I have been using SYSTWEAK to make registry backups on XP, SP2. Yesterday I
had a meltdown. I told systweak to restore a backup that I have used
multiple times over the last few days. Systweak went through it's normal
process of performing a reboot, but this never completed. Now I cannot boot
into any mode (Last known good, Safe etc). The XP splash screen appears,
then disapperas and the system just sits there. I am running NTFS, and my
reg backup is on another drive other than the boot drive.

I can boot with the Win XP CD. So far I have run chkdsk (no failures).
What should I do next? should I try fixboot or fixmbr? Should I try a
reinstall... Remember I am at SP2.

I tried the trick of formatting a floopy on anotehr XP machine and copying
it's boot .ini, ntdetect, and ntldr files to teh floopy, and then telling my
dead machine to boot only from the floopy. This did not work either. The
Floopy was read, and then teh XP splash screen started and I was back to my
problem. i.e. windows just sat there.


For teh Interested Reader:
You may ask why such a mess...
I have been trying to install Norton System Works 2005. When I install it
I get an A8Key error, and I cannot activate it. Very frustrating. Norton
suggested I go into the registry and that I delete any item with norton or
symantec. I did this. This is the registry that I saved, and that I was
working from. As it turns out I still had the activation problem, and this
was my last step...i.e. forget about Norton, Load Mcafee and the windows
firewall for 2005. I was restoring the registry deviod of Norton. when teh
system went into the mode above.

A vendor recommending removing all their product/vendor strings from
the Registry. What they probably neglected to mention is that you need
do more than just remove Syman/Norto matches to get this half-A__ed
process to work. Pardon the Rant, but I've done 25+ of these Binary
lobotomies over the past few months.
Probably you're faced with a Repair install, if none of the Safe mode or
Last Known Good options work.

"jstarwt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2E72D169-91A4-4F49-B2F2-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have been using SYSTWEAK to make registry backups on XP, SP2. Yesterday
>I
> had a meltdown. I told systweak to restore a backup that I have used
> multiple times over the last few days. Systweak went through it's normal
> process of performing a reboot, but this never completed. Now I cannot
> boot
> into any mode (Last known good, Safe etc). The XP splash screen appears,
> then disapperas and the system just sits there. I am running NTFS, and my
> reg backup is on another drive other than the boot drive.
>
> I can boot with the Win XP CD. So far I have run chkdsk (no failures).
> What should I do next? should I try fixboot or fixmbr? Should I try a
> reinstall... Remember I am at SP2.
>
> I tried the trick of formatting a floopy on anotehr XP machine and copying
> it's boot .ini, ntdetect, and ntldr files to teh floopy, and then telling
> my
> dead machine to boot only from the floopy. This did not work either.
> The
> Floopy was read, and then teh XP splash screen started and I was back to
> my
> problem. i.e. windows just sat there.
>
>
> For teh Interested Reader:
> You may ask why such a mess...
> I have been trying to install Norton System Works 2005. When I install
> it
> I get an A8Key error, and I cannot activate it. Very frustrating. Norton
> suggested I go into the registry and that I delete any item with norton or
> symantec. I did this. This is the registry that I saved, and that I was
> working from. As it turns out I still had the activation problem, and
> this
> was my last step...i.e. forget about Norton, Load Mcafee and the windows
> firewall for 2005. I was restoring the registry deviod of Norton. when
> teh
> system went into the mode above.

RM:

You are coprrect, none of the safe mode or Last known good work. If I do a
repair install will I be faced with rewloading everything else.. i.e.
programs, video driver etc. Will I also be back pre SP1? Do you know if the
fixboot or fixmbr will help. I believe the registry is still intact... It's
SYSTWEAK that is in the way of XP starting.