OMG im so freaking screwed

Discussions of applications and operating systems and any problems, tips or suggestions. Win XP, 9x/2k, Linux, NT, photo editing, Virus/Spyware help
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pseizure2000
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OMG im so freaking screwed

Post by pseizure2000 »

Well long story short I got screwed royally. Windows would blue screen of death on me at boot, and all attempts to revitalize it have failed. So I installed XP on the other partition. I'm basically trying to find any possible way in hell to fix the windows on the other partition. Okay when i try to use the repair feature on the xp disc at boot it asks me for the administrator password. Well i was the only user on it....so wouldn't it have to be my old account password? I've tried it and it doesn't work and every time i try it doesn't take the password. After 3 attempts it goes straight to DOS mode. WTF is this password? Is there any other possible way you think I could maybe bring life back into it? I really need the other partition of windows. Like I'm hyperventilating right now.


Damn i never had room to backup.
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Post by nexus_7 »

have you ried leaving the admin password blank?

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Post by Invisible Evil »

Yeah man, just hit enter and bust a move.
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Post by b-man1 »

i wouldn't be too concerned about actually recovering the Windows install...i assume it is the data on that partition you want back. since the HD is still working just copy what you need somewhere else and then do a fresh install and don't waste your time on fixing a pooched copy of Windows.

(unless i'm not thinking of something you could need from actually booting into that copy of Windows?)

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Post by pseizure2000 »

Thanks guys...but i've tried leaving it blank...it just asks again. And yeah...the problem is that there were a lot of important files that were left on the desktop. And when i try to access the desktop file off of the partition I can see all the files in there but i can't do anything with them. It just tells me that access is denied and crap. and to check if the disk isn't full, write-protected, or currently in use.
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Post by FlyingPenguin »

This didn't happen, by any chance, after installing the SP2 update? I've been seeing it a lot. Usuallu happens because there's spyware in the system or a bad driver.

Even when there's no admin password, still won't let you in.

Alternately there MAY BE an admin password. When XP is setup you're never the admin account, that's a seperate account, but it usually has no password.

ANYWAY I assume you've tried the easy stuff? Bring up the boot menu and select "Boot last known good..." and "Safe Mode"?

If neither works then you need to do a repair install. That is NOT what you just tried to do - you tried to run the Recovery Console.

Boot from the XP installl CD, hit ENTER at the first menu, when the EULA comes up hit F8 to continue then at the next menu hit "R" for Repair. Select the existing partition that windows was installed on and let it repair it. This will USUALLY work. It'll wipe the device manager and re-install windows (you will not lose any data or installed apps).

BE AWARE that afterward the Windows install will be reset to the same version that's on the CD (if the CD is original Windows there will be no service packs installed). I recommend you use a CD that's been slipstreamed to a service pack to save time, but it's not necessary. You WILL need to install at least SP1 afterwards and ALL the latest security updates via Windows Update afterwards.

IMPORTANT!!!!!! Since NONE of the 4 REALLY CRITICAL updates (RPCSS exploit, ASN.1 flaw, Sasser and Scob virus exploits) will be installed after you do a repair, you MUST be VERY careful NOT to get on the internet before turning on the firewall first unless you do the repair with a slipstreamed SP2 CD (you're also PROBABLY safe if you're behind a router since most routers block the ports used in these exploits, but better to be safe and turn on the firewall first). All four of these exploits, if unpatched, will allow your system to be infected within MINJUTES after getting on the internet. SP2 includes patches for all these exploits.

ALSO do NOT allow the computer to have an internet connection during the repair install.

I highly recommend you unplug ALL peripherals from the computer before doing the repair install.

Hope this helps...
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Post by pseizure2000 »

Indeed you are correct, it was SP2.

I selected the existing partition that windows was installed on and let it repair it. But when it reboots it goes to a screen to decide which partition too boot from to complete the installation. Well I think it automatically chooses the new windows install partition over the original and reboots itself and does the same thing over and over again. It isn't until I repair the new partition install of windows that I can boot back up completely. And it actually lets ME choose which partition to boot from that time. . A little confusing but yeah.

Is there any way I can disable or delete the new installation of windows so that it will not give me a choice of partitions to boot from?
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Post by FlyingPenguin »

If you can actually boot into Windows (either one) yes. Right click My Computer, Prioperties, Advanced tab, Start Up and Recovery button. In the System Startup Panel select the OS you want to boot into (generally the first one in the list is the oldest, but not always).

Uncheck "Time to display list of operating systems" and the menu won't prompt you when you start the computer.

In the long run you may want to remove the 2nd OS entirely from the boot.ini file, but you can do that later on and do a Google search on it.

FAIR WARNING: A repair install of WinXP SP1 or earlier over a failed install of SP2 always leaves some elements of SP2 installed (you'll notice for instance that there's a Windows Security service installed and possibly running which is from SP2). To clean things up you should go ahead and do an SP2 upgrade eventually. HOWEVER I would strongly recommend you make a Ghost image of your boot partition first in case it fails again. Also you want to thoroughly clean out ALL spyware and disconnect ALL peripherals before installing SP2.
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Post by pseizure2000 »

Okay so obviously that wasn't the problem. Argh. I just wish this wouldn't take so freaking long to install everything.

All I need are those files in my account folder in Documents and Settings. I could live with having to reinstall everything.

Thanks a bunch for all the help.

Anymore bright ideas?....anyone?
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Post by FlyingPenguin »

Pop the drive in another computer and copy the files. However, if your drive is formatted NTSF and it wants a password to access the files, and your password doesn't work, you're screwed.
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Post by pseizure2000 »

Yeah I'll give that a try tomorrow. But I really wonder if there might be some possible way to revive the old install.

30 DOLLARS PAYPAL TO ANYONE WHO CAN COME UP WITH A WAY TO REVIVE IT!


oh yeah i'm desperate. :(
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Post by FlyingPenguin »

If the repair doesn't work, I'm out of ideas. The repair usually works for me but it's possible that 2nd install of Windows screwed things up.
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Post by Busby »

By chance are you running a VIA mobo? I've had the same issue before with a computer just rebooting and rebooting after a repair. It's actually BSODing and you can stop the BSOD but it's hard to repair it. Now do you need the files from the folder or do you need the Windows installation? If it's just the files, it's a rather easy operation to get the files back to where you can access them. If it's the Windows install then that can be a little more complicated. Either post a reply or hit me up on AIM (Busby1218). I can also point you in the right direction to reset the old XP admin password to grant yourself access to the recovery console but if you just need the files then it's a waste of time.
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Post by pseizure2000 »

Actually it's an nVidia mobo. :(

If I can salvage the windows installation it would be even greater...because I really need my PC at full potential this week...and not even having Word or being able to view PDF files is in no way "full potential".

But if I can't boot from the old installation I would just desire the files.

Thanks
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Post by FlyingPenguin »

Can you get into Safe Mode? If so, re-install the VIA drivers from there.
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