how to run an executable file when Windows won't start

[courtney nhc]

Hello there. I have a corrupt registry and am trying to follow the
instructions in this knowledgebase article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

I would prefer to run the Guided Help (now partly because one of the files
I'm supposed to repair in the manual instructions cannot be copied and I
don't know what to do), but I don't know how to run a program when Windows
won't start, and there are no instructions in the KB article. Which is
strange, because it's right there in the title: "...prevents Windows from
starting" so they should probably have instructions for how to run an exe
file when you can't start Windows.

Anyway, if someone could help me, that would be great!

Thanks!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hello there. I have a corrupt registry and am trying to follow the
instructions in this knowledgebase article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

I would prefer to run the Guided Help (now partly because one of the files
I'm supposed to repair in the manual instructions cannot be copied and I
don't know what to do), but I don't know how to run a program when Windows
won't start, and there are no instructions in the KB article. Which is
strange, because it's right there in the title: "...prevents Windows from
starting" so they should probably have instructions for how to run an exe
file when you can't start Windows.

Anyway, if someone could help me, that would be great!

Thanks!

If you want Guided Help then you need to run it on a different machine, one
that still runs Windows.

If you are prepared to perform the process manually then you need to boot
into the Recovery Console, as described in this KB article.

 

[Lem]

Hello there. I have a corrupt registry and am trying to follow the
instructions in this knowledgebase article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

I would prefer to run the Guided Help (now partly because one of the files
I'm supposed to repair in the manual instructions cannot be copied and I
don't know what to do), but I don't know how to run a program when Windows
won't start, and there are no instructions in the KB article. Which is
strange, because it's right there in the title: "...prevents Windows from
starting" so they should probably have instructions for how to run an exe
file when you can't start Windows.

Anyway, if someone could help me, that would be great!

Thanks!

I've never run any of the "Guided Help" options in MS KB articles, but I
agree that it seems unlikely that Guided Help would be of any use in a
situation where Windows doesn't start. Or maybe this Guided Help just
helps you make the 2 batch files on a different (working) computer. I
don't know.

In any case, the manual procedure isn't hard, just a bit tedious unless
you follow the suggestion to make batch files. If you do this by
cut-n-paste, which is the recommended procedure, you also avoid the
chance of mistyping a command. The step that the directions omit is
that you'll either have to copy regcopy1.txt from whatever external
drive you saved it on to the C:\ drive of the problem computer or change
the command to reference the drive on which the file exists (e.g., batch
E:\regcopy1.txt).

Finally, note that this procedure depends (in Part 2) on System Restore
having been active before the problem occurred. If you had turned off
System Restore (it's on by default), you will only have the registry as
it existed when Windows was first installed (before all of the
application programs were installed). In this case, your best option
would be to save all of your data, then reinstall Windows, and then
reinstall your applications.

PRINT OUT THE INSTRUCTIONS AND READ THEM CAREFULLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH
BEFORE YOU START. Note the "Warnings" and "Notes."

Which file is giving you problems when you try to copy it? Note that
the first step, where you copy the files in c:\windows\system32\config\,
is merely creating a backup set of the *current* registry files so
that you can undo the whole thing if, for some reason, that's what you
want to do (see the second paragraph in the Guided Help section). Of
course, you're probably only going through this exercise because one or
more of the current registry files has become corrupt -- and in my
experience, such corruption often prevents you from copying the file.

Thus, if you have a problem copying one of the current registry files,
don't worry. If, on the other hand, you can't copy one or more of the
files in c:\windows\repair\, you'll probably have to reinstall Windows.


--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[courtney nhc]

Thanks for the info! The file that can't be copied is SAM, which is also the
one that can't be loaded and is causing Windows to not start.

I'll try again tomorrow and report the results. Thanks again!

 

[db.·.. >]

you may simply try the
method of "repairing the o.s."
utilizing a windows setup cd.

a "repair" will replace
any missing or corrupted
system files with genuine
ones from the cd:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx



--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[courtney nhc]

ok, well the KB article didn't work because some of the files can't be found
in the repair steps.

I tried the repair installation that you suggested, but I can't complete
step 5 in the instructions you linked to, because that's not an option. I
press R, and nothing happens. After step 4, it says to make sure the current
installation of XP is selected in the box and then press R, but there is no
such box. After I press F8 to accept the license agreement (step 4), it goes
to a screen where I select where to install Windows and my only option is
just to completely reinstall. I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Are these instructions out of date?

 

[db.·.. >]

i (we) do empathize with you as
loosing data is not the ideal
situation, especially if there
aren't any backups.

but there are ways to work
around such a fiasco, like
buying a new cheap harddrive
and install it as a slave and
a new o.s. on it.

then the new drive can be used
to perform tasks on the corrupted
disk.

but the above is only a thought
and alternative.


in regards to the instructions for
repair the o.s., they are accurate
and pretty straight forward
because the method is user
friendly and automated after
you make a few selections
to guide the process.

but there is a caveat which is
if the pc has been upgraded
to sp3, then an sp2 installation
cd will no longer work, except for
the repair/recovery console.

what would be a reasonable next step
is to re boot with that cd and access the
repair/recovery console option.

refer to the kb instructions
below and exercise option 2:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

if you are successful at getting
to the disk prompt via the console,
then let us know so that we can get
you to run some commands and
ascertain more info for us.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[courtney nhc]

Ok, thanks for the help!

I am able to get to the Recovery Console. What should I do next?

 

[db.·.. >]

ok,

firstly, we want to know
how much free space
you have on the disk.

there are a couple of
ways to do this.

so lets get to the root
directory by typing cd..
and pressing enter.

you may have to do the
above a second time until
you get to the c:\>

then type and enter the
command dir

you will get the number
of bytes you have available
on the disk.

----------


--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[db.·.. >]

next lets see what sp version
you have on the disk.

so at the command prompt
type and enter:

cd c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386

at the directory prompt above
run the command:

dir *.cab

the above will produce a concise
listing of cabinet files and you should
see a file beginning with sp

is it sp2 or sp3?

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[courtney nhc]

ok! My apologies for the delayed response.

it's sp2 and there's 11494432768 bytes free.

 

[db.·.. >]

i'm leaning towards having you
run a chkdsk for two reasons:

1) you were unable to find some
files when you tried to fix your
problem as per the kb and

2) when you attempted a repair,
the only option the cd provided
was to do a complete installation
which would then have resulted with
a subsequent step to format
the disk.

so i am thinking perhaps a chkdsk
hasn't been run on a regular basis
before the issue occurred.

however, after running check disk
i would retry the steps provided in the
kb to restore your registry.

if you are unfamiliar with the disk
system prompt; basically, you can
type and enter commands like: help

help will produce a listing of all
the commands available to you in
this environment.

in addition you can get details
for each command by adding a
/? after each command. for example
chkdsk/? will give you info on it

so i suggest to run a:

chkdsk

also, though these commands
may not be relevant to the issue
at hand, they would not hurt to
run them since a failed installation
like what you experienced via the
repair method could have added
an additional issue:

fixmbr
fixboot


if again you cannot repair the
registry via the kb, then retry
the repair installation method.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[ju.c]

Please don't delete previous posts, thanks.

 

[courtney nhc]

Ok! So, I tried these things and now I'm able to copy the repair sam file
(the one that couldn't be found before) but now it can't find the
repair/system file, but I'm pretty sure it did the first time I tried it.

Also, I tried the repair installation again, and here's what I get after
step 4 (agreeing to the license agreement):

The following list shows the existing partitions....

To set up Windows XP Press Enter

and I have the option to create or delete the partitions.

Is it possible that this step was just omitted in the instructions, and I'm
supposed to press Enter here, and then do step 5?

I don't want to just press Enter and find out, because that might start
reinstalling Windows.

 

[db.·.. >]

ok, lets not create or
delete any partitions
at this time.

go ahead and cancel
the operation.

remove the cd and boot
the system as you had done
in the past and see what it
does or says at this time.
--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[courtney nhc]

Ok, I get an error message that says Windows could not start because the
following file is missing or corrupt:
Windows\System32\config\system

Note that this is the one that couldn't be found in the repair steps. I was,
however, successful at backing up that file in the first part of the
instructions (the one I couldn't back up was the sam file). Should I just
restore that backup? If so, how do I do that? I tried this: copy
c:\windows\tmp\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
But it didn't work.

Thanks for the help!

 

[db.·.. >]

ok, well the process
of copying files from
one folder to another
is really a precautionary
measure.

simply go to the repair
folder and copy its contents
from it into the config folder.

here is a clip of the process
from the kb:

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

--------------
hopefully, you have the repair
folder still in tact.

it contains a copy of a basic
registry hive that will allow you
to boot windows.

then the next step is to find
a more current registry while
in windows and use those files
to overwrite the basic ones
in the config folder.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[courtney nhc]

Ok, well I already tried that part of the KB article and after this one:
*copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system* it says it
couldn't find the file. All of the other ones were copied successfully,
though.

 

[db.·.. >]

ok, that's not too
good, especially when
the special "repair" folder
doesn't have one either.

it looks like your system
was attacked.

----------------------

try doing a dir
command in those
folders.

and take a look at
the listing to see if
you have any files
named system.

look in the config
folder, the temp and
the repair.

you might find .log files
but you can ignore them.
--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[db.·.. >]

also see if your
config folder has
any subfolders,
which may have
a copy of that file.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces