Backup Restore

Hi all.

Can anyone tell me how to restore a backup (using XP backup facility) when the PC refuses to load normally or into any of the safe mode options. Is there a way to restore it from recovery console as a last resort?

Thanks
Richard

 

What caused the situation of not booting (Driver Update/FirmWare Update/Hardware Upgrade/Crash) ?
Where does the booting process fail ?

Depending on the situation then it might be possible to use the recovery console for restoring the initial registry database, and then launch in safemode and then use NTBackup to restore the system back.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/Q307545

 

Hi and thanks for your reply.

My client had a nasty virus (w32.spybot) that seemed to mess his PC up completely. He could connect to the internet, but not surf or ping. He could not search his PC. His PC produced a 'my documents' folder each time it started. I backed up the system state using Windows backup. The virus was eventually removed, hijacthis solved most problems, but we were left with the internet connection problem (can connect to ISP, but no surfing or pinging or OExpress) and the 'mydocs' problem. To solve the mydocs problem, I was directed to kelly-korner-XP to download a file - userinit.reg - to solve the problem. At this stage each time the PC tried to log on, it would state 'loading settings', quickly followed by 'saving settings' then back to the logon screen. XP repair would not find original install. Can only access recovery console! Ideally, it would be great to have a tool to reverse the userinit.reg program or use the backup created, but here I am stumped. It would be great to be just left with the Internet problem and I would still appreciate any advice. I hope this info explains everything and look forward to any response.

Richard

 

Thats is an evil registry file, especially if having WinXP installed somewhere else than C:\Windows.

You might have succes copying userinit.exe to the location specified by the path in the registry-file C:\WINDOWS\system32 using the recovery console.

Also since you made a system-state backup before doing anything then you should be able to use the registry backup in the RegBack folder using the Recovery Console. They will restore the settings back to when you created the system-state.

 

Hello again Snakefoot and thanks for your reply.

Presumably when you say copy userinit.exe, you are referring to expanding userinit.ex_ from the XP disc?

Using the registry backup; 1st of all, I could find no folder with the name Regback! Assuming I eventually find it, could you explain the process 'to use the Registry backup'?

Sorry to be a dumb pain! Your help is very much appreciated.

 

Another solution is to find the userinit.exe which resides in the directory where XP is installed.

Read the article from microsoft (Provided in my previous post), as it describes the process (The Regback folder resides in the c:\windows\repair folder).

 

Hello Snakefoot,

I now have a few more details that I am happy to share with anyone following this thread. It seemed the problem actually occurred when my client attempted to install SP2 (the truth is coming out!). Before he did this, he used a program called Roxio Goback to create a goback point (seems sensible enough). It seems SP2 did not install correctly and he also lost his goback point! So, after a call to the person who built the machine in the first place, he explained that Windows repair would not work while Goback was installed, and neither would any of the registry repairs!! So, Goback had to be disabled, which took about 3 hours!! The PC was then in a position to re-install Windows. This is the most ridiculous thing I have come across. The program that was installed for crash situations like this turned out to be the program that completely stopped the PC from working.

Anyway, thanks for all your efforts, and good luck to anyone who has Goback installed!!

Regards
Richard