Hi everyone

A friend has just had a boot failure with Windows 2000 and his problem has
prompted me to ask what I'd do if I couldn't boot my laptop. I recall in
the older systems, it was possible to create (or get hold of) floppies from
which it was possible to boot the computer. Is it possible to create such a
CD from my current laptop which has XP Pro SP2? I don't have an original XP
Pro SP2 installation disc because the laptop came with a recovery disc from
the manufacturer. I anticipate that this will reinstall the OS (XP Pro SP1)
and overwrite my data. I would hope that if I had a system failure but
could boot the system from a CD, I should be able to access my files and may
be able to investigate the problem.

Thanks for your time and patience!

If you have some technical experience and interest, this would be a place
to start:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

The URL is given for information purposes only and does not constitute
either an endorsement or recommendation for its use.

Tom
MSMVP
Windows Shell/User

"Tosca" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
: Hi everyone
:
: A friend has just had a boot failure with Windows 2000 and his problem
has
: prompted me to ask what I'd do if I couldn't boot my laptop. I recall
in
: the older systems, it was possible to create (or get hold of) floppies
from
: which it was possible to boot the computer. Is it possible to create
such a
: CD from my current laptop which has XP Pro SP2? I don't have an
original XP
: Pro SP2 installation disc because the laptop came with a recovery disc
from
: the manufacturer. I anticipate that this will reinstall the OS (XP Pro
SP1)
: and overwrite my data. I would hope that if I had a system failure but
: could boot the system from a CD, I should be able to access my files
and may
: be able to investigate the problem.
:
: Thanks for your time and patience!
:
:

Thank you Tom, I'll have a look at this site. What I guess I'm asking is
"what would a computer expert or professional do if faced with XP Pro which
won't boot?". I need to know some "tricks of the trade" to allow me to get
into the system to investigate, should I be faced with that situation.

Tosca

"Tosca" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thank you Tom, I'll have a look at this site. What I guess I'm asking is
> "what would a computer expert or professional do if faced with XP Pro
> which won't boot?". I need to know some "tricks of the trade" to allow me
> to get into the system to investigate, should I be faced with that
> situation.
>
> Tosca
>
>

I'd boot from a Windows cd or from some other bootable OS on a cd or I'd
take the hard drive out of that computer and put it into my test machine.

A "professional" would have a lot of tools at hand and wouldn't be sitting
in an empty room with a laptop and nothing else.

Thank you. I don't have a WIndows cd as the laptop came with Windows XP Pro
pre-installed and the disc supplied by the manufacturer will take it back to
"factory status".

I understand that removal of the hard drive from a desktop is relatively
easy but I have a laptop and I wouldn't even consider trying to get into it!

I take your point about a laptop and an empty room. I have no intention of
spending large amounts of cash getting special hardware and software because
the chances of such a system crash, I believe, is remote. Having said that,
I'd like to arm myself with some easy things that I could try to resolve the
situation over the weekend because such a crash will, invariably, occur at
5pm on Friday!!!

> I'd boot from a Windows cd or from some other bootable OS on a cd or I'd
> take the hard drive out of that computer and put it into my test machine.
>
> A "professional" would have a lot of tools at hand and wouldn't be sitting
> in an empty room with a laptop and nothing else.

"Tosca" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
| Thank you. I don't have a WIndows cd as the laptop came with Windows XP
Pro
| pre-installed and the disc supplied by the manufacturer will take it back
to
| "factory status".
|
| I understand that removal of the hard drive from a desktop is relatively
| easy but I have a laptop and I wouldn't even consider trying to get into
it!
|
| I take your point about a laptop and an empty room. I have no intention
of
| spending large amounts of cash getting special hardware and software
because
| the chances of such a system crash, I believe, is remote. Having said
that,
| I'd like to arm myself with some easy things that I could try to resolve
the
| situation over the weekend because such a crash will, invariably, occur at
| 5pm on Friday!!!
|
| > I'd boot from a Windows cd or from some other bootable OS on a cd or I'd
| > take the hard drive out of that computer and put it into my test
machine.
| >
| > A "professional" would have a lot of tools at hand and wouldn't be
sitting
| > in an empty room with a laptop and nothing else.


Windows XP comes with several options for troubleshooting and repairing an
operating system corruption that prevents the computer from starting. System
File Checker, the Recovery Console, the ability to run a "repair"
installation of your operating system leaving your current settings an files
intact to name a few. Unfortunately all these require an actual Windows XP
CD.

Someone in your shoes, with just a recovery CD needs a good backup solution.

Without knowing what sort of hardware is on your laptop it's difficult to
make more precise recommendations.

Options include backing up just your data which would allow you to use your
recovery CD to "restore" the laptop to the way it was when new and then
restore your data. A full system backup that allows "disaster" recovery
allowing you to restore individual files or everything, preferably (and
hardware allowing) from some bootable media, or a drive imaging program that
allows you to quickly restore your harddrive to the exact condition it was
in at the time of the last image creation.

Backup media would include writable CD/DVD or external harddrives, again
depending on hardware capabilities. (I recommend both)

My personal choices for software are;
http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/


--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.

Tosca wrote:

> Thank you. I don't have a WIndows cd as the laptop came with Windows
> XP Pro pre-installed and the disc supplied by the manufacturer will
> take it back to "factory status".
>
> I understand that removal of the hard drive from a desktop is
> relatively easy but I have a laptop and I wouldn't even consider
> trying to get into it!
>
> I take your point about a laptop and an empty room. I have no
> intention of spending large amounts of cash getting special hardware
> and software because
> the chances of such a system crash, I believe, is remote. Having said
> that, I'd like to arm myself with some easy things that I could try to
> resolve the situation over the weekend because such a crash will,
> invariably, occur at 5pm on Friday!!!
>
>> I'd boot from a Windows cd or from some other bootable OS on a cd or
>> I'd take the hard drive out of that computer and put it into my test
>> machine.
>>
>> A "professional" would have a lot of tools at hand and wouldn't be
>> sitting in an empty room with a laptop and nothing else.

Get yourself an imaging program like Ghost or TrueImage and an external
hard drive. Create a bootable cd from the imaging program and put the
image of your computer on the external drive. Then you'll be able to
restore your machine quickly.

As for doing investigative/repair work, most of us in the tech world
would do as D. Currie indicated and boot with a live Linux cd, a Bart's
PE, or something like ERD Commander (very expensive), and/or remove the
drive and slave it in another machine. There is no one "magic solution"
that you can use. Also, none of these the tools will help you if you
don't know what you're doing (this is not a comment on your mad skillz
since I have no idea what they are).

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Tosca" <no-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thank you Tom, I'll have a look at this site. What I guess I'm asking is
> "what would a computer expert or professional do if faced with XP Pro
> which won't boot?". I need to know some "tricks of the trade" to allow me
> to get into the system to investigate, should I be faced with that
> situation.
>
> Tosca
>

It depends on why it won't boot. There are a number of reason why a system
won't boot. Some are hardware related and others software related including
changes made to the system's BIOS, damaged hard drive, corrupt system files,
conflicts with drivers, etc.

I went to www.google.com and did a search for "troubleshoot boot problems"
and got a number of hits. That's one thing a tech might do.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp

Thanks for the continued input. I do a backup regularly to DVD or external
hard drive (I use the grandfather, father, son philosophy), but it's simply
a copy of my working files, downloaded applications etc. and I do this via
Windows Explorer. I realise that there is software to create an image of
the hard drive.

I appreciate the comments regarding investigative/repair work. I have no
experience if Linux so I think that a Bart's PE will be my method of choice.
I'm also considering buying an XP Pro installation disc as my laptop's
manufacturer (Sony) has refused point blank to let me have one. I'm a
little disappointed because they're denying me some functionality - such as
access to the Recovery Console. I wouldn't even consider trying to get the
hard drive out of my laptop and slave it in another machine. I agree that
these techniques will be of limited use in my case but that's why I've
started this thread to learn tips and tricks. I'm even considering getting
an second PC which I can use to experiment with such techniques. I won't
use it for internet etc. and will have OS installation discs to restore if
and when I make a major mistake <lol>.

"Malke" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Tosca wrote:
>
>> Thank you. I don't have a WIndows cd as the laptop came with Windows
>> XP Pro pre-installed and the disc supplied by the manufacturer will
>> take it back to "factory status".
>>
>> I understand that removal of the hard drive from a desktop is
>> relatively easy but I have a laptop and I wouldn't even consider
>> trying to get into it!
>>
>> I take your point about a laptop and an empty room. I have no
>> intention of spending large amounts of cash getting special hardware
>> and software because
>> the chances of such a system crash, I believe, is remote. Having said
>> that, I'd like to arm myself with some easy things that I could try to
>> resolve the situation over the weekend because such a crash will,
>> invariably, occur at 5pm on Friday!!!
>>
>>> I'd boot from a Windows cd or from some other bootable OS on a cd or
>>> I'd take the hard drive out of that computer and put it into my test
>>> machine.
>>>
>>> A "professional" would have a lot of tools at hand and wouldn't be
>>> sitting in an empty room with a laptop and nothing else.
>
> Get yourself an imaging program like Ghost or TrueImage and an external
> hard drive. Create a bootable cd from the imaging program and put the
> image of your computer on the external drive. Then you'll be able to
> restore your machine quickly.
>
> As for doing investigative/repair work, most of us in the tech world
> would do as D. Currie indicated and boot with a live Linux cd, a Bart's
> PE, or something like ERD Commander (very expensive), and/or remove the
> drive and slave it in another machine. There is no one "magic solution"
> that you can use. Also, none of these the tools will help you if you
> don't know what you're doing (this is not a comment on your mad skillz
> since I have no idea what they are).
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Thank you Harry. I suppose I was under the impression that computer experts
knew all of these things instinctively, just like a doctor or vet puts the
clues together to come up with a diagnosis and treatment plan. I'm sure
there are occasions when such professionals need to consult textbooks about
their more complex cases and this must be what computer experts do if they
consult everyone's friend - google!

"Harry Ohrn" <harry---@webtree.ca> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...

> It depends on why it won't boot. There are a number of reason why a system
> won't boot. Some are hardware related and others software related
> including changes made to the system's BIOS, damaged hard drive, corrupt
> system files, conflicts with drivers, etc.
>
> I went to www.google.com and did a search for "troubleshoot boot problems"
> and got a number of hits. That's one thing a tech might do.
>
> --
>
> Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
> www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
>
>
>