Huge Computer Problem

Mullet · November 2004

<div class="IPBDescription">Uber-geek help needed</div> Okay so I have this really important computer I'm trying to fix and I am completely stumped. The person who owns this computer tried installing new drivers for the cd rom drive and since then it's been getting an error on startup: (time to make this thing detailed)

<span style='color:white'>Starting Windows
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Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced startup options for windows 2000, press F8.

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows 2000 Setup using the original Setup floppy disk or CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.</span>

I can't boot into safe mode and I've already tried doing an emergency repair on the computer. I've tried everything I know and I can't fix it. <span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>REFORMATTING IS OUT OF THE OPTION.</span>

Does anyone have any idea what to do?

0blique · November 2004

2 obvious solutions come to my mind:

Get someone to make a KNOPPIX cd. This is a CD with a linux OS which runs completely on the CD. It's available at <a href='http://www.knoppix.org/' target='_blank'>http://www.knoppix.org/</a>.

Install the hard drive on another person's computer.

UnderDOG · November 2004

If the repair option wont work, and formatting is out because of files that are needed, pretty much your only option is to plug the HD into another computer and have it boot normal, then transfer over anything that needs to be saved, or attempting to install windows to it (not sure if you can do this though).

Spooge · November 2004

Will it boot from CD? You say you tried an emergency repair (though I'm not sure what an <i>emergency</i> repair looks like). Have you tried the repair option from the regular installation screen? See if the information <a href='http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/other/motherboard/win2k.htm' target='_blank'>on this page</a> is helpful.

Have you tried removing the CD drive and booting?

Mullet · November 2004

I haven't tried installing the HD on another computer because I didn't think it would make a difference, but I'll try tomorrow. Hopefully it won't mess my computer up <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Have you tried the repair option from the regular installation screen? </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

Regular installation screen? I don't really understand what you mean by that, but all I did was use the Win2k boost disks and did a windows 2000 repair.

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Have you tried removing the CD drive and booting?</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

Yes.

-Thanks for the replies!

0blique · November 2004

It sounds like you don't understand what they mean about the second computer, so I just want to clear things up. When they say to install the hard drive on another computer, they mean to set it as the slave, so the computer doesn't boot off of it (it boots off the one thats already in it). Then you can copy or transfer files onto another hard drive, or on a CD/DVD, or somewhere else.

Spooge · November 2004

I haven't installed 2000 before but I believe it's very similar to XP. In an XP installation, there are 2 ways you can go:

1. Load boot CD and select Repair instead of Install.
2. Load boot CD and select Install then when the setup process recognizes your previous Windows install, it prompts for formatting or repairing.

I believe you want the repair option from number 2.

Here's the sequence from the page I posted:

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>4)Boot the new system from the Win2000 CD (from the Windows 2000 installation CD-ROM, run Winnt32.exe from the \I386 directory); (great if you have a slipstreamed Windows 2000 installation CD w/ SP2; see HERE for details), or 4 boot floppies. (If the hard drive is accessible, you can run Winnt32.exe on the hard drive, or Setup.exe on the CD from Explorer). Have your CDKEY ready.

NOTE: steps 5 and 6 are mobo related and not very helpful to you.

7)Setup will find the existing Win2K installation (usually C:\winnt) and ask if you wish to install over it or repair it. At this second prompt, select Repair.

Note: If the Setup program does not detect a previous installation but just continues to the partitioning screen, there is a problem. An in-place upgrade may not be possible

8)Setup will run the upgrade code that will re-enumerate the hardware and set itself to boot from the new controller. The upgrade will retain all settings but will update drivers for the current motherboard and hardware. (You can reinstall windows over windows with no problems. It basically just skims over your existing installation and fixes bad files and fills in the blanks if something is missing. Everything will be the same after your reinstall.)

9)All programs, settings, and configurations will still exist after this upgrade, however, if you don't have a slipstreamed Windows 2000 installation CD w/ SP2, (see HERE for details), all drivers are reset to Windows basic, and Microsoft updates will need to be reapplied. Run Microsoft Windows Upgrade (on Windows Start menu) to reapply updates as needed. Reports state that IE will be back to IE5.0 and will need to be updated. Any Service Packs will need to be reinstalled. All security updates that have been installed need to be reinstalled. It is best to install the security updates based on the time order.

10)Install optimized chipset drivers, ATA100 drivers, and other branded drivers as needed (those not previously installed using F6 in #4 above).
</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

Swiftspear · November 2004

Here's a wild idea; go on the internet and download and replace the file that it is telling you is corrupt.

Mantrid · November 2004

Well, hurry up and fix it. You have 3 days, 2 hours, 8 minutes and 54 seconds.

Killymagee · November 2004

Its really quiet easy, buy a new small hd format that and install windows. Now buy a hd enclosure (there about 30 bucks or so) then hook enclosure with the drive to your computer and voila you can now take the files you need off the hd and burn them to cd/dvd or move them onto your new hd.

porblem solved <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' />

Mullet · November 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (0blique @ Nov 12 2004, 10:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> It sounds like you don't understand what they mean about the second computer, so I just want to clear things up. When they say to install the hard drive on another computer, they mean to set it as the slave, so the computer doesn't boot off of it (it boots off the one thats already in it). Then you can copy or transfer files onto another hard drive, or on a CD/DVD, or somewhere else.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
I understood what they meant, but I guess I forgot to mention that I dont have windows2k installed and I'd have to install it (to get the files that are missing)....Which I was planning on doing, but not until tomorrow <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />

Chaos_Llama · November 2004

Make a bootable windows cd with Bart's PE. Use that to boot into windows and remove the driver or fix anything else. While in Bart's PE you can also backup files; make a partition on the HD, move all the stuff you want to keep there and than format the primary partition and re-install windows. Then move everything back.

<a href='http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/' target='_blank'>http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/</a>

Mullet · November 2004

Well I tried making it the slave drive on two different computers and whenever I tried that, it would still try to load the OS from the crap/broken HD. Now I can't even get the boot disks for windows 2000 to load (Removed disk or other media error crap).

I think I've been defeated.

BigMadSteve · November 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Killymagee @ Nov 13 2004, 07:15 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Its really quiet easy, buy a new small hd format that and install windows. Now buy a hd enclosure (there about 30 bucks or so) then hook enclosure with the drive to your computer and voila you can now take the files you need off the hd and burn them to cd/dvd or move them onto your new hd.

porblem solved <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' />  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
That works, it's like carrying around a huge (physically and in storage capacity) flash drive. Just plug it in and it goes.

Khaim · November 2004

Set that drive to slave, install windows on HD#2, boot from HD#2, move stuff from HD#1 that you need to HD#2, format HD#1, Reinstall windows on HD#1, move stuff back, set HD#1 back to master and HD#2 back to slave.

john_sheu · November 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mullet @ Nov 14 2004, 03:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Well I tried making it the slave drive on two different computers and whenever I tried that, it would still try to load the OS from the crap/broken HD. Now I can't even get the boot disks for windows 2000 to load (Removed disk or other media error crap).

I think I've been defeated.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
Check your BIOS options. Plug in the drive, and if it insists on booting from that drive, go into BIOS and change the boot order.

Zel · November 2004

Mullet, have it professionally repaired.

I professionally repair PC's and i tried reading this thread, with all intention of being helpful, but theres so much miscommunication, and you dont know how to do most of the suggestions safely....

Could you say WHY you cant have it reformatted? If there's just some data, backing it up to another PC is trivial. If it's program installation and configuration , the windows repair-install will sort it.

What driver did he load? What device did he load it for? was the computer in good health before that?

Mullet · November 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (john_sheu @ Nov 14 2004, 03:21 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> </div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mullet @ Nov 14 2004, 03:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Well I tried making it the slave drive on two different computers and whenever I tried that, it would still try to load the OS from the crap/broken HD. Now I can't even get the boot disks for windows 2000 to load (Removed disk or other media error crap).

I think I've been defeated. </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
Check your BIOS options. Plug in the drive, and if it insists on booting from that drive, go into BIOS and change the boot order.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
Already did that.

How am I not doing this safely? Dosn't matter anymore, I was just trying to fix it so he didn't have to cuz he was going on vacation.

Isamil · November 2004

Download the corrupt or missing file from the interweb. Using something like Knoppix, replace the file.

Huge Computer Problem

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