Help; can't repair my win2k box

[Bob h]

Hi, just got a message that my win2k system can't boot because a system file is
either missing or corrupt!
Actually when I boot in Safe Mode, the last 2/3 files to load before it stops are
BOOTVID.DLL,
WINNT\SYSTEM32\Config\system then
WINNT\SYSTEM32\Config\system.alt

I have a stable win2k system for about 2 years now, and it had to happen!
Anyway, I also have winxp and linux mandrake on my PC as a triple boot system,
all managed by LM's boot manager, and because of that I cannot boot from my
win2k CD to do the repair?? I have tried the laboursly (can't spell) slow method
of using floppies, but after the 1st stage and 'setup needed to reboot' I only
got the Linux boot manger screen up again.

Now I don't want to screw my other OS's up by not not been able to boot them, so
what is the best way to repair my win2k system?

Thanks

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi, just got a message that my win2k system can't boot because a system file is
either missing or corrupt!
Actually when I boot in Safe Mode, the last 2/3 files to load before it stops are
BOOTVID.DLL,
WINNT\SYSTEM32\Config\system then
WINNT\SYSTEM32\Config\system.alt

I have a stable win2k system for about 2 years now, and it had to happen!
Anyway, I also have winxp and linux mandrake on my PC as a triple boot system,
all managed by LM's boot manager, and because of that I cannot boot from my
win2k CD to do the repair?? I have tried the laboursly (can't spell) slow method
of using floppies, but after the 1st stage and 'setup needed to reboot' I only
got the Linux boot manger screen up again.

Now I don't want to screw my other OS's up by not not been able to boot them, so
what is the best way to repair my win2k system?

Thanks

You need to knock out the Linux boot loader in order to attempt
a repair with your Win2000 CD. Here is how you can do it:

1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Use fdisk.exe to make the Win2000 partition active.
3. Run fdisk /mbr to restore the standard Windows Master Boot Record.
4. Run ptedit.exe (ftp://ftp.powerquest.com/pub/utilities/) and use it to
ensure that the Win2000 partition is the first visible partition.
5. Try to repair your installation.
6. Reload the Linux boot loader.

 

[Dave Patrick]

If the system hive is corrupt, and assuming you already tried LKG, It may be
possible to rename the system hive found in
%windir%\system32\config\system
to system.old
then rename
%windir%\system32\config\system.alt
to
%windir%\system32\config\system

You can also try using the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback

If that fails you haven't much choice but to copy/ use the
original-as-installed system hive from
%windir%\repair\system
to
%windir%\system32\config\system
You'll need to reinstall the device drivers for any hardware added since the
original OS install.

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R to repair a Windows
2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the Recovery
Console quits and restarts the computer. Note If the registry is corrupted
or missing or no valid installations are found, the Recovery Console starts
in the root of the startup volume without requiring a password. You cannot
access any folders, but you can carry out commands such as chkdsk, fixboot,
and fixmbr for limited disk repairs. Once the password has been validated,
you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access to the hard
disk. You can only access the following folders on your computer:
%systemroot% and %windir%

In lieu of the recovery console you can replace the files from the Window XP
boot.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Hi, just got a message that my win2k system can't boot because a system
file is
| either missing or corrupt!
| Actually when I boot in Safe Mode, the last 2/3 files to load before it
stops are
| BOOTVID.DLL,
| WINNT\SYSTEM32\Config\system then
| WINNT\SYSTEM32\Config\system.alt
|
| I have a stable win2k system for about 2 years now, and it had to happen!
| Anyway, I also have winxp and linux mandrake on my PC as a triple boot
system,
| all managed by LM's boot manager, and because of that I cannot boot from
my
| win2k CD to do the repair?? I have tried the laboursly (can't spell) slow
method
| of using floppies, but after the 1st stage and 'setup needed to reboot' I
only
| got the Linux boot manger screen up again.
|
| Now I don't want to screw my other OS's up by not not been able to boot
them, so
| what is the best way to repair my win2k system?
|
| Thanks

 

[Bob H]

Hi Dave, sry I don't normally top post, but as you did then I will.
OK, first off I don't have a \regback folder, so obviously no system
file there.
I did rename the system file to system.old, then copied the system file
from the \repair folder, then I could get back into win2k, but I had to
re install most of my hardware drivers again.

I never thought to rename system.alt to system, but will keep that in
mind if it ever happens again.
As it turned out, for some time now my epson scanner has not been
working under win2k, and I could never find out why, but now, as I I had
to re install my hardware drivers, the scanner works ok again.

Oh, just out of interest, what is LKG?

Thanks

 

[Bob H]

file is


stops are


them, so



You need to knock out the Linux boot loader in order to attempt
a repair with your Win2000 CD. Here is how you can do it:

1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Use fdisk.exe to make the Win2000 partition active.
3. Run fdisk /mbr to restore the standard Windows Master Boot Record.
4. Run ptedit.exe (ftp://ftp.powerquest.com/pub/utilities/) and use it to
ensure that the Win2000 partition is the first visible partition.
5. Try to repair your installation.
6. Reload the Linux boot loader.

Thanks, that is just what I need to know.
For the record I managed to fix my win2k box by another method: renaming
the system file to system.old, then copying the \repair\system file
across to the \system32\config folder.but that meant re installing most
of my hardware drivers again.

Oh, I have copied and pasted your reply to notepad for future reference
Thanks again

 

[Dave Patrick]

Glad to hear it's sorted.
LKG = last known good.
No %windir%\repair\regback\ folder = I never backed up my registry.

You can run Programs|Accessories|System Tools|Backup, then choose ERD, then
if you check the box for "Also backup....", then the reg will also be backed
up to
%windir%\repair\RegBack
leaving the
%windir%\repair\
directory files intact as original installation.


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Hi Dave, sry I don't normally top post, but as you did then I will.
| OK, first off I don't have a \regback folder, so obviously no system
| file there.
| I did rename the system file to system.old, then copied the system file
| from the \repair folder, then I could get back into win2k, but I had to
| re install most of my hardware drivers again.
|
| I never thought to rename system.alt to system, but will keep that in
| mind if it ever happens again.
| As it turned out, for some time now my epson scanner has not been
| working under win2k, and I could never find out why, but now, as I I had
| to re install my hardware drivers, the scanner works ok again.
|
| Oh, just out of interest, what is LKG?
|
| Thanks

 

[Bob H]

Glad to hear it's sorted.
LKG = last known good.
No %windir%\repair\regback\ folder = I never backed up my registry.

You can run Programs|Accessories|System Tools|Backup, then choose ERD, then
if you check the box for "Also backup....", then the reg will also be backed
up to
%windir%\repair\RegBack
leaving the
%windir%\repair\
directory files intact as original installation.

Ok, thanks.
I did try LKG from the options (F8) but it didn't work for some reason;
maybe the problem was a hardware/drivers one.
Actually I do have a backup of my system, but the problem was, that I
could not get into it to use it, and besides that the said backup is
about 2 months old now!
So I'm going to do another one right now.

Thanks again