Windows crased, lost default user settings

[Bryan]

Win2k gave me a first blue screen today. After it rebooted itself I was
sitting in front of a default win2k screen, original welcome to win2k popup,
blank desktop, etc.
Explorer shows my default username in my documents, so I was able to easily
revive my desktop & IE fav's, but Outlook & OE are not cooperating. In my
documents I have the original folders: all users, guest, user1,and user2. I
always just login with user1. Now I have a new folder called user1.USER1,
which seems to have become the new default login. I've tried deleting this
folder, and it's just recreated. I tried coping everything from user1 to the
new folder, and somethings copy (ie fav's & desktop) but get an error on one
of 2 outlook pst files and outlook won't run right. OE doesn't have news
groups added, I was able to add my e-mail so I can use that until I fix
Outlook.

How can I fix this? Or is it impossible?
All of my files are still in the my doc's folder, so I have not lost any
data, I just can't get back to my comfortable settings in Outlook & OE.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Dave Patrick]

Then the profile may be corrupt. You can rename it while logged on as
another user with local administrative rights, then when you logon again a
new default profile will be created. You can then copy the parts you need
from the corrupt profile \Desktop, \Favorites, etc. Don't copy the folders,
but copy their contents instead. After you have all copied, you can delete
the corrupt profile and all of the system.00n profiles.

Use the import function of Outlook. For your OE newsgroups check out Tom
Kochs' (Tom is one of the OE MVP's) web site for this info and more on
recovering your Outlook Express stuff.
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/

 

[Bryan]

Thanks.

But as I was giving it a try, I think the whole thing crashed!
During the windows boot, it stops and says missing or corrupt:
winnt/system32/system

I can't remember how to make a boot floppy in win2k (tried format, sys)
inserting a win2k cd, it can't find window installation. Try to reinstall
windows, desperate to recover data, and it says partition is either corrupt
or invalid, needs to be formatted

Guess I'm just screwed, as this is a notebook HD that I can't just pop into
an ide cable and try to recover data

Thanks, I think that may have worked, but I'll probably never know.

Bryan

Then the profile may be corrupt. You can rename it while logged on as
another user with local administrative rights, then when you logon again a
new default profile will be created. You can then copy the parts you need
from the corrupt profile \Desktop, \Favorites, etc. Don't copy the folders,
but copy their contents instead. After you have all copied, you can delete
the corrupt profile and all of the system.00n profiles.

Use the import function of Outlook. For your OE newsgroups check out Tom
Kochs' (Tom is one of the OE MVP's) web site for this info and more on
recovering your Outlook Express stuff.
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

Win2k gave me a first blue screen today. After it rebooted itself I was
sitting in front of a default win2k screen, original welcome to win2k popup,
blank desktop, etc.
Explorer shows my default username in my documents, so I was able to easily
revive my desktop & IE fav's, but Outlook & OE are not cooperating. In my
documents I have the original folders: all users, guest, user1,and

user2.

I
always just login with user1. Now I have a new folder called user1.USER1,
which seems to have become the new default login. I've tried deleting this
folder, and it's just recreated. I tried coping everything from user1 to the
new folder, and somethings copy (ie fav's & desktop) but get an error on one
of 2 outlook pst files and outlook won't run right. OE doesn't have news
groups added, I was able to add my e-mail so I can use that until I fix
Outlook.

How can I fix this? Or is it impossible?
All of my files are still in the my doc's folder, so I have not lost any
data, I just can't get back to my comfortable settings in Outlook & OE.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Dave Patrick]

Did you mean? Winnt\System32\Config\system

If the system hive, and assuming you already tried LKG, It may be possible
to rename the system hive found in
%windir%\system32\config\system
to system.old
then rename
%windir%\system32\config\system.alt
to
%windir%\system32\config\system

You can also try using the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback

If that fails you haven't much choice but to copy/ use the
original-as-installed system hive from
%windir%\repair\system
to
%windir%\system32\config\system
You'll need to reinstall the device drivers for any hardware added since the
original OS install.

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R to repair a Windows
2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the Recovery
Console quits and restarts the computer. Once the password has been
validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access
to the hard disk. You can only access the following folders on your
computer: %systemroot% and %windir%

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

Thanks.

But as I was giving it a try, I think the whole thing crashed!
During the windows boot, it stops and says missing or corrupt:
winnt/system32/system

I can't remember how to make a boot floppy in win2k (tried format, sys)
inserting a win2k cd, it can't find window installation. Try to reinstall
windows, desperate to recover data, and it says partition is either corrupt
or invalid, needs to be formatted

Guess I'm just screwed, as this is a notebook HD that I can't just pop into
an ide cable and try to recover data

Thanks, I think that may have worked, but I'll probably never know.

Bryan

Then the profile may be corrupt. You can rename it while logged on as
another user with local administrative rights, then when you logon again a
new default profile will be created. You can then copy the parts you need
from the corrupt profile \Desktop, \Favorites, etc. Don't copy the folders,
but copy their contents instead. After you have all copied, you can delete
the corrupt profile and all of the system.00n profiles.

Use the import function of Outlook. For your OE newsgroups check out Tom
Kochs' (Tom is one of the OE MVP's) web site for this info and more on
recovering your Outlook Express stuff.
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

Win2k gave me a first blue screen today. After it rebooted itself I was
sitting in front of a default win2k screen, original welcome to win2k popup,
blank desktop, etc.
Explorer shows my default username in my documents, so I was able to easily
revive my desktop & IE fav's, but Outlook & OE are not cooperating. In my
documents I have the original folders: all users, guest, user1,and

user2.

I
always just login with user1. Now I have a new folder called user1.USER1,
which seems to have become the new default login. I've tried deleting this
folder, and it's just recreated. I tried coping everything from user1

to
the

new folder, and somethings copy (ie fav's & desktop) but get an error

on
one

of 2 outlook pst files and outlook won't run right. OE doesn't have news
groups added, I was able to add my e-mail so I can use that until I fix
Outlook.

How can I fix this? Or is it impossible?
All of my files are still in the my doc's folder, so I have not lost any
data, I just can't get back to my comfortable settings in Outlook & OE.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Bryan]

unfortunately I can't get anywhere. I can't get to the know good config, The
win2k CD starts, but it can't find the windows installation. Try to
reinstall win, and it says HD is incompatible format, or corrupt.

Is there a simple boot floppy I can make to try to access my data, like back
in the old 6.22 days, or even win98 boot to command prompt?
I can get recovery console to work ( I guess, I get a command prompt). Dir
does not work, nor does chkdsk.

Think I'm screwed, or is there still hope.

Bryan

Did you mean? Winnt\System32\Config\system

If the system hive, and assuming you already tried LKG, It may be possible
to rename the system hive found in
%windir%\system32\config\system
to system.old
then rename
%windir%\system32\config\system.alt
to
%windir%\system32\config\system

You can also try using the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback

If that fails you haven't much choice but to copy/ use the
original-as-installed system hive from
%windir%\repair\system
to
%windir%\system32\config\system
You'll need to reinstall the device drivers for any hardware added since the
original OS install.

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R to repair a Windows
2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the Recovery
Console quits and restarts the computer. Once the password has been
validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access
to the hard disk. You can only access the following folders on your
computer: %systemroot% and %windir%

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

Thanks.

But as I was giving it a try, I think the whole thing crashed!
During the windows boot, it stops and says missing or corrupt:
winnt/system32/system

I can't remember how to make a boot floppy in win2k (tried format, sys)
inserting a win2k cd, it can't find window installation. Try to reinstall
windows, desperate to recover data, and it says partition is either corrupt
or invalid, needs to be formatted

Guess I'm just screwed, as this is a notebook HD that I can't just pop into
an ide cable and try to recover data

Thanks, I think that may have worked, but I'll probably never know.

Bryan

again

a

new default profile will be created. You can then copy the parts you need
from the corrupt profile \Desktop, \Favorites, etc. Don't copy the folders,
but copy their contents instead. After you have all copied, you can delete
the corrupt profile and all of the system.00n profiles.

Use the import function of Outlook. For your OE newsgroups check out Tom
Kochs' (Tom is one of the OE MVP's) web site for this info and more on
recovering your Outlook Express stuff.
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

:
Win2k gave me a first blue screen today. After it rebooted itself I was
sitting in front of a default win2k screen, original welcome to win2k
popup,
blank desktop, etc.
Explorer shows my default username in my documents, so I was able to
easily
revive my desktop & IE fav's, but Outlook & OE are not cooperating.

In
my

documents I have the original folders: all users, guest, user1,and user2.
I
always just login with user1. Now I have a new folder called user1.USER1,
which seems to have become the new default login. I've tried

deleting
this

folder, and it's just recreated. I tried coping everything from

user1

to

error

on

 

[Dave Patrick]

Inline reply:

unfortunately I can't get anywhere. I can't get to the know good config,

* F8 at the prompt just as windows is starting

The

win2k CD starts, but it can't find the windows installation. Try to
reinstall win, and it says HD is incompatible format, or corrupt.

Is there a simple boot floppy I can make to try to access my data, like back
in the old 6.22 days, or even win98 boot to command prompt?
I can get recovery console to work ( I guess, I get a command prompt). Dir
does not work, nor does chkdsk.

* You'll need to post the details of what happens when you try.

 

[Bryan]

Inline reply:

* F8 at the prompt just as windows is starting

I know, won't work.

What happens is after a while it says:
missing or corrupt winnt/system32/config/system
Load install CD and use recover.

I try and use recover, but it can't find a windows install.
Apparently recover console doesn't work as I get dupmed to a C prompt, but
it never askes for an admin password.
I'm not real familur with how to use the recover console. While at the C
prompt I tried DIR, and it spins for a while, then says it can't and gives
some kind of error (sorr in another room from the machine)

As a last hope, I tried to install a new copy of Win, it says the partation
is corrupt or invalid, needs to be formated for windows to install.

Now I am using a different cd to try this than the original install. The
original is a recovery cd (the kind that wipes out everything to make it a
factory install again)

I was up to SP4 before the crash.

Thanks for any help

Bryan

The

win2k CD starts, but it can't find the windows installation. Try to
reinstall win, and it says HD is incompatible format, or corrupt.

Is there a simple boot floppy I can make to try to access my data, like back
in the old 6.22 days, or even win98 boot to command prompt?
I can get recovery console to work ( I guess, I get a command prompt). Dir
does not work, nor does chkdsk.

* You'll need to post the details of what happens when you try.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

 

[Stephen Smith]

Bryan wrote:

[snip]

Guess I'm just screwed, as this is a notebook HD that I can't just pop
into an ide cable and try to recover data

Sure you can, just get yourself a 2.5" to 3.5" IDE adaptor plug/cable!

They're inexpensive (£3-£5 GBP) and this is exactly what I got myself the
other day when I suspected a faulty laptop HD.

Such an example of adaptor can be found at the top of the following page:

http://www.cablesdirect.com/search_result3.asp?txtKeyword=INT_Adaptor&txtNam
e=Internal%20Adaptors

(gack, that URL is going to word-wrap)

Good luck with getting your system up and running again,



Stephen.

 

[steve]

-----Original Message-----


What happens is after a while it says:
missing or corrupt winnt/system32/config/system
Load install CD and use recover.

I've seen this twice in the last three or four months and
both times it was a physical hard drive problem - running
Troubleshooter hd diags or Maxtor's ide diags revealed crc
or other "unrecoverable read" errors...

In one of the cases I was able to get some data off by
sticking the drive in another pc as a second hard drive.