no Repair option avail, cannot access Rapair Console

[Jaz]

I need to repair system files, but I don't get the Repair option and I
can't get into the Recovery Console -- won't accept Admin password.

I think due to a corrupted file, Windows XP wouldn't start. The system
blue screens, but sends a reset to the mobo so fast that I barely even
see the BSOD, nevermind get a chance to read it.

So I tried the XP CDROM to replace all the system files (done tghis a
million times) but after the Install screen and F8 I don't get a
repair option. Some suggest this is caused by bad boot.ini or ntldr
files. The fix is to use Recovery Console to replace and build
bootcfg, replace ntldr & ntdetect.com, etc.

But I didn't know the Administrator password, so I changed it via
Knoppix SAM editor. (I've done this many time in the past to get into
NT/2K/XP systems). However it seems that Recovery Console needs
something else that just editing SAM doesn't do (Policy??).

Can anybody think of another way to replace systems files, or access
Repair process, or get into Recovery Console -- before I blow away and
rebuild this system? (I'd need to get another hard drive so I don't
blow away "Documents and Settings", etc.)

Thanks
(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[AJR]

Repair options are provided when booting from he CD - first repair option is
recovery console - second repair option (provided after bypassing first
option). Second option will list he Windows installation and asked if you
want to repair.
Note:An administrator password is requested - however one is not necessary -
leave blank and proceed.

 

[thecreator]

Hi Jaz,

There is no Administrator Password, if you installed Windows XP,
yourself. Just hit the Enter Key without typing anything for the Password. I
think that you caused the problems yourself, if you added a password,
because Windows XP does not have a password for the Recovery Console.
Nothing was ever entered, when you installed Windows XP via the XP CD.

 

[Jaz]

Hi Jaz,

There is no Administrator Password, if you installed Windows XP,
yourself. Just hit the Enter Key without typing anything for the Password. I
think that you caused the problems yourself, if you added a password,
because Windows XP does not have a password for the Recovery Console.
Nothing was ever entered, when you installed Windows XP via the XP CD.

Hi thecreator,

Recovery Console will not accept a blank password nor the new one I
set (both now and before I reset it). Yes, I installed XP ~1.5 years
ago, and I set an admin password then (from the OS).

(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[Jaz]

Repair options are provided when booting from he CD - first repair option is
recovery console - second repair option (provided after bypassing first
option). Second option will list he Windows installation and asked if you
want to repair.
Note:An administrator password is requested - however one is not necessary -
leave blank and proceed.

Second repair option (which you mention above) never appears --
instead I get the 'Choose location for install' screen. This happens
to some people but not others, and the cause is hotly debated.

(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[Jaz]

I need to repair system files, but I don't get the Repair option and I
can't get into the Recovery Console -- won't accept Admin password.

I think due to a corrupted file, Windows XP wouldn't start. The system
blue screens, but sends a reset to the mobo so fast that I barely even
see the BSOD, nevermind get a chance to read it.

So I tried the XP CDROM to replace all the system files (done tghis a
million times) but after the Install screen and F8 I don't get a
repair option. Some suggest this is caused by bad boot.ini or ntldr
files. The fix is to use Recovery Console to replace and build
bootcfg, replace ntldr & ntdetect.com, etc.

But I didn't know the Administrator password, so I changed it via
Knoppix SAM editor. (I've done this many time in the past to get into
NT/2K/XP systems). However it seems that Recovery Console needs
something else that just editing SAM doesn't do (Policy??).

Can anybody think of another way to replace systems files, or access
Repair process, or get into Recovery Console -- before I blow away and
rebuild this system? (I'd need to get another hard drive so I don't
blow away "Documents and Settings", etc.)

Thanks
(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

The title of this post should have been "no Repair option avail,
cannot access Recovery Console". (not 'Repair Console').

Yes, I *should* be able to get into Recovery Console, but I cannot.
Yes, I *should* be able to hit Enter, F8, then R for Repair, but this
screen doesn't present itself, instead it goes directly to the 'Choose
location for install' screen.

There are suggestions/debates on why some folks get the Repair option
screen and others don't, and one of those discussions describes a few
things to try within the Recovery Console... **which I can't access**
I'm having the Luck of the Irish on this one...

Thanks for any further suggestions.

(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[Malke]

The title of this post should have been "no Repair option avail,
cannot access Recovery Console". (not 'Repair Console').

Yes, I *should* be able to get into Recovery Console, but I cannot.
Yes, I *should* be able to hit Enter, F8, then R for Repair, but this
screen doesn't present itself, instead it goes directly to the 'Choose
location for install' screen.

There are suggestions/debates on why some folks get the Repair option
screen and others don't, and one of those discussions describes a few
things to try within the Recovery Console... **which I can't access**
I'm having the Luck of the Irish on this one...

Usually if you don't get the option for Repair (which is not when you
press the first "R" for the Recovery Console), it is because the
original install is too damaged. Use Knoppix (which you already have)
to retrieve data files and then do a clean install (or pull the drive
and slave it in a working XP box, although that doesn't always work
since XP sometimes won't boot if the slave install is damaged). The
other option would be to boot with Knoppix and take a look around, but
since you won't be able to write to the NTFS drive a look around with a
Bart's PE is a better choice.

To retrieve data using Knoppix:

You will need a computer with two cd drives, one of which is a cd/dvd-rw
OR a usb thumb drive with enough capacity to hold your data OR an
external usb/firewire hard drive formatted FAT32 (not NTFS). If you are
using the usb thumb drive or the external hard drive, right-click on
its icon (on the Desktop) to get its properties and uncheck the box
that says "Read Only". Then click on it to open it. Note that the
default mouse action in the window manager used by Knoppix (KDE) is a
single click to open instead of the traditional MS Windows'
double-click. Otherwise, use the K3b burning program to burn the files
to cd/dvd-r's.

Malke

 

[Rock]

I need to repair system files, but I don't get the Repair option and I
can't get into the Recovery Console -- won't accept Admin password.

I think due to a corrupted file, Windows XP wouldn't start. The system
blue screens, but sends a reset to the mobo so fast that I barely even
see the BSOD, nevermind get a chance to read it.

So I tried the XP CDROM to replace all the system files (done tghis a
million times) but after the Install screen and F8 I don't get a
repair option. Some suggest this is caused by bad boot.ini or ntldr
files. The fix is to use Recovery Console to replace and build
bootcfg, replace ntldr & ntdetect.com, etc.

But I didn't know the Administrator password, so I changed it via
Knoppix SAM editor. (I've done this many time in the past to get into
NT/2K/XP systems). However it seems that Recovery Console needs
something else that just editing SAM doesn't do (Policy??).

Can anybody think of another way to replace systems files, or access
Repair process, or get into Recovery Console -- before I blow away and
rebuild this system? (I'd need to get another hard drive so I don't
blow away "Documents and Settings", etc.)

Thanks
(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

BartPE
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

[AJR]

Jaz - if you are not offered the second repair option it is because
"recovery" does not find an XP installation - most likely cause - does not
see the HD or the previous install is Nada!.

 

[Jaz]

Jaz - if you are not offered the second repair option it is because
"recovery" does not find an XP installation - most likely cause - does not
see the HD or the previous install is Nada!.

Right. This is why I wanted to run Recovery Console (RC) -- to fix
bootcfg (boot.ini) & ntldr -- hoping that would make the Repair
install option appear. It's too bad I got into this weird thing with
the RC password not being accepted (BTW: M$ has a KB on this. It
states that RC password not being accepted is due to sysprep being
used for install. (No so with mine). Anyhow, their solution is to
download RC and burn to six floppies and boot from it ... which I did,
but it still didn't accept the Administrator password. M$ dumbf_cks.


(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[Jaz]

BartPE
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Very cool. 20 minutes and I'm now copying important files over my
network. Thanks Rock!

(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[Rock]

Very cool. 20 minutes and I'm now copying important files over my
network. Thanks Rock!

(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

You're welcome.