How to repair an OEM system

[ozegirl]

First let me say this is not an actual problem case. I just want education on
the topic.

In this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

it is described how to use Recovery Console to repair a corrupt registry but
says not to use on an OEM system. So my first question then is ...how to use
recovery console to repair an OEM system? Or should it not be used at all?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

First let me say this is not an actual problem case. I just want
education on the topic.

In this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

it is described how to use Recovery Console to repair a corrupt
registry but says not to use on an OEM system. So my first question
then is ...how to use recovery console to repair an OEM system? Or
should it not be used at all?

Use it in the same way as long as you have the actual installation media
(true Windows XP CD, not recovery/restoration media.)

However - have good backups.

 

[Jonathan Boyko]

Ehlo ozegirl,
I believe what they mean is not to use the procedure on manufacturer-customized
OS, as those usually contain drivers and hardware. If you use RC to make
substantial changes, you might lose something else. Usually, M$ advises you
to use the recovery options coming with the computer (for example, HP, IBM,
Dell computers all have recovery option, which reinstall the entire system,
with drivers and apps).

For example, if you've got an error that a file is missing from Windows directory.
You use RC to replace the file from Windows CD you have. If the original
file was brand-customized, and other files relate to that type of file, you
might get many errors, etc.

So... In case you've got brand-customized system and it dies on you, you
have less options than regular, clean install.

Still, this isn't always the case. Depends on a case. If I'd be in lab conditions,
I'd clone the hard drive and make the repairs; and I'd keep the backup for
at least a week to see if everything works fine.


---
Sincerely,
Jonathan M. Boyko,
TMidEast.Com.



o> First let me say this is not an actual problem case. I just want
o> education on the topic.
o>
o> In this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us
o>
o> it is described how to use Recovery Console to repair a corrupt
o> registry but says not to use on an OEM system. So my first question
o> then is ...how to use recovery console to repair an OEM system? Or
o> should it not be used at all?
o>

 

[ozegirl]

That makes sense too, but specifically they were talking about losing
passwords and actual user accounts:

"Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your
computer has an OEM-installed operating system. The system hive on OEM
installations creates passwords and user accounts that did not exist
previously. If you use the procedure that is described in this article, you
may not be able to log back into the recovery console to restore the original
registry hives. "

That's the bit that worries me...

 

[Jonathan Boyko]

Ehlo ozegirl,
It's an interesting point and I also can't see how it could ruin any user
accounts or whatever, although we should take into account that we don't
know everything manufacturers do. I would suppose, for example, that some
of them create the local Administrator account with a specific password or
something, or create any additional users for their own applications and
services. If you meddle with this stuff, you could - theoretically - make
something inoperable.

---
Sincerely,
Jonathan M. Boyko,
TMidEast.Com.



o> That makes sense too, but specifically they were talking about losing
o> passwords and actual user accounts:
o>
o> "Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article
o> if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system. The system
o> hive on OEM installations creates passwords and user accounts that
o> did not exist previously. If you use the procedure that is described
o> in this article, you may not be able to log back into the recovery
o> console to restore the original registry hives. "
o>
o> That's the bit that worries me...
o>
o> "Jonathan Boyko" wrote:
o>

 

[John John - MVP]

It won't ruin user accounts, I think that this is an issue of getting an
access denied error message when you try to log back on to the Recovery
Console after you try the first step in the procedure, the Administrator
password will be refused. Many people with OEM installations have run
the procedure without any problems, I'm not 100% sure and I stand to be
corrected but I think that this problem only pops up on certain OEM
installations that were Syspreped with an older Sysprep version. I also
believe that this problem was fixed in one of the Service Packs. Anyone
with a test OEM installation and a bit of time on their hands could try
it and let us know if they experience the problem.

John

 

[ozegirl]

Yeah well I've seen lots of posts on forums where people are advised to do
this procedure an no-one asks whether they are OEM or not...but I'd hate to
be the one to advise someone to use this procedure and then have them come
back and say "now I can't even get into RC!". Unfortunately there's nowhere
on the article to "ask a question" just feedback on how helpful the article
is...which I wonder is ever looked at?
So tell me for a repair install (as opposed to wanting to use Recovery
console)...if you have an OEM with a "recovery disk" as opposed to a full XP
disc...I take it you need the full windows Cd to do a repair...what use then
is the so-called "recovery disk"...does it only allow access to a recovery
console?

 

[Bennett Marco]

Yeah well I've seen lots of posts on forums where people are advised to do
this procedure an no-one asks whether they are OEM or not...but I'd hate to
be the one to advise someone to use this procedure and then have them come
back and say "now I can't even get into RC!". Unfortunately there's nowhere
on the article to "ask a question" just feedback on how helpful the article
is...which I wonder is ever looked at?
So tell me for a repair install (as opposed to wanting to use Recovery
console)...if you have an OEM with a "recovery disk" as opposed to a full XP
disc...I take it you need the full windows Cd to do a repair...what use then
is the so-called "recovery disk"...does it only allow access to a recovery
console?

Recovery discs (or a recovery partition) are provided per the
agreement between MS and the OEM.

When used, they will return the computer to out-of-the-box condition,
provided there has been no hardware failure.

 

[John John - MVP]

Yeah well I've seen lots of posts on forums where people are advised to do
this procedure an no-one asks whether they are OEM or not...but I'd hate to
be the one to advise someone to use this procedure and then have them come
back and say "now I can't even get into RC!". Unfortunately there's nowhere
on the article to "ask a question" just feedback on how helpful the article
is...which I wonder is ever looked at?
So tell me for a repair install (as opposed to wanting to use Recovery
console)...if you have an OEM with a "recovery disk" as opposed to a full XP
disc...I take it you need the full windows Cd to do a repair...what use then
is the so-called "recovery disk"...does it only allow access to a recovery
console?

You can always use a PE disk or mount the drive in another Windows
2000/XP/Vista system and move the files directly from the Snapshot
folder to the \windows\system32\config folder.

As for the "recovery disks" you would need to verify with the
manufacturer who supplied them to see what they can or cannot do. Most
of them simply return the computer to the *exact* factory condition,
meaning that all user files are usually lost when you use the disks.

Part of gaining useful Windows experience and expertize and being to
help others entails a lot of 'experimentation' and testing, at times you
have to taste some of the medicine that you want to prescribe! Slapping
a test OEM installation together on a spare disk and trying the
procedure described in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us
would answer some of your questions... then you could share the results
with us!

John

PS: These are useful when working with non-booting Windows installations:

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD

http://www.ubcd4win.com/
UBCD for Windows

 

[ozegirl]

Thanks for all the help folks.


As far as testing my own system, I'm not really in a position to do that as
I only use a company-owned machine, that is why I need to ask others