HELP! on Recovering Data - Corrupt 'System' File

[John]

Hoping to get some pointers on recovering some large data files and old
email from a recently failed hard drive that was running XP Pro SP2.

It will NOT boot or restore/repair - even to ANY safe mode - because the
config/system file(s) mysteriously became corrupted after I loaded Norton
2005 AV. As luck would have it my most recent backup (on DVD) was accidently
overwritten by my son downloading music (now recovering in the local
hospital from several broken bones I gave him). I tried loading previous
restore points manually via XP's Recovery Console, but it STILL will not
boot into windows - just continually auto starts in a loop and complains of
'corrupt windows/config/system file'. I can get into XP's manual Recovery
Console mode (see all the files), but trying to copy or recover hundreds of
files on to other media via Recovery Console is tedious to say the least.

Anyway... I now bought a new drive and have loaded XP Pro SP2 on it, and I
would like to know what would happen if I just take the old drive and hook
it up as a "slave" (non boot) to the new one (both drives are XP SP2 NTSF
and single partions on ('c')?

Would I then be able to access the data files that I am trying to recover...
or would the computer even recognize or allow access to the old drive since
it has an operating system loaded on it and has the same drive letter
designation as my new drive ('c')?

ANY advice is most welcome. I REALLY need to recover those data files and
old email.

John

 

[Nepatsfan]

As long as you set the jumpers on the hard drives correctly
(either master/slave or cable select on both) you shouldn't have
any problems accessing the data. The problem that usually occurs
is that you have to take ownership of the old files and folders.
Take a look here for the procedure:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421&sd=tech

If you'd still like to salvage your original installation, you
might want to take a look here:

How to perform a repair installation of Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q315341&ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

How to recover from a corrupted registry
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307545


Nepatsfan

 

[John]

Worked just great once I set the drive to slave... and took ownership with
no problems and recovered 98% .

You saved me TONS of time and grief!

Now... if I can just find my floppy disk that has my Recovery Agent
Encryption certificate I will have it ALL back (just one encrypted folder
thank God).

Appreciate the good direction very much!

John