Recovery Console won't run

  • Thread starter Thread starter D. Evans
  • Start date Start date
D

D. Evans

Sorry for this lengthy query, but here goes:

I want to fix the master boot record because I also have
Linux on my PC and I wish to delete it, resize its
partition and install a new version, but I need to get rid
of references to it in the boot record first. When I put
the XP CD in my drive and reboot I get the message: "Setup
is inspecting your hardware configuration" and then the
monitor screen goes dark and nothing happens.

I tried installing RC on my PC using the run command
d:\i386\winn32.exe /cmdcons and get the following message:
"No valid system partitions were found. Setup is unable to
continue." I did open winn32.exe file and was able to get
to the screen where reinstalling XP is an option, but when
I clicked on that (just to see if that would work--figured
I could always cancel) I got the same message. (Which kind
of concerns me. What if I really do need to reinstall XP
someday?)

I do have my drive partitioned (used Partition Magic 7.0).
Is that perhaps the problem? Although it doesn't seem as if
it should be. I don't have any mirroring going on and I
haven't changed any internal hardware. I do have an
external hard drive (currently not connected), a DSL modem
and a printer hooked up. I'm also running Zone Alarm Pro
and Norton Systemworks 2003.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. I have
searched several hours looking for information on this
problem, but everything I've found assumes that the RC can
be accessed.

Many thanks.


***remove zzz from email address***
 
Hi there,

I have a similar problem which is why I'm in here. I get
a similar message when I try to run RC from the CD.
However when I run it from the cmd line using d:\i386
\winn32.exe /cmdcons it gets right to the end then stops
with "The installation did not complete correctly. It is
possible that windows XP startup files in the root
directory were missing or in use during installation..."
I do have two disks in a mirror using the on-board raid
controller which may explain why I cannot the drive when
booting from the CD, but like you I'm worried that I may
not be able to recover after a crash.

I realise this does not help you, but I do really need
answers.

Thanks
 
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