Please help me as I'm dead in the water,
> >
> > Julie
>
> I'm hoping that you have F11 option at the start up. Turn off the
computer.
> Press and hold enter key and reboot and enter the ibm bios and see if you
> have F11 option. Press F11 and that'll take you to the secret location and
> from there you can do whatever. I hope so.

and if you don't have F11 option, then reboot the computer, press F8 when
IBM logo shows up, that'll show you another screen ( I hope) , scroll down
to 'last known good configuration' and press enter. That should get you
started.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

>>I'm hoping that you have F11 option at the start up. Turn off the
>
> computer.
>
>>Press and hold enter key and reboot and enter the ibm bios and see if you
>>have F11 option. Press F11 and that'll take you to the secret location and
>>from there you can do whatever. I hope so.
>
>
> and if you don't have F11 option, then reboot the computer, press F8 when
> IBM logo shows up, that'll show you another screen ( I hope) , scroll down
> to 'last known good configuration' and press enter. That should get you
> started.

=================================================
I'm afraid that this is not what Julie asked for. I don't believe she
wants to return her computer to the state at which she bought it,
without the added programs, modifications, and probably considerable
amounts of data.

Julie, ignore the F11 option unless you want to wipe out everything
you've done and start over from the first day you bought the computer.
I'm not familiar with Kelly's solution, but I doubt that you can readily
go to the Recovery Console, thus eliminating that option as described.
Will proposed the same solution with a possible way to implement it, but
alas, that's not what you requested. There is no simple "R" to press
and your one file will be fixed. Check Orak's response, get some expert
help from IBM knowledgeable persons (better than Windows help), and
don't count on it being quick and easy. I allot 3 hours (for a simple
installation) to 10 hours (for a highly customized installation as I
have) to rebuild my C drive and applications following the F11 option.

Jerry C.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Kelly" <kelly@mvps.org> wrote in message
> Go to Recovery Console and type:
> cd system32\config
> ren system system.old
> ren system.alt systemalt.old
> copy c:\windows\repair\system
> copy c:\windows\repair\regback\system
> exit

How do I get into this recovery console?

I tried (I really did) and tried (over and over and over again)
but I must've missed something as I'm really deep in it right now
even worse than when I started, I think.

I have an IBM Thinkpad laptop which had the same error above.
I have an OEM Windows XP product key printed on the bottom.
I got that error message above and Windows XP would not boot.
I borrowed a Windows XP Pro SP1 disk from our IT guys.
(little did I know it requires a Volume License Agreement serial
number!)

Here is what I did and I'm STILL not booted up (after many hours)
trying
to follow Kelly's instructions to get to the recovery console:

0. I set my IBM ThinkPad BIOS to boot from the CDROM.
1. I Placed a Windows XP SP1 CDROM into the CDROM drive of the IBM
A31p.
2. I Pressed the IBM A31p power button until the ThinkPad booted.
3. At the request to press any key to boot from the CDROM, I pressed
any key.
4. I pressed the 'recovery' "R" to get into the recovery console
window.
Note: This may have been my first mistake. But there was no
"Upgrade" option for me to then select "Repair" which
reputedly preserves applications & settings.
5. At the blue & white EULA (license agreement), I pressed F8 (I
agree).
6. This provided two blue & white choices:
- To repair the selected Windows XP installation, press R.
- To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without
repairing, press ESC.
7. Pressed this 'repair' "R".
Note: this is probably my second mistake. A recovery and then
repair to Microsoft is not a recovery repair. It's an
entirely new replacement installation of Windows XP, apparently. It
wiped out all my hard work
setting up applications.

Did I really wanted to upgrade & then repair?

8. Anyway, I saw the blue & white message:
"Please wait while Setup copies files to the Windows installation
folders. This might take several minutes to complete."
At this point, I was dead. I basically had to let it finish
destroying all my hard-earned configurations.
9. The machine automatically booted into the "Installing Windows XP"
menu, with the following items checked and open:
[x]Collecting information
[x]Dynamic Update
[x]Preparing installation
[ ]Installing Windows
[ ]Finalizing installatin
"Setup will complete in approximately 39 minutes."
10. Don't go away! They lied to you! Within a few minutes (at the 33
minute
mark), the setup hung and waited for me with the:
"Welcome to the Windows XP setup wizard" for
"Regional & Language Options"
11. Up comes the request for my 25-character Volume License Product
Key.
I type in my OEM stickered' number time and time again but it
just won't work with the IT disk (I didn't ask them for the ID).
12. I removed the Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 CDROM.
13. I rebooted the IBM A31p laptop without the CDROM.
14. I saw the blue screen of Microsoft saying "setup is being
restarted".
15. Soon it was back where I last left off.
16. To get out of tihs Microsoft hell, I did a cold reboot, with the
"Windowx XP Professional Service Pack 1" CDROM in.
17. This time, I tried the other answers when Windows Setup asked:
"Welcome to Setup"
This portion of the Setup proram prepares Microsoft(R)
Windows(R) XP to run on your computer.
o To set up Windowx XP now, press ENTER.
o To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console,
press R.
o To quit Setup without installing Windowx XP, press F3.
18. Despite the fact that I didn't want to install Windows XP
(I just want to boot to the recovery console like Kelly stated),
I pressed the ENTER button.
19. At the EULA, I pressed F8 (I agree).
21. This provided two blue & white choices:
- To repair the selected Windows XP installation, press R.
- To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without
repairing, press ESC.
22. This time, I pressed "ESC".
23. The screen showed my existing partitions on both hard disks.
24. I selected an unpartitioned area of the second hard disk.
25. I formatted the selected partition as NTFS.
26. I tried to reinstall Windows XP.
27. Yet, when I reboot, I am STILL be in the same situation!

Kelly ... Please ... what did I do wrong to get into this hell!
How was I supposed to get to the Windows Recovery Console?

Donna
 

Ricky

Distinguished
Sep 11, 2003
9
0
18,510
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Here's some info..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&Product=winxp

"Donna Ducharmet" <hngnbvssesae@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6faedb46.0406080131.6afb8dc8@posting.google.com...
| "Kelly" <kelly@mvps.org> wrote in message
| > Go to Recovery Console and type:
| > cd system32\config
| > ren system system.old
| > ren system.alt systemalt.old
| > copy c:\windows\repair\system
| > copy c:\windows\repair\regback\system
| > exit
|
| How do I get into this recovery console?
|
| I tried (I really did) and tried (over and over and over again)
| but I must've missed something as I'm really deep in it right now
| even worse than when I started, I think.
|
| I have an IBM Thinkpad laptop which had the same error above.
| I have an OEM Windows XP product key printed on the bottom.
| I got that error message above and Windows XP would not boot.
| I borrowed a Windows XP Pro SP1 disk from our IT guys.
| (little did I know it requires a Volume License Agreement serial
| number!)
|
| Here is what I did and I'm STILL not booted up (after many hours)
| trying
| to follow Kelly's instructions to get to the recovery console:
|
| 0. I set my IBM ThinkPad BIOS to boot from the CDROM.
| 1. I Placed a Windows XP SP1 CDROM into the CDROM drive of the IBM
| A31p.
| 2. I Pressed the IBM A31p power button until the ThinkPad booted.
| 3. At the request to press any key to boot from the CDROM, I pressed
| any key.
| 4. I pressed the 'recovery' "R" to get into the recovery console
| window.
| Note: This may have been my first mistake. But there was no
| "Upgrade" option for me to then select "Repair" which
| reputedly preserves applications & settings.
| 5. At the blue & white EULA (license agreement), I pressed F8 (I
| agree).
| 6. This provided two blue & white choices:
| - To repair the selected Windows XP installation, press R.
| - To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without
| repairing, press ESC.
| 7. Pressed this 'repair' "R".
| Note: this is probably my second mistake. A recovery and then
| repair to Microsoft is not a recovery repair. It's an
| entirely new replacement installation of Windows XP, apparently. It
| wiped out all my hard work
| setting up applications.
|
| Did I really wanted to upgrade & then repair?
|
| 8. Anyway, I saw the blue & white message:
| "Please wait while Setup copies files to the Windows installation
| folders. This might take several minutes to complete."
| At this point, I was dead. I basically had to let it finish
| destroying all my hard-earned configurations.
| 9. The machine automatically booted into the "Installing Windows XP"
| menu, with the following items checked and open:
| [x]Collecting information
| [x]Dynamic Update
| [x]Preparing installation
| [ ]Installing Windows
| [ ]Finalizing installatin
| "Setup will complete in approximately 39 minutes."
| 10. Don't go away! They lied to you! Within a few minutes (at the 33
| minute
| mark), the setup hung and waited for me with the:
| "Welcome to the Windows XP setup wizard" for
| "Regional & Language Options"
| 11. Up comes the request for my 25-character Volume License Product
| Key.
| I type in my OEM stickered' number time and time again but it
| just won't work with the IT disk (I didn't ask them for the ID).
| 12. I removed the Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 CDROM.
| 13. I rebooted the IBM A31p laptop without the CDROM.
| 14. I saw the blue screen of Microsoft saying "setup is being
| restarted".
| 15. Soon it was back where I last left off.
| 16. To get out of tihs Microsoft hell, I did a cold reboot, with the
| "Windowx XP Professional Service Pack 1" CDROM in.
| 17. This time, I tried the other answers when Windows Setup asked:
| "Welcome to Setup"
| This portion of the Setup proram prepares Microsoft(R)
| Windows(R) XP to run on your computer.
| o To set up Windowx XP now, press ENTER.
| o To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console,
| press R.
| o To quit Setup without installing Windowx XP, press F3.
| 18. Despite the fact that I didn't want to install Windows XP
| (I just want to boot to the recovery console like Kelly stated),
| I pressed the ENTER button.
| 19. At the EULA, I pressed F8 (I agree).
| 21. This provided two blue & white choices:
| - To repair the selected Windows XP installation, press R.
| - To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without
| repairing, press ESC.
| 22. This time, I pressed "ESC".
| 23. The screen showed my existing partitions on both hard disks.
| 24. I selected an unpartitioned area of the second hard disk.
| 25. I formatted the selected partition as NTFS.
| 26. I tried to reinstall Windows XP.
| 27. Yet, when I reboot, I am STILL be in the same situation!
|
| Kelly ... Please ... what did I do wrong to get into this hell!
| How was I supposed to get to the Windows Recovery Console?
|
| Donna
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Jerry C." <jerryci@nospam.net> wrote:
> I don't believe [Julie] wants to return her computer to the state at
> which she bought it, without the added programs, modifications, and
> probably considerable amounts of data.

I too was like Julie in that I had the same error this weekend!

I tried Kelly's suggestion, but there was no Windows Recovery Console
in my Windows XP installation disk! It might be there, but there must
be some secret (unknown to me) command that boots into a recovery
console! So, until those secret steps are described, DO NOT FOLLOW ANY
INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS THREAD UNLESS YOU WISH TO DESTROY ALL YOUR DATA!

The bad news is I faithfully tried to follow Kelly's instructions.
(It's not her fault, but she must be missing a critical step or two
or three, so I post this only to warn others NOT to follow Kelly's
instructions unless you want to ruin your entire hard disk data!).

My hope is someone will post the FIX to Kelly's instructions
(which I'm sure work for an expert but do not work for a regular
person who doesn't know the missing set of steps to boot to the
recovery console!). I never got to a command prompt. Ever!

What happened to me was a total disaster.
Whatever "r" buttons I hit when I booted to the Windows XP
Corporate Edition SP1 CDROM instantly started installing Windowx XP
on top of my existing WinXP installation! When I tried to stop this
(by removing the Microsoft installation CDROM), it never (even after
three days of desperately trying) let me get back to the original OS.

Following Kelly's instructions to a T (a few steps must be missing!)
I ended up losing all my data! My disk is basically formatted clean.

Please tell me what I did wrong by following Kelly's instructions?
What steps did I miss? How many steps did I miss?
What was so bad about pressing "r" at the XP CDROM suggestion?
(Others will miss those same steps & ruin their disk!)

Linda Donovan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Ricky" <ricky_j_53@no_spamyahoo.com> wrote in message news:<Eaqxc.1185$LC3.812@bignews2.bellsouth.net>...
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&Product=winxp

hi ricky,

with all due respect, this can't possibly work.

Why not?

A. Because we can't boot to WinXP so there is no "Start ... Run" menu.
B. Because the WinXP CDROM doesn't provide a "Start ... Run" menu.
C. Because there is no recovery console in sight.

Did I miss something?

How do you boot from a Windows XP CDROM to get a "Start ... Run" menu?

I never saw it. Did I do something wrong? All I saw was blue screens
with white letters telling me to press "r" to recover & "r" to repair
or "u" to upgrade and absolutely none of these brought me anywhere
near a Microsoft command prompt or to a WinXP "Start ... Run" menu.

What did I miss (because I ruined my whole system trying)?

Linda Donovan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Linda Donovan wrote:

> "Ricky" <ricky_j_53@no_spamyahoo.com> wrote in message news:<Eaqxc.1185$LC3.812@bignews2.bellsouth.net>...
>
>>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&Product=winxp
>
>
> hi ricky,
>
> with all due respect, this can't possibly work.
>
> Why not?
>
> A. Because we can't boot to WinXP so there is no "Start ... Run" menu.
> B. Because the WinXP CDROM doesn't provide a "Start ... Run" menu.
> C. Because there is no recovery console in sight.
>
> Did I miss something?
>
> How do you boot from a Windows XP CDROM to get a "Start ... Run" menu?
>
> I never saw it. Did I do something wrong? All I saw was blue screens
> with white letters telling me to press "r" to recover & "r" to repair
> or "u" to upgrade and absolutely none of these brought me anywhere
> near a Microsoft command prompt or to a WinXP "Start ... Run" menu.
>
> What did I miss (because I ruined my whole system trying)?
>
> Linda Donovan
Hi,
Isn't there manual or auto setting in recovery console?
Tony
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support,comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

linda1582001@yahoo.com (Linda Donovan) wrote in message news:<9b5f3f18.0406110944.3162b0d1@posting.google.com>...
> Please tell me what I did wrong by following Kelly's instructions?
> What steps did I miss? How many steps did I miss?
> What was so bad about pressing "r" at the XP CDROM suggestion?
> (Others will miss those same steps & ruin their disk!)

As I said before to the original question:
> How do I press "r" to recover from a corrupt Windows XP file?

You can't!

Basically most of the directions proposed so far assumed you
had a Windows Recovery Console selection when you boot
(which you obviously don't have based on your postings).

Some of the suggestions assumed the IBM ThinkPad recovery

disk (either the one built into the hard disk or the two-CDROM
set directly from IBM) will work - which it won't because it
always formats the hard disk (which you obviously don't want
to do since you asked to save your data).

One or two of the suggestions revolved around a standard
Windows XP installation CDROM - which also won't work for you
(since you tried it and never got to any recovery console).

Your only bet to save your data now is to utilize the second
bay of your IBM ThinkPad laptop. Boot off the first disk
(upon which you can install a brand new copy of Windows XP).

Then, slide the second disk (the one you're trying to save)
into the ThinkPad left-side bay. Hopefully the first disk
(the new Windows installation) will recognize the second disk
(the old Windows installation). If so, you simply copy your
data from the old disk onto the new disk.

There is no other way for you to save your data since you
can not boot to the recovery console and you can not use any
of the IBM-supplied recovery CDROMs. I'm a little surprised
the 'experts' didn't realize this (as I'm no expert & I did).

Orak Listalavostok