Legit Reviews

Hi, got my new computer (posting the specs in other part of forum later),but I need help. I powered down my old computer to move spaces to my wife's desk, I plugged in all the stuff she normally uses, like drawing board, camera and crap, then turned it on. It started doing the new hardware thing and when it was done, said I need to restart the computer and I did. Now it won't come back up. I unplugged ever thing but mouse and keyboard, still won't come back up. I tried to start it in safe mode, won't work. I put in the xp disk to try and fix whatever happened, nothing. I keep getting this error "the following is missing or corupt \windows\system32\config\system" it says after that you attept to repair using original xp disk by pressing r at first screen. Well it don't work either. I tried to hit f2 to see what my start up sequence was, and it don't work either. I can get to the "safe mode" screen but it won't start, it loads a couple drivers then I get the same error message. Any idea what the heck happened? I need help, now the wife is mad cause I gave her my old computer (which is better than her old one) but now it don't work.

I would try to clear your CMOS...it might not help but it's easy to do and if something in your BIOS got tweaked it will fix it. If you have another PC, try and make a BART PE or bootable disk and see if it will boot from that.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

If that works, get the data off of it that you need to keep, and do a complete format and re-install!!! I would NOT keep running it if you had this problem already - Windows screws up enough on its own, it doesnt need help

Mike

let me know if that worked for you - if not I can dig farther, or you can just remove the hard drive, plug it into your system, copy the data you need to keep over to yours, then reformat and reinstall - might be easier to do that..

When you try to boot into safe mode.....it shows you all the drivers being loaded......what driver file does it hang on when booting?????

Also have you tried pressing F8 @ startup, chose "Last Known Good Config"

kenc51 wrote:Also have you tried pressing F8 @ startup, chose "Last Known Good Config"

Now thats the easy way - you are supposed to make it difficult so they are more careful..hehehhehe

Mike

Yep, tried the f8 safe mode, f8 last known good mode. When trying to boot in safe mode, it sticks on the same error looks like, the system32\config\system. Gives the same error. When trying to just let it load or trying to use the last known good config, it clicks about 3 little bars on the bottom then gives the same error.

How do I make a BART PE or a bootable disk? Like I said, I'm pretty much a dumbass when it comes to software stuff.

If I take the hard drive out of this computer and put it in another computer, can I access or do a repair on it if it's in the other computer? Do I need to make any changes or will it just automatically come up if I hook it to the other computer?

I never get to the welcome screen to do the procedure listed. I think what it's doing is that it's trying to re configure the system with the new devices installed (even though I unhooked them) and it only gets a couple bars over when it gives this error.

Thanks

you wouldnt boot the old hard drive, you would put it in as a slave drive just to copy the data from it that you want to keep.

you would then unhook it, put it back in the old computer, use your windows cds to reinstall and reformat the drive with a fresh copy. Then you can transfer all the data back to it that you needed to save.

If you have nothing that needs saving - then just reinstall and reformat with the windows cd

did you try the MS link I posted? make sure you are booting form the cd!

Mike

There are a couple problems, the link says when you get to the windows page and I can't. I tried to reboot from the disk or repair or anything, pretty much and it don't see the cd or something. I tried f2 to see what my boot parameters were, but it won't open either. I think I may need to take it to a professional. I'm a bit lost since nothing at all will come up cept the f8 and it does nothing. I think it's suck in a loop or something with the "wait while windows reconfigs your setting" because of the error it's not getting past that and no matter what I do, it always goes to that screen and stops. Thanks for your help

seems like your computer is not set to boot from the cd before the hard drive - you can enter BIOS and change this, but if you dont feel comfortable, I would not do it! If you are, then just change the boot sequence to have the cd-rom boot first, then when it scans the cds it should tell you to press a key to boot from cd..then you press a key


Mike

Well still don't know what happened, but the hard drive had to be reprogramed with windows. Couldn't save my data either, that sucks. There was no partition left there or something. Basically he said the only way to get it up was new OS reboot. Sucks. I only moved the thing 5 ft.

What motherboard are you using in this PC??????

try booting from the CD again and choose Repair.....if it gives you a command promyt it can't repair........but then try repairing manually

@ the command prompt type "fixmbr"

Otherwise ???????

Well still don't know what happened, but the hard drive had to be reprogramed with windows. Couldn't save my data either, that sucks. There was no partition left there or something. Basically he said the only way to get it up was new OS reboot.

Who told you that? Unless you had a hard drive failure or a virus which ovewrote the files, then they're still there. Most places when you call for "Support or help" will tell you to re format the drive and re install the OS.
Its the easy way out for them , but not for you if you want the old files

KnightRid had real good advice to recover what you wanted.

you wouldnt boot the old hard drive, you would put it in as a slave drive just to copy the data from it that you want to keep.

Don't let this overwhelm you. It's frustrating, ticks you off and so forth, been there, done that. However it won't fix your problem. Theres a lot of knowledge and very teck savy people here. They're willing to help.
Give them a chance to teach you or frustration will continue to be your tutor

Fogey wrote:Don't let this overwhelm you. It's frustrating, ticks you off and so forth, been there, done that. However it won't fix your problem. Theres a lot of knowledge and very teck savy people here. They're willing to help.
Give them a chance to teach you or frustration will continue to be your tutor

Well said Fogey!!!

KinghtRid is spot-on.....If you have a second PC, move the HDD to that PC.....You can just boot the pc and you should be able to see your drive in My Computer......then just copy the files accross.....Likewise you can move a second HDD to this pc, unplug the exsisting drive and install XP to the second drive....then plug back in the exsisting drive along side the second on and boot off the new install....again just copy the files via My Computer!!!

Well, I took the whole computer into the shop. They took the HD out and hooked it to another computer but they said there was nothing they could do, the partitions were gone and everything on it was lost. Reformatting was the only option. So I said well if that's the only course, I guess I don't have a choice, so they did it. They supposedly updated my drives and bios also. I have the computer back now, but, now the damn thing is so freakin slow, it's like it got rolled back 5 years. It seems like the HD is making some noise that it didn't before also. I say rt click on the desktop and it takes like 20 sec to bring up the properties. It's really really slow, it might have not been blazing before, but now, man. All this is kinda leading my thinking to the point of me needing a new HD. Slow, noise, needed reformatted, lost all the stuff on it. Am I thinking right? That makes the 3rd computer that needed it's maxtor 80 HD replaced. It sucks. Seems like the more I load on it right now, the slower it's getting. What do you all think?

What kinda noise is it making? If it's a whining noise (high pitched) then it could be a problem with the drive...........make sure it's screwed in correctly....there should be 2 screws used on both sides!

Well the noise is only like when you click to open something (any time the hard drive comes on) and it's a clicking like sound. You know the sound you can here when your HD is working, only like 20 times as loud, but just sitting there, don't hear anything. I took the cover off, it's solid in there with both screws on both sides.

have you got more than 1 drive in the pc? if not it does sound like the drive has probs

I've never liked maxtor, I've had 4-5 maxtor drives fail on me.....but they were all in the first few months...........i always use seagate, but WD are good too

I only have the one drive in it. I would say, it's going to need replaced. It's got the same gravelly sound as the others did right before they died. That sucks. lol, whoa is me.

Well, I took the whole computer into the shop. They took the HD out and hooked it to another computer but they said there was nothing they could do, the partitions were gone and everything on it was lost. Reformatting was the only option

I really wonder what they were thinking. With your issues with the computer you were having, the last thing I would expect from them is to format and re use that very drive your having problems with. With the drive making noise, not to mention lost partitions, that would be my last call of things to do. Of course you may of yourself, while trying to repair the hard drive, deleted the partitions. For the price of a new hard drive, why take the chance. I'm enjoying reading up on your adventures about it.

As for Legit reviews: I've been to a LOT of other sites. I chose here cause they have a lot of knowledge, are willing to help. They don't look down on you like other sites. So, other than reading various teck articles [Inq.-X bit Labs-ThG etc.], this is my teck posting site of choice to post on or ask questions of. Ony problem I see so far here is they have can be a little stuffy when it comes to my brand of humor posting. My T1-T2 response drew nothing. NADA. My guess is some of them didn't like it but were kind and said nothing negative. That in and of itself says a lot of good things about them. Other places would have beat me down bad over it. Not here. Little things like that I do at times to see how others will respond to my post says a lot about the caliber of people here. You'll be hard pressed to find a better place than here when you take all into account. No, I don't have a nickle in the place, so for me to plug it won't get me a thing. It's just how I feel and what I have come to see of the membership here.

Fogey mate, your spot-on ;)
Look @ my post count, then look @ the date I joined!!!
From the start I knew this place was/is unique.....that's why I fold for LR, Post news when I can and now I'm a mod.....I know this forum will get alot bigger and I want this atmosphere to stay "as-is". This is why i said yes when Nate asked me to be a mod....and I know for a fact that the rest of the mods do endevour to make everyone feel welcome no matter what their tech knowledge is etc. (no such thing as a stupid question) You'll also notice LR is flame free too....

this is the basis of LRForums......We are a community..................................that rocks!

it's more a credit to your fellow members than us mods!

now, group hug everyone ;)