CANNOT ACCESS HARD DRIVE AFTER BOOT FROM FLOPPY

[Guest]

I have tried:

1. Starting from boot floppy downloaded from Microsoft. - Invalid drives
when I try to access the HD

2. Downloading and running downloaded floppy setup. cdrom.sys is corrupt -
stops at disk 5 ( of 6)

3. Starting either from normal route or CD. get the
windows/system32/config/system missing or corrupted message.

All I wanted to do was change my case!

Help!
--
L. De Vose
Associate Broker
Licensed Real Estate Instructor
Notary Public
www.JordanBaris.com

 

[RobertVA]

I have tried:

1. Starting from boot floppy downloaded from Microsoft. - Invalid drives
when I try to access the HD

2. Downloading and running downloaded floppy setup. cdrom.sys is corrupt -
stops at disk 5 ( of 6)

3. Starting either from normal route or CD. get the
windows/system32/config/system missing or corrupted message.

All I wanted to do was change my case!

Help!

Does the drive show in the computer's POST display?. Does the POST
display show the proper capacity?

Identify type and source of the optical media you are attempting to boot
from. Is it an upgrade or full retail installation CD from Microsoft? Is
it a generic OEM Windows XP installation CD from a custom system
builder? Could it be a computer model specific recovery disk from a
brand name computer manufacturer?

I don't understand the "disk 5 ( of 6) reference. IF Windows XP came on
floppies, and it doesn't, it would take many more than six. IF a
computer needed to load drivers from a floppy to access a CD based
Windows installation CD, a single floppy should have plenty of room for
a command line and generic CD drivers. Identify what the floppies are
supposed to accomplish and a more specific description of source (like
the URL of the web page advising you to download them) than "Microsoft"

When attempting to boot from the CD are any other screens displaying
before you get the error message? Are you reaching a point where you are
offered the choice of installation or running the recovery console? Is
the motherboard BIOS set to attempt a boot from CD?

I also don't understand why changing ONLY the case would result in all
this trouble, assuming all the data, case and power cables are connected
and oriented properly AND there is adequate spacing under the
motherboard to prevent shorts. With the same motherboard, power supply,
memory, video accelerator, sound accelerator and hard drive there
shouldn't be anything to make a difference in the boot sequence.

 

[Phisherman]

I have tried:

1. Starting from boot floppy downloaded from Microsoft. - Invalid drives
when I try to access the HD

Is your hard drive NTFS or FAT?

2. Downloading and running downloaded floppy setup. cdrom.sys is corrupt -
stops at disk 5 ( of 6)

Can you boot from your Windows CD?

3. Starting either from normal route or CD. get the
windows/system32/config/system missing or corrupted message.

Be sure to set your BIOS to boot from the CD as the FIRST choice. If
that doesn't work (temporarily) move your HD to another PC and
diagnose it there.

All I wanted to do was change my case!

Not sure if Redmond allows this, especially if your Windows CD type is
OEM.

 

[Guest]

if u have win xp cd, then try to boot from win xp cd. if we are able to enter
the recovery console, then try doing manual system restore.

 

[Unknown]

Have you tried resetting boot device sequence in BIOS?