Enable SET command in Recovery Console

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Guest

My XP Home system won't boot (continuously re-boots after failing to find
CHKDSK)-but I need to rescue data by being able to to change directories and
copying data from hard disk (though I can only see the first partion C:) to
my USB drive within Recovery Console - Soooo...... I need to enable the
SETAllowAllPaths=true command......but how can I use the Windows security
tools:

• The Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in in Microsoft Management
Console (MMC)
• The Domain Controller Security Policy in Administrative Tools.
• The Domain Security Policy in Administrative Tools.
• The Local Security Policy in Administrative Tools.

If I can't boot into Windows anymore - I didn't know my system was going to
crash so hadn't set the policy beforehand......what's the point of Recovery
Console If I can't get to my data to rescue it????

Help would really be appreciated
 
Sassenach said:
My XP Home system won't boot (continuously re-boots after failing to find
CHKDSK)-but I need to rescue data by being able to to change directories
and
copying data from hard disk (though I can only see the first partion C:)
to
my USB drive within Recovery Console - Soooo...... I need to enable the
SETAllowAllPaths=true command......but how can I use the Windows security
tools:
Click to expand...
If I can't boot into Windows anymore - I didn't know my system was going
to
crash so hadn't set the policy beforehand......what's the point of
Recovery
Console If I can't get to my data to rescue it????
Click to expand...

Well, I agree with you that I wish this wasn't the default way RC was set
up. But that's the way it's been for the past 6 years or so. Once your
system crashes, it's too late to set that policy. Microsoft had a reason
for this, probably relating to security. You can still access those files
by booting to an alternate OS, such as downloading and burning a Knoppix
boot CD, or by installing a second copy of Windows onto that system, or by
slaving your hard drive into another working Windows system.
 
Karl Levinson said:
Well, I agree with you that I wish this wasn't the default way RC was set
up. But that's the way it's been for the past 6 years or so. Once your
system crashes, it's too late to set that policy. Microsoft had a reason
for this, probably relating to security. You can still access those files
by booting to an alternate OS, such as downloading and burning a Knoppix
boot CD, or by installing a second copy of Windows onto that system, or by
slaving your hard drive into another working Windows system.


Thankyou very much for your prompt - though somewhat depressing reply. I'm not really a PC Techie but having a go with a Knoppix Boot CD sounds like fun - I'll Google it to see how to go about that....I assume I have nothing to lose, and it won't cuase problems when I eventually fail and have to us the original Sony Restore disks to wipe everything and start again?
Click to expand...
Cheers
Sassenach
 
Try using F8 when starting the operating system to access the alternate
start menu and select the option for "last known good configuration to see
if that helps". If that does not try booting into Safe Mode. I noticed that
one of the capabilities of a popular password reset disk is that it can also
change the settings for Recovery Console including the setting you want to
change. The tool is available at the link below and you can create either a
bootable floppy or cdrom.

Steve

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
 
Thanks Steve,
I've tried most combinations of "Safe" and "last known settings" etc. all to
no avail. I think my problems really all relate to trying to un-install
Norton Goback.
This is the second time I've had trouble with it...I tried not to install it
in the first place when I needed use Norton Systemworks.....but it snuck in
.....I shan't be a Norton Customer in future....I can't even use the Norton
recovery disk until I uninstall Go Back successfully.......and it wont remove
the history properly without re-booting half way through...too many egss and
chickens in all this stuff (like the RC default policy setting requiring you
to forsee the crash - OK NOW I know that's should have been predictable!).

I will check out your link from home tonight (my Work firewall prevents
access to "Hacking" type websites. I have also started down the Knoppix Boot
CD route that Karl suggested...I have to say that so far this looks like a
very clean option, and may lead to me eventually becoming a Linux user.....or
at least a Dual Booter

Thanks a lot for your input.
Sassenach
 
OK. Good luck. Another great item to have in your arsenal is to create your
own bootable from cdrom/DVD version of XP using your install disk. BART'S PE
allows you to do this. A nice feature of using it is that you can edit most
of the registry on a dead operating system and also backup data to
cdrom/DVD. The link to it is below.

Steve

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ --- BART'S PE
 
Thanks Steve - Unfortunately I don't have the original XP disk...only the
Sony Restore to factory OEM stuff.......ought to be a law against it!!

The Knoppix set-up went really well got to my C: drive (3OGB) and rescued my
Documents and Settings stuff (Outlook PST's) to a USB device - very nice GUI
all loaded into RAM from CD without "touching" the hard drive.......but I
still can't see the 2nd partition D: drive (160 GB) where all my User data
files are stored.

Knoppix is supposed to recognise NTFS/FAT partitions as separate drive icons
when it starts up...I have no reason to believe it's a Knoppix problem....I
also noted I couldn't see the D: drive from the Recovery Console either (even
though I would've been unable to access it anyway)...soooo I think my crash
problems may also be related to a corruption of the file partition records....

As I recall last time I rebuilt the system I had the option to reformat and
restore only the C: partition and re-install the OS......hopefully if I have
to go down this route whaddya reckon the chances are of discovering an
undisturbed D: drive data on the other side of the process are
eh??......mmmmmm

Cheers
Sassenach
 
If you want that data on the D drive then you don't have much choice but to
try all reasonable alternatives. I assume from your description that you
have one physical drive because if drive D is another physical drive there
could be many reasons why it can not be accessed and thus potential repair
options. If it is indeed a single hard drive then you most likely can rule
out a problem with the drive itself and I think your chances for recovering
your data from D are good. Putting the drive in another computer as a
secondary/slave drive is also a good tactic if that is possible. When you do
get access to the D drive from a functioning operating system be sure to use
Computer Management/Disk Management to see if it can find the drive or how
it sees it.

Steve
 
Thanks Steve,
Think I'm on the final lap now - downloaded Partition Recovery Demo and
rescanned the disk from the bootable CD - found my missing D:Partition and
the data directories therein - bought the Pro version (29.99 USD) to write
the updated partition data to the disk - and rebooted into knoppix (was
tempted to go for a Windows boot straightaway but thought I'd take the
conservative approach first) - saw my "two" (C: & D:) disks on the desktop -
Huzzah!! - and I'm backing up the data to a USB hardisk as we speak. (seems
a bit slow - not sure USB 2.0 protocol is fully configured on my current
knoppix set-up.....but I'm so relieved to have reached this stage that I'm
not too worried!)

Thanks for all your input
Sassenach
 
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