Recovery Console won't load

[yzerwing]

Hi all,

I have a friends Gateway laptop that won't boot. I get an error that states, Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

I found this article - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

upon trying to access Recovery Console from the XP installation CD I get to the Welcome to set up screen and when I select R to open recovery console I get a message that says "setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer." It than says I should check to make sure that the hard disk is properly connected.

This made me think that the hard drive failed. So I booted from a ubuntu ISO disk and was able to see some windows files on the hard disk. I am now under the assumption that the hard drive is in working order but still cannot access recovery console.

He doesn't have an installation CD so I can't just reinstall over the old OS. I used my disk just for recovery console on it.


If anyone knows what to do next I would appreciate some help with this.

Thank you

 

[yzerwing]

Don't bother - it won't work. Your system will be completely different from his. Again, you need to be outside the system to move those files around - either in Linux or Hirens MiniXP but if there isn't a System.bak or System,sav it won't make the setup fly.[/#000ff]

Hi Saga Lout,

I have UBCD 5.0.2 is there a utility on this disc I can use to access command prompt on the hard drive so I can try kb/307545?
I don't know what a lot of these programs are for on this disc and as far as I know there is no instruction manual for them all.

ERD Commander 2005 is a bit pricey, but Hirens boot CD is probably obtainable if I need it.

This is obviously where my lack of experience comes into play.

Thanks so much!

 

[tigsounds]

ERD Commander 2005 is a bit pricey, but Hirens boot CD is probably obtainable if I need it.

Ummmmmmmmmmmm..... I was just wondering... Did you even click the link I posted above on 10-26-10 at 05:00 in the morning? Hint: It's red.

 

[Saga Lout]

I don't know what a lot of these programs are for on this disc and as far as I know there is no instruction manual for them all.

If one of those tools is the manufacturer's own utility for checking your hard disk, it would be worth using. ERD is an essential component of ComboFix so is obviously worth its salt - it's quite possible malware is at the root of this problem somewhere.

 

[yzerwing]

Hi Tig,

The site you linked to (4sharedfiles.com) I am assuming I am to download a file sharing program there that will allow me to download ERD Commander from that site?

I wasn't sure what it was at first and am not keen on downloading unknown files given the problem with the PC I am working on now. Then am I to burn it as an ISO disc?

 

[tigsounds]

You may have noticed at 4Shared, that the file is there in my account, as posted by me.
I would never send someone to a P2P program to fetch a file from somewhere else.

When I post a link to download something, I know what it is they will be getting and that it is safe, and will probably function as they want or need, if they posses sufficient knowledge to utilize it.

I post links to reputable sources of other files also, such as device drivers, but again, only to places I personally know are a true source.

The file "2005" at 4Shared was posted by me, my nic is there as well as my avatar so anybody will know it did indeed get posted by me and not some fool out to infect people's machines with bogus programs.
The file is only named "2005" at 4Shared to keep the Google spider from indexing it for what it really is, otherwise it would get well published and exploited on the web to such an extent I would be asked to take it down by 4Shared.com.

Download it and burn it to a CD. It is bootable, and that is the only way it can be used. It will appear to be loading Windows, but that changes quickly. It has an "Explorer" function identical to Windows. If you needed to pre-load drivers for your hard drive to install Windows, this program too will need those same drivers and will offer the "Press F6 to install 3rd party drivers" just as Windows does. You do not need to configure networking to use the program (it will ask).

EDIT: Click the blue "Download" button, wait the 90 seconds or whatever delay they make you wait for and it will download. I could have posted the link that bypasses the delay, but it is not reliable all the time, so the delay thing is a necessary evil we just have to put up with..

It may not be able to log onto a Windows installation. No worries, just click to continue without logging on. The registry will not be loaded, but most functions will still work, including explorer (which is what you need anyway).

 

[yzerwing]

I apologize if I offended you. I didn't think you were trying to pass on anything infected or nefarious. I just didn't recognize the name because it is as you have said named only '2005' that threw me off.

I have downloaded the program but have not attempted to use it yet. I am not sure what to expect. Do you have any advice on a course of action? As previously discussed I think all I need to do is replace the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM file. Can I simply use the kb307545 with the ERD command prompt utility or is there a better way. I have never done the kb307545 before either.

Thanks for all your input.

 

[tigsounds]

I apologize if I offended you. I didn't think you were trying to pass on anything infected or nefarious. I just didn't recognize the name because it is as you have said named only '2005' that threw me off.

None taken. I saw it as you didn't recognize a file simply named 2005 and were wondering if that was it or not. I can't name it as it really is and should have made that point clear at the very beginning.


Burn it to disc, with a burning program that can burn an ISO image. There are a few free ones out there, Google free ISO burner if you don't already have one. Boot with the CD you make.. It's going to look like Windows is loading but only for a short while.
If will show a box part way through loading that it will show it trying to configure a network connection, you click to skip network configuration. Later it will announce what it found on the drive and will warn you if it could not find a Windows installation (very likely). You click your system drive and click to connect to that drive anyway.

Once it completes loading, a Windows looking screen will be there. You can then use Explorer to move, copy, rename, delete anything in the drive. Here is where you can copy & paste the needed files into the config folder and hope it is enough to get windows to start in safe mode, or to have ERD try to find the installation when booted gain.

If ERD finds your windows install when re-booted after repairs, it also can do a system restore point rollback and you should do it while you can. It is up under system tools, last item on list. (you'll see it).

This thing takes about a 2 minutes and a half to load, so don't quit on it. What you will copy & paste is listed above somewhere. I don't think your registry files exist at all in the config folder, so it will be only copy/paste to put them there and that's it. It sure beats doing all this in DOS mode.

 

[Saga Lout]

Sounds a lot more complicated than the way Hirens MiniXP or a Linux LiveCD would do it, Tig. Surely, it also depends on the presence of system.bak and backups of the others?

 

[tigsounds]

Sounds a lot more complicated than the way Hirens MiniXP or a Linux LiveCD would do it, Tig. Surely, it also depends on the presence of system.bak and backups of the others?

I dunno... it's just a matter of the two or so minutes it takes to load, then the Explorer is so easy to deal with.
It's something most people are used to and since so little has to be done in this problem to see if it will ever work or not again. I thought it would be a snap, but who knows? He only has to copy 4 files from Windows/repair to the system32/config folder and cross fingers. Fords or Chevy's to me. There again, the config folder could be bad and a copy may not go.

 

[yzerwing]

None taken. I saw it as you didn't recognize a file simply named 2005 and were wondering if that was it or not. I can't name it as it really is and should have made that point clear at the very beginning.


Burn it to disc, with a burning program that can burn an ISO image. There are a few free ones out there, Google free ISO burner if you don't already have one. Boot with the CD you make.. It's going to look like Windows is loading but only for a short while.
If will show a box part way through loading that it will show it trying to configure a network connection, you click to skip network configuration. Later it will announce what it found on the drive and will warn you if it could not find a Windows installation (very likely). You click your system drive and click to connect to that drive anyway.

Once it completes loading, a Windows looking screen will be there. You can then use Explorer to move, copy, rename, delete anything in the drive. Here is where you can copy & paste the needed files into the config folder and hope it is enough to get windows to start in safe mode, or to have ERD try to find the installation when booted gain.

If ERD finds your windows install when re-booted after repairs, it also can do a system restore point rollback and you should do it while you can. It is up under system tools, last item on list. (you'll see it).

This thing takes about a 2 minutes and a half to load, so don't quit on it. What you will copy & paste is listed above somewhere. I don't think your registry files exist at all in the config folder, so it will be only copy/paste to put them there and that's it. It sure beats doing all this in DOS mode.

I do have an ISO burner I used it to make the Ubuntu Disc so I'm good there I just have never even seen ERD before and no zero about it.

So I need to copy the system.bak file to the config folder? Can I navigate to that file the same way I would in Windows so I can copy it?

This is great stuff thanks a lot!

 

[tigsounds]

The files you need to copy are in Windows/repair folder. They are not as current as the restore points, but should get Windows recognized by ERD. Just use ERD like as if it were Windows running. ERD is very similar to Windows. It has Explorer that works just like Windows Explorer. Just go to the Windows/repair folder, right-click file select Copy, and go to Windows/system32/config and right-click and paste. That's it. If any of the files in the config folder are still there, you can rename them to allow the paste to proceed without over-writing the originals.

Do it for the 4 needed files, restart ERD and see if it recognizes your Windows install now. If it does, click the Windows install in ERD at startup and go straight to the System Tools button and do a restore point rollback.

Restart computer like nothing ever went wrong.

However.... If the Windows install is still not recognized by ERD, there's more.. but let's do this first.

 

[yzerwing]

Sorry if I seem a bit thick here but I am not seeing the 'windows/repair folder' in explorer.

It starts with the usual tree I open My Computer, I386, system32, config and found where the missing file belongs. To get there I clicked start and explorer and went from there.

But where is windows/repair that holds the file I need to copy to the config folder?

This is all found under the D drive which shows the CD-ROM drive icon. There is no other drive listed. Is that why I can't find the folder I need?

I can't believe I cant figure this out. I feel that it is at my fingertips but I can't reach it.

Thanks

 

[tigsounds]

But where is windows/repair that holds the file I need to copy to the config folder?

This is all found under the D drive which shows the CD-ROM drive icon. There is no other drive listed. Is that why I can't find the folder I need?

The files are in the system hard drive that runs Windows.


EDIT: Woa.. are you saying ERD doesn't even see the C drive?

 

[tigsounds]

I made some screen-shots of the loading progress of ERD. If the last one is what you see, you have more than registry issues with that drive. It could be that your BIOS isn't set to load the drive, or it needs specific boot drivers (like would have been needed to install Windows).

The dooms-day picture... Explorer doesn't find the hard drive.

 

[Saga Lout]

Now you've gone full cycle all the way back to post #2 when you could see the root of C: while using Ubuntu. Since Ubuntu could mount the hard disk when ERD clearly cannot, why not go back to that point where you will find that the Repair folder is the one in between Registration and Resources in the folder C:\Windows.

 

[tigsounds]

I agree. All this is getting no-where.

 

[yzerwing]

Unfortunately Yes I have see the Dooms-day-Picture.

......so your saying go back to the Ubuntu Live disc and find the WINDOWS\repair folder; and then what copy the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM file to a flash drive and then transfer it to the config folder? Again I am Ubuntu stupid. I have a minimal experience with it.

Or is it down the BIOS thing you mentioned? What can I do if it needs certain boot drivers that are missing or corrupted?

Thanks guys.

 

[tigsounds]

We have gone full-circle here.

Since the Ubuntu Live disc has no trouble accessing the drive, it should be used. There are four files to be copied from Windows/repair to windows/system32/config folder. They are named in the M$ article kb/307545. The error of the missing "system" file is the only one you get because it is a dead issue right then and there if it is missing/corrupt. You'll need to explore Google for usage of Ubuntu so you'll know how to copy files from one folder to another.

I have seen that same error many times and it is usually not missing files but rather a problem with disk access, in the boot.ini sending Windows to a wrong or bogus drive to load, thus the error when it can't find anything. Your problem is compounded by way of the Windows CD cannot find the drive either.

Saga Lout and I have tools to deal with these things, and we know how to use those tools. It takes time to lean these things, and this forum is not a proper place for an extend classroom on the use of various utility programs out there.

If you want to salvage the personal files from the drive, you can put it in an external enclosure and copy them out, but the Windows installation is likely lost. Remember, installed programs are lost, so save yourself the time and discouragement of trying to salvage them. Installer files may still be useful.

If we were on a phone call to each other, it could still take hours to remedy the problem. Here on a forum, it takes weeks, which we just don't do in a help/advice/tips forum. You need training such as a course in school where a guided, hands-on situation is available.

I'm sorry Windows XP was not able to be restored to working order in that computer. We have done what we can from here.

 

[yzerwing]

I struck out with the Ubuntu route as well.

My friend has already agreed to buy and install a new Windows XP OS. I just really wanted to save him that, but it wasn't to be so I guess it's "format C" now.

Thank you both for all your patience and information. I have to say it wasn't a total loss. I did learn a thing or two.