repair OEM Windows XP Home?

[Dabbler]

my friend's mom'sToshiba won't boot (missing or corrupt
c:\windows\System32\config\system). She has the Toshiba recovery CD but that
wipes and restores factory install and I just think we need to run a repair
install. I can pull any data off with Ubuntu Live CD (at least my paying
clients backup... because I can insist on it but I would like to avoid
reconfiguration etc. Is it possible to use another (borrowed) XP Home CD with
SP3 slipstreamed to run the repair or will that hose the serial/activation?
Can I use Pro CD (which I have) to do same?

Thanks much!

Michael

 

[R. McCarty]

A repair install isn't necessary. If the computer has System Restore
enabled it's possible to replace the System hive with a recent copy
from a Restore Point folder. MS has a KB article that discusses
how to replace a Registry Hive.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

If you perform IT work for pay, you really should learn more about
standard things like differences between XP installation disks.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

my friend's mom'sToshiba won't boot (missing or corrupt
c:\windows\System32\config\system). She has the Toshiba recovery CD but
that
wipes and restores factory install and I just think we need to run a
repair
install. I can pull any data off with Ubuntu Live CD (at least my paying
clients backup... because I can insist on it but I would like to avoid
reconfiguration etc. Is it possible to use another (borrowed) XP Home CD
with
SP3 slipstreamed to run the repair or will that hose the
serial/activation?
Can I use Pro CD (which I have) to do same?

Thanks much!

Michael

If you can boot into Safe Mode then it may be easier and quicker to use
System Restore to fix the machine. If you cannot boot into Safe Mode then
you could boot the machine with your Ubuntu CD and restore one of the System
registry hives that are maintained by the System Restore mechanism. Have a
look at this link to see where they are:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545. Make sure to back up the hives you
intend to replace!

You also need to make an attempt to find out what's happened to the
registry. If the machine is infected then restoring the registry is unlikely
to fix the problem.

 

[Dabbler]

Thanks to both of you fore responding. The system won't boot to safe mode, I
get the same error when trying F8 at boot.

The kb article you both mentioned specifically states it won't work for OEM
install:

Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your
computer has an OEM-installed operating system. The system hive on OEM
installations creates passwords and user accounts that did not exist
previously. If you use the procedure that is described in this article, you
may not be able to log back into the recovery console to restore the original
registry hives.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

I have successfully used the method for OEM installations. It's worth a try.
Using your Ubuntu boot CD, it will take less than 10 minutes, and if you
back up your hives then the process is fully reversible.

 

[Dabbler]

Thanks, I'll give this a shot!

I have successfully used the method for OEM installations. It's worth a try.
Using your Ubuntu boot CD, it will take less than 10 minutes, and if you
back up your hives then the process is fully reversible.

 

[Steve Winograd [MS-MVP]]

my friend's mom'sToshiba won't boot (missing or corrupt
c:\windows\System32\config\system). She has the Toshiba recovery CD but that
wipes and restores factory install and I just think we need to run a repair
install. I can pull any data off with Ubuntu Live CD (at least my paying
clients backup... because I can insist on it but I would like to avoid
reconfiguration etc. Is it possible to use another (borrowed) XP Home CD with
SP3 slipstreamed to run the repair or will that hose the serial/activation?
Can I use Pro CD (which I have) to do same?

Thanks much!

Michael

The problem could be simply disk file corruption. Boot with BartPE or
an XP installation disk and run chkdsk /r c: -- that's often all it
takes to fix it.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Desktop Experience)

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com