recovery console can't help after "serious error" (MS msg)

[Lutz Huesch]

Hi,

My standalone WinXP SP2 box (Athlon 64, 1 GB DDR) worked fine from
install in December. No Internet connection on this machine as XP
doesn't recognise Acer Surf 56 modem. Thus no immediate need for AV
s'ware

Yesterday, tired of the No AV reminders, I loaded a CD with suitable
anti-virus and firewall software. The autorun screen told me I had no Mt
Rainier support (Pioneer A08 DL with Nero OEM s'ware) and asked me to
click on a link to download the InCD Readerwriter program from ahead OR
from the CD.

I selected CD and there was stuff downloaded to the HD, and after
installing the AV suite I had to reboot.

The system bootet normally, it seemed, up to a screen telling me to
download the latest AV data files AND moments later a screen from XP
telling me "the system has recovered from a serious error" and gave me
the option to send the logs to MS.

After clicking 'not at this moment', the system shut down and rebooted.

I tried Last Known Good, and all permutations of the F8 options. No good.

I tried to use the recovery console, was able to delete some files I
thought might be the culprits, but was unable to access the folder
Program Files to delete offending new programs.

In despair, I loaded Linux 9.1 into a free partition and tried to delete
files from within Linux - but mostly I ran into 'access denied' type
errors and could not of course change the permissions.

Can anyone suggest a fix - short of reinstalling XP?

I suspect the problem has to do with ahead Easywritereader, as an
earlier incarnation gave me trouble in a Win2K setting...

Thanks for any ideas.

L.M. Huesch

 

[Jon Erlandson]

SInce you haven't updated windows on this system why not do a repair
install? It will leave all your programs and files intact and should repair
the damage done during the failed program installation.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Recovering Windows XP using the Recovery Console
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm

 

[Lutz Huesch]

SInce you haven't updated windows on this system why not do a repair
install? It will leave all your programs and files intact and should repair
the damage done during the failed program installation.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Recovering Windows XP using the Recovery Console
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm

Thanks Jon, will look up the links you suggested for future reference.
Have since been able to delete all offending program bits using Linux
and the MS Recovery Console (which involved a lot of painstaking typing
since it doesn't allow wildcards for my 'protection'!) and a few that
weren't among the culprits

In the event, everything worked fine on reboot, but I had to re-install
InCD from the original OEM CD...

Kind regards,

L.M.H.