safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to work

I need to download windows home XP SP2 boot discs so that I can attempt to repair my PC, which won't boot and has the following error message:

windows\system32\config\system

I found advice on how to fix this with the boot discs, but I don't have any (XP was preloaded) and my PC recovery disc doesn't have this file. Went to microsoft.com to download the discs and the download doesn't work. Is there another source that is safe?

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

Could it really be that this download only works onto old floppies? I have tried and tried and it keeps telling me my cdrom/dvd drive is not a floppy drive. I am trying to download the boot discs onto a dvd rw. Is it my format that is the problem? Would cd-rom work (i.e., should I run out and buy a pack?).

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

Yes, it does. But it does not seem to have the required file. I found the following instructions onlin for how to fix the system32\config errror and followed them using my recovery disc, but it said the file could not be found.

From: http://www.schrockinnovations.com/preventsys32config2.php

After you enter your password (or simply press enter) you should be at a prompt that reads "C:/windows". Type the commands below to navigate to your Windows/System32/Config directory and replace the appropriate file:

cd system32
cd config
ren system system.old
cd .. (note the space after cd it is important)
cd .. (note the space after cd it is important)
cd repair
copy system c:\windows\system32\config

You should now see a message stating that the file was copied successfully. Reboot your computer and all should be well.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

Forgive me, I'm a novice. If I go in and type those commands and delete that file, where am I copying it from. Do you think it's on my recovery cd and the other command just couldnt find it? And what happens if I type in delete and then have nothing to copy. Will I have broken xp?

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

OK, thanks for the help. I'm working on getting a copy of windows xp. My recovery disc is a Compaq recovery disc that I created when I purchased the computer. It opens a screen that allows you to bring your computer back to factory install format but there is no half-way in between. I'm guessing it just isnt set up to be read one file at a time.

Final question though. Microsoft offers downloads for the boot discs on their site. Are they just for floppies?

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

The site with the instructions for a fix requiring boot discs was: http://www.schrockinnovations.com/pr...s32config2.php


I have only a cd/dvd drive, no floppy. Sounds like the original setup cds might work too though, and I am borrowing some from a friend. As a backup, bootdisk info is definitely welcome.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

I checked and the Compaq recovery CD does have a System 32 folder with a config file in it.

I unfortunately cannot remember the letter assigned to my cd-rom drive. I have a Compaq Presario SR1130NX. Tried to Google for this information with no luck. If I try using d in the commands but have the wrong drive, will it cause a problem?

Also, do you feel comfortable that the fix I found online makes sense. An IT friend suggested that if the system 32 config file is corrupt that there is a problem with the part of the hard drive that the file is on, so that just trying to replace it will not work long-term. He has offered to try a more complicated fix for me (too complicated for me to do). I'm grateful for his offer, but if I can avoid using a lot of his time by doing the fix below instead, I'd rather do this myself and not impose on him (although, of course, I'm imposing on you instead!). Thanks for the help!

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

And yes, I mean I can't start windows, not that I can't boot up at all.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

Unless these CD's are for the EXACT same PC with the EXACT same hardware, they probably won't work, unless it is a standard Windows XP disc. Generally speaking, when someone mentions "setup CDs" (plural), they're referring to OEM recovery discs from the manufacturer that contain not only Windows, but all the drivers and other software that came pre-installed on the PC.
And since nobody else appears to have answered this question:

Yes. Floppies only. This is for the unfortunate folks w/o a functioning CD/DVD drive. You can (with ALOT of work, and a little luck) merge the 6 floppies into one continuous file, convert it to a CDFS image, and burn a CD from it, but it would really be a major league PITA and is beyond my scope of expertise. An old co-worker did it once for Windows 2000 about 4-5 years ago just to see if he could. I think that's what finally made him snap.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

The logic escapes me! For a long time now many new computers have come out without floppy drives "because nobody really needs them anymore" and Microsoft is STILL only supplying these files for floppy use??? Surely these files can be downloaded and burned to individual CDs for use if hoobie does it using someone else's computer? Would that be a solution? I know I could be way off target here so correct me if I'm wrong.

Hoobie, in regards to working out which is your CD drive, one easy way to do it is to put a store-bought music CD in your computer when you are at the Recovery Console (make sure there is nothing in any other CD or DVD drive) and then just keep moving through the alphabet, starting at d: asking it to show you what is on the disk until you get a list of files all starting with the word Track and all will be cda files (and no, you can't break anything doing this).

So you would try:

dir d:
dir e:
dir f:

and so on and so on until you get the list you're looking for. When you type dir you are asking it to show you a list of directories and files and the letter followed by the colon (:) is the drive you want it to search. You may find that d: is your CD drive and not need to go any further.

This method can be used to figure out all CD and DVD drives in turn. Just make sure it IS a store-bought AND music CD and not one someone has burned themselves because a home-burned one may not have cda files on it.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

I am so lost in this thread.

Am I understanding correctly that you guys are trying to recover a registry file, from a CD?!?!

Only if you are an OEM and do not have a real XP CD. The Boot Floppies have nothing on them that an XP CD doesn't. In fact, they have less. They only offer you the ability to reach the recovery console with limited usability, and to start setup when you can't boot to the CD for whatever reason.

Trial and error is fine to find your CD drive, but I would just use the map command in Recovery Console.



It doesnt matter what you use to perform a registry repair, as long as the application being used can read NTFS. This is not worth dwelling on.

If you are already able to get to a Recovery Console, then we shouldn't be working so hard to accomplish nothing.



Next, we need to look specifically at the error.

windows\system32\config\system is corrupt or missing.

You are also following a bad article if it told you to type those commands, hoobie. Lets look at the Microsoft version.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

Note the differences from what you listed hoobie:

Code:

md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak
 
delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default
 
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
 

With registry repair, you MUST replace all five hives, or you risk hosing your system!!

Now for the caveat:

You sir, have an OEM version, and there is no system hive backup, which is why you got the file not found. Now, here is what MS doesn't tell you: The file is there, but renamed to system.bak. So if you rename it to System, well there ya go. However here is my own warning.

It is a very basic hive and if it works (it doesn't always), you might have to reinstall many of your hardware drivers.

Remember, registry replacement deals with files on the hard drive. Do not copy any registry file from any other source but your hard disk.

Once back into your OS, try to finish the remaining article steps, if possible.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

Registry replacement deals with files ONLY on the hard disk. The Recovery console is a tool, not a file repository. The file we need is a registry hive. You can't swap those out from a Recovery CD.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

OK, my friend did come and repair my PC. Just want to update all on what he did (forgive me if I get some terms wrong).

1. He used Bart to check for hard disk errors first (trying first to figure out if my System/32/config file was in a corrupted area, because copying a new file onto a bad sector wouldn't be a longterm fix. There were no bad sectors.

2. Rather than copy a replacement file from my recovery disc or from the XP software, he copied a last known good version of my 32/config file that had been stored by System Restore. That way I would not have to reinstall all my software. I do have an OEM version, so he used commands somewhat different than those supplied my TimW and Microsoft (sorry for not making clear that I have an OEM)

3. I don't know if he replaced all 5 hives, but I can find out.

The fix seems to have worked. The PC is fine. Only question now is why this happened. Googling has turned up various theories including improper shut down & a defect on the motherboard. I've had this error pop up since I bought the PC about 4 years ago, but rebooting always solved it. This time no amount of rebooting worked. Possible triggers? I installed new memory about three weeks prior to the problem but there was no immediate impact. Otherwise no other changes and no improper shutdowns I can recall.

Thank you to all who helped out.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

The registry is a flawed thing. It always goes bad at some point, and takes the OS with it.

Good thinking on pulling it out of the System Restore point. Thats even better than using the backups. Thats precisely how I do it when I work on stuff people hire me to fix. There are several ways to tackle the beast.

Do make sure he did all five though.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

You might also like to checkout my reply #5 at

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=143624

ERUNT/ERDNT can be a life saver if your Registry gets corrupted by any way. :cool

Bazza

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

Yeah, but if you can't boot....

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

Well I spoke to soon. To use Adrenalyn's word, I belive my system is hosed. My pc worked fine at first but today I got two different errors when trying to restart:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <windows root>\system32\hal.dll

on rebooting I then got:

Windows could not start because the following file is missin or corrupt: system32\drivers\ntfs.sys

I really have very minimal PC fixing skills and I can not ask my friend to come back. I have all my docs/file/photos etc. on my USB drive. So here's what I'm considering. Advice is welcome:

1. restore computer to factory settings with the recovery disc and reinstall all my software and files

2. buy a new computer (I don't want to just replace the hard drive because I am concerned there may be something else wrong with the rest of the hardware)

3. try a fix myself knowing that if I screw it up, I'll just do either 1 or 2 afterward. I don't know if the instructions Adrenalyn gave a few comments back are what I should do now.



1.

 

Re: safe download source for windows xp sp2 boot discs? - can't get microsoft.com to

What I should have said, IN FUTURE, consider the use of ERUNT/ERDNT, when you finally get your PC going. Bazza

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