Hard Drive Crash - Win XP hangs in repair console

[Zeppo]

I had 2 separate instances of corrupted files in my Windows/System folder,
which I was able to correct by copying the needed file back into the folder
after booting from the XP CD. Of course after the second I realized my hard
drive was flaking out and planned on saving as much data to DVD while I was
up. Fate had other ideas. My neighborhood suffered a power outage just as I
started writing the DVD. :-(

When everything came back on I was not able to boot again. This time the
'system' file was missing from C:\Windows\System32\Config and the repair
console hangs when I enter choose 1 for the XP OS.

Is there any hope of getting this booted back to windows long enough to get
my data back?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[D.Currie]

I had 2 separate instances of corrupted files in my Windows/System folder,
which I was able to correct by copying the needed file back into the
folder
after booting from the XP CD. Of course after the second I realized my
hard
drive was flaking out and planned on saving as much data to DVD while I
was
up. Fate had other ideas. My neighborhood suffered a power outage just as
I
started writing the DVD. :-(

When everything came back on I was not able to boot again. This time the
'system' file was missing from C:\Windows\System32\Config and the repair
console hangs when I enter choose 1 for the XP OS.

Is there any hope of getting this booted back to windows long enough to
get
my data back?

Thanks,
Jon

Trying to get it to boot is probably not a good plan. It may take too long
and be too frustrating to deal with, and if you mean the drive itself is
dying, you want to use it as little as possible. Best bet would be to put
that drive into a working computer, and copy the files you need, then format
and reinstall (if the drive is still useable, hardware-wise).

Second best would be to install a new version of XP in a different folder,
while keeping the old installation as-is. Then copy your files to where you
want, then format and reinstall, if the drive is good.

 

[Zeppo]

That's what I figured, too. I've already installed XP on a new drive. Just
need to pick up another sata cable to attach the bad drive and try to get my
files off of it.

I was hoping to boot it for a while to run exports of my outlook and outlook
express files and settings as I've always had problems just copying the
files into a new install.

Thanks for the help,
Jon

 

[Zeppo]

OK, I slapped in a new drive and installed XP Pro SP2. I then connected my
old drive to copy the files I needed over. When it got to the stuff in
Documents and settings, it let me copy files out of my kids profiles as they
were set up as users, but not out of my old profile of which I was the
administrator.

I called my current profile the same thing as I did on the old installation
so I'm not sure why it wont let me copy stuff. Is there any way I can
retrieve this stuff?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Zeppo]

Forgot to ask...

Will the 'Files and settings Transfer Wizard' let me pull my stuff off the
old hard drive without booting to the windows install on that drive?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[D.Currie]

Look up the instructions for "take Ownership" in help & support. That should
do it, unless you encrypted the files.

 

[Zeppo]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot tonight.

Jon

Look up the instructions for "take Ownership" in help & support. That should
do it, unless you encrypted the files.