Windows XP Loops on start up

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Hi again
get to this line but cant see how I get the streight up line after the /s
attrib /s | find /i "machine_system"{Enter}
so I get -

G:\System Volume Information>attrib /s ¦ FIND /I "MACHINE_SYSTEM"
Parameter format not correct -

It is obviously me, not know how to get the "thing" after the /s
Sorry,
I have had enough for today, so I am off to bed.
Will try again tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for all your help and patience so far!
Much appreciated.
Barry
(e-mail address removed)

Sorry, I gave you the wrong drive letter. Here is the whole reply again:

You're right, it's the character after the /s that's wrong. On US type
keyboards it is often located right above the Enter key, prefixed with the
Shift key. You can also do this:
- Mark the following line with your mouse:
attrib /s | FIND /I "MACHINE_SYSTEM"
- Press Ctrl+C on your keyboard.
- Put the focus on the Command Prompt.
- Type this command:
cd /d "X:\System Volume Information"{Enter}
- Right-click anywhere in the black area, then left-click "Paste".
Now you have the whole command. Press Enter.

On an overall note: Since you have no specific experience with these things
(which is no shame!), you need to decide at some stage which is the more
effective solution for you: To persist with this exercise (of which you have
covered around 20%) or to re-install Windows XP from scratch (which will
take you one hour, plus the time required to install your applications and
restore your various settings). This is particularly relevant since I cannot
guarantee sucess with the current method. Depending on what caused the
problem, the probability of succeeding might be as low as 50%.

By the way, you never said what you did to bring about this particular
problem.

 

[Barry]

Sorry, I gave you the wrong drive letter. Here is the whole reply again:

You're right, it's the character after the /s that's wrong. On US type
keyboards it is often located right above the Enter key, prefixed with the
Shift key. You can also do this:
- Mark the following line with your mouse:
attrib /s | FIND /I "MACHINE_SYSTEM"
- Press Ctrl+C on your keyboard.
- Put the focus on the Command Prompt.
- Type this command:
cd /d "X:\System Volume Information"{Enter}
- Right-click anywhere in the black area, then left-click "Paste".
Now you have the whole command. Press Enter.

On an overall note: Since you have no specific experience with these things
(which is no shame!), you need to decide at some stage which is the more
effective solution for you: To persist with this exercise (of which you have
covered around 20%) or to re-install Windows XP from scratch (which will
take you one hour, plus the time required to install your applications and
restore your various settings). This is particularly relevant since I cannot
guarantee sucess with the current method. Depending on what caused the
problem, the probability of succeeding might be as low as 50%.

By the way, you never said what you did to bring about this particular
problem.

Hi Pegasus,
Firstly , many, many thanks for taking the time to try and assist me!
You have been very patient.

I agree with your comments, and have now decided to reinstall windows XP
from Scratch. Luckily, I can save my files, etc.

But just need to find where the identity etc is for Outlook Express.

Again
Thank you
Barry

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Hi Pegasus,
Firstly , many, many thanks for taking the time to try and assist me! You
have been very patient.

I agree with your comments, and have now decided to reinstall windows XP
from Scratch. Luckily, I can save my files, etc.

But just need to find where the identity etc is for Outlook Express.

Again
Thank you
Barry

Good thinking.
I have a problem with your remark "Luckily, I can save my files". Do you
belong to the group of people waiting to get caught out because they think
that accidents with data files happen to other people only and that it's
only whimps who believe in backing up their important files regularly. If so
then you're sitting on a ticking time bomb. This time you can save your
files. Next time you might not be so lucky.

By the way, you still haven't told us what could be the cause for this
problem. This is important for other people in the same situation!

 

[Barry]

Good thinking.
I have a problem with your remark "Luckily, I can save my files". Do you
belong to the group of people waiting to get caught out because they think
that accidents with data files happen to other people only and that it's
only whimps who believe in backing up their important files regularly. If so
then you're sitting on a ticking time bomb. This time you can save your
files. Next time you might not be so lucky.

By the way, you still haven't told us what could be the cause for this
problem. This is important for other people in the same situation!

Hi again
All comments appreciated! The HDD is partitioned, and most files are
luckily stored there, just need to be able to transfer e-mails and
account setting somehow.! Help! Grin!


All I can think of, there may be a virus or something, McAfee did run
out and I have a problem trying to pay for it online.

Regards
Barry

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Hi again
All comments appreciated! The HDD is partitioned, and most files are
luckily stored there, just need to be able to transfer e-mails and account
setting somehow.! Help! Grin!

Regards
Barry

Great! Now . . . what would happen in the following cases (I'm picking them
from past newsgroup posts):
a) The PC gets stolen.
b) The PC suffers fire/water/lightning/power supply damage.
c) The hard disk gives up the ghost.
d) Some software malfunction corrupts all file systems.
e) Some malware/virus thrashes all partitions.
f) Someone presses the wrong button and deletes all users files.

Case f) is actually the most common reason why people lose files.

Conclusions: A decent backup relies on a medium that is kept well away from
the PC for most of the time. Backups kept on the main disk give you only a
fraction of the protection that you expect.

 

[Barry]

Great! Now . . . what would happen in the following cases (I'm picking them
from past newsgroup posts):
a) The PC gets stolen.
b) The PC suffers fire/water/lightning/power supply damage.
c) The hard disk gives up the ghost.
d) Some software malfunction corrupts all file systems.
e) Some malware/virus thrashes all partitions.
f) Someone presses the wrong button and deletes all users files.

Case f) is actually the most common reason why people lose files.

Conclusions: A decent backup relies on a medium that is kept well away from
the PC for most of the time. Backups kept on the main disk give you only a
fraction of the protection that you expect.

What can I say, but Amen! Grin!
Lesson learnt!
Is there anyway of retrieving teh user account for teh email please?
before I reformat!
Regards
Barry

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Pegasus [MVP] wrote:

What can I say, but Amen! Grin!
Lesson learnt!
Is there anyway of retrieving teh user account for teh email please?
before I reformat!
Regards
Barry

Sorry, can't tell because I don't know what EMail program you use. Outlook?
Outlook Express? Incredimail? Other? Regardless of this, here are the two
most appropriate places to ask this question:
- Your Internet Service Provider.
- The relevant newsgroup (e.g. Outlook Express).

 

[Daave]

The HDD is partitioned, and most files are luckily stored there, just
need to be able to transfer e-mails and account setting somehow.!
Help! Grin!

Actually, those e-mails could be on *any* partition. For example, mine
are here:

C:\My Outlook Express Identity\Message Store

However, that's not the default location. The default location is here:

<quote>

C:\Windows\Application Data\Outlook Express\{GUID}
or
C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{GUID}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

where {GUID} is the Global Unique IDentifier (technical jargon for a
unique long number) used to specify an Identity. Depending on your
operating system and upgrade history, your store folder might be located
elsewhere. To determine the location of your store, click Tools|
Options| Maintenance| Store folder.

</quote>

The above is from:

http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/files/store.htm

You will also want to back up your address book. For more info on
backing up:

http://www.insideoe.com/backup/

Assuming your e-mails, etc. are on your C: partition, you will need to
find a way to access them. One way is to physically remove the hard
drive from your PC and either place it another PC as a slave drive or
place it in an external USB enclosure. Then you can use Windows Explorer
to copy the proper files.

Another way is to boot off a rescue CD like Knoppix, Bart PE, or
UBCD4Win and transfer the files to an external hard drive (or I suppose
you could burn a CD or DVD).

FWIW, I totally agree with Pegasus that all PC users should regularly
back up their data! The easiest way to do this is just to image the
entire hard drive. This way, even your OS and all its settings are
preserved, which makes for a *very* easy and relatively quick
restoration.

 

[Daave]

Actually, those e-mails could be on *any* partition. For example, mine
are here:

C:\My Outlook Express Identity\Message Store

However, that's not the default location. The default location is
here:

<quote>

C:\Windows\Application Data\Outlook Express\{GUID}
or
C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{GUID}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

where {GUID} is the Global Unique IDentifier (technical jargon for a
unique long number) used to specify an Identity. Depending on your
operating system and upgrade history, your store folder might be
located elsewhere. To determine the location of your store, click
Tools| Options| Maintenance| Store folder.

</quote>

The above is from:

http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/files/store.htm

You will also want to back up your address book. For more info on
backing up:

http://www.insideoe.com/backup/

Assuming your e-mails, etc. are on your C: partition, you will need to
find a way to access them. One way is to physically remove the hard
drive from your PC and either place it another PC as a slave drive or
place it in an external USB enclosure. Then you can use Windows
Explorer to copy the proper files.

Another way is to boot off a rescue CD like Knoppix, Bart PE, or
UBCD4Win and transfer the files to an external hard drive (or I
suppose you could burn a CD or DVD).

FWIW, I totally agree with Pegasus that all PC users should regularly
back up their data! The easiest way to do this is just to image the
entire hard drive. This way, even your OS and all its settings are
preserved, which makes for a *very* easy and relatively quick
restoration.

Also, you will probably also want to copy your IE favorites:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Favorites