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help needed


oh boy

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okay, after i clicked these two messages away i went to Start->Run->CMD->C:

 

i got this:

 

i said no to force dismount and then on the next question i said yes to a check with the next start

 

However, that didn't happen. After i exited and rebooted again into Mini-Windows, it was exactly the same as the first time. So i went ahead and tried "chkdsk /f" (instead of "/r") as suggested by redhawk in post #30.

 

with the same result:

 

so i thought i'd try the forced dismount thing:

 

the result was this:

 

BUT (the regular) Windows XP still won't boot.

 

Sooo... i happen to have a few hours time right now... any immediate suggestions (aside from buying a new PC :) )

Would any other screenshots be useful? - Just tell me what to post!

I am sorry if I am repeating any existing explanations that I may have overlooked whilst scrolling past so many large images.

 

My explanation for failure to run CHKDSK on C:\ is that you were holding C:\ captive and in use by running CMD.EXE on C:\

Had you left the command shell at X:\ then it would be reasonable to command "CHKDSK C:"

Because CMD.EXE had its feet in C:\ then neither explicit "CHKDSK C:" nor the implicit "CHKDSK" should work.

 

Try this for yourself :-

 

I launched Windows explorer and CMD.EXE and they both point at my profile C:\Users\Alan

I issued these two commands to CMD.EXE

C:\Users\Alan>MD XX

C:\Users\Alan>CD XX

I told Windows Explorer to remove XX and it was unable to do so.

"The action can't be completed because the folder or a file in it is open

 

I issued the command

C:\Users\Alan\XX>CD ..

and then Windows explorer was able to remove XX

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Alan, I ran chkdsk/I while in C: and it worked. Screenshot.

th_3-minixp-chkdsk.jpg

 

Tr3bg0D, They don't have the cds. sad.gif

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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@ oh boy. If you get back on here before the calvary gets back, try a couple of these easy things.

 

First make sure all the cables and cards are plugged in, especially the memory sticks.

- Unplug the computer

- Make sure the computer is unplugged :)

- Then press and hold the power button for a few seconds.

- Touch the metal case or frame before you touch any components, discharges static.

- Then check to see that everything inside is snugly plugged.

 

Then, to make it easier for yourself, try to get mini xp connected to the net. If it works it will be easier to communicate and especially to attach screenshots if Dennis or Redhawk ask for them, as you can do it all right from mini xp.

 

To connect mini xp to the net, click on the internet icon on the desktop. If your computer is hooked up to the net, and the required components are working, mini xp will start the Opera browser and hook you right up.

 

If it doesn't connect, none of the stuff below matters.

 

To take a screenshot using mini xp:

- Click the little camera icon (lower left) to take a screenshot

- A link will appear on your desktop with a name like "Screenshot 20110902-104103.jpg"

- You can preview it by clicking twice on it.

- It will be gone the next time you restart unless you save it to a working drive, like a usb stick

 

To use the forum uploader to put it in your post:

- In your post, under the word "Attachments" click on the "Choose..." button and a window will open.

- Navigate to [X:] MiniXP > Documents and Settings > Default User > Desktop

- Look for the file, it starts with "Screenshot ***something***

- Double click the file, then click "Attach This File"

- Then click "Add To Post"

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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Tr3bg0D, They don't have the cds. :(

Got it...just reread the 1st post. I'm not clear on the brand of his system, but DELL and HP usually have a hidden partition. Also, if the oh boy has a COA tag on the system, maybe someone with the same system and has the discs can ISO them and let him download. I have many DELL, HP, and other brand original disc, but I will be out for a week so I can't help. :(

25qd6wl.jpg
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Got it...just reread the 1st post. I'm not clear on the brand of his system, but DELL and HP usually have a hidden partition. Also, if the oh boy has a COA tag on the system, maybe someone with the same system and has the discs can ISO them and let him download. I have many DELL, HP, and other brand original disc, but I will be out for a week so I can't help. :(

 

Good idea. Oh boy, what kind of computer is it and what is the OS? Xp home, pro, what? Does it have the COA sticker with the serial number on the side or back? Don't post that number here. Also, if it is a 40 gb hard drive (think I saw that in a screenshot), you might think about getting another cause its probably old and certainly small. If you do, it would be good to get this one up and running then make an image to copy to the new one.

 

Unless someone knows a more efficient way. Eh?

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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If he is going to replace the HDD and reinstall the OS, it is best to leave the other HDD alone. Once he gets the OS running and working properly on the new HDD, he can then tackle on how to image the old drive with an external HDD case...usually about $6-$10. One suggestion I have for for the new HDD to be partitioned where C will contain his OS and D for other important files like the image of the Boot/OS Partition and the image of the original HDD.

25qd6wl.jpg
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Alan, I ran chkdsk/I while in C: and it worked.

I think it only worked for you because the /I option allowed it to use a non-default mode of read-only mode.

 

The O.P. attempt with /R required write access which was not allowed.

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I ran chkdsk/I while in C: and it worked. Screenshot. Attached Image: Screenshot 20110902-124851.jpg

Alan is right you ran chkdsk in read-only mode it doesn't need to dismount C drive to run.

When starting the DOS Prompt do not "C:" if you do the DOS Prompt gets a handle on C drive and chkdsk.exe won't like it.

If you specify a drive with chkdsk.exe it checks that drive i.e. chkdsk.exe c: /r

 

@oh boy could you access the XP boot menu screen again and select "Enable Boot logging".

When XP loads and reboots your computer start up Hiren's Mini XP again and look for the following file: c:\windows\ntbtlog.txt

 

Does it exist, can you open it and find the last few entries??

 

Could you tell me the file size for "ntoskrnl.exe" and "ntkrnlpa.exe" this should help determine which XP service pack is installed.

 

Also the hard drive in the machine is it SATA or IDE??

 

Richard S.

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That was a reminder to redhawk that those options are available on Hiren's. Several posts got put up and he might have missed it. As far as the kernel, I am not sure whether the windows kernel is loaded when you are in mini xp or not, because mini xp runs in RAM.

 

I'm not going to recommend anything drastic here. Go to that tools icon in the corner, and try to run "Hard Disk/Storage" then HDTune. If it runs, click on the "health" tab and see if everything says OK, Then click on the "Error Scan" tab and check the "Quick Scan" box and run it. All the squares should be green when its done.

 

alright... it's late again, so maybe you'll only read this tomorrow.

i'll try to answer all posts since yesterday evening. so first, i run that check, everything is "ok" and everything is green - a sign oh hope i guess... :)

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I am sorry if I am repeating any existing explanations that I may have overlooked whilst scrolling past so many large images.

 

My explanation for failure to run CHKDSK on C:\ is that you were holding C:\ captive and in use by running CMD.EXE on C:\

Had you left the command shell at X:\ then it would be reasonable to command "CHKDSK C:"

Because CMD.EXE had its feet in C:\ then neither explicit "CHKDSK C:" nor the implicit "CHKDSK" should work.

 

 

okay, i tried to run "CHKDSK C:" from X:\ but that didn't had an impact either. but it might have something to do with the warning message and it running "read only"?!?

here's a screenshot:

 

screenshot2011x7s1t4nj8z.jpg

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okay, i tried to run "CHKDSK C:" from X:\ but that didn't had an impact either. but it might have something to do with the warning message and it running "read only"?!?

here's a screenshot:

 

oh, i think i just realized my mistake (i only entered "chkdsk.exe C:" and left out "/r"... i'll try again

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Good idea. Oh boy, what kind of computer is it and what is the OS? Xp home, pro, what? Does it have the COA sticker with the serial number on the side or back? Don't post that number here. Also, if it is a 40 gb hard drive (think I saw that in a screenshot), you might think about getting another cause its probably old and certainly small. If you do, it would be good to get this one up and running then make an image to copy to the new one.

 

Unless someone knows a more efficient way. Eh?

yes it has the sticker with the serial number, it's "Windows XP Home Edition" (don't know what SP though, will figure that out soon). The computer is a "L & S Electronic" - yeah it's kinda old and i don't think it was too expensive when they bought it. But for their needs (Internet, Email, some office-programs and Free-Cell for my father) it's sufficient... i doubt they need more GB :)

 

i'm beginning to think that a new HDD might be the best solution...

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If he is going to replace the HDD and reinstall the OS, it is best to leave the other HDD alone. Once he gets the OS running and working properly on the new HDD, he can then tackle on how to image the old drive with an external HDD case...usually about $6-$10. One suggestion I have for for the new HDD to be partitioned where C will contain his OS and D for other important files like the image of the Boot/OS Partition and the image of the original HDD.

 

He doesn't have disks, how will he get the OS running on the new hd unless he gets it going on the old one and images it for a transfer? Not being quarrelsome, just asking, for myself as much as the OP.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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@oh boy could you access the XP boot menu screen again and select "Enable Boot logging".

When XP loads and reboots your computer start up Hiren's Mini XP again and look for the following file: c:\windows\ntbtlog.txt

 

Does it exist, can you open it and find the last few entries??

 

Could you tell me the file size for "ntoskrnl.exe" and "ntkrnlpa.exe" this should help determine which XP service pack is installed.

 

Also the hard drive in the machine is it SATA or IDE??

 

Richard S.

 

okay, i enabled the boot logging, tried to started in normal mode once (same as always) and then started the Mini XP.

i tried the search function for "ntbtlog" and looked manually in c:\windows, but that file does not exist. i expanded the search to the whole of C: but to no avail.

 

i found the ntoskrnl.exe file - quite a few actually - the sizes vary between 2,132 kb and 2,141 kb

same for ntkrnlpa.exe - sizes vary between 2,011 kb and 2,021 kb

 

Hard drive - SATA or IDE? i don't know, how can i find out?

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ntbtlog.txt is missing because it would appear that kernel hasn't got as far as loading yet.

 

Just out of curiosity if you boot XP using Safe Mode, do you see a list of names scroll down the screen or does Windows just reboot??

 

As for service pack I can't really tell from KBs I need them in bytes but not to worry I have another idea.

Using the Windows file browser navigate to C:\Windows\System32 find ntoskrnl.exe and right click "Properties".

Select the "Version" tab and then "File Version" you should see something like 5.1.2600.3093 (xpsp_sp2_gdi.070277-2254).

 

What is the sp number??

 

Using Hiren's BootCD Program launcher could you access "Programs", "Process" and "Dependency Walker".

With Dependency Walking go to "File", "Open" and select ntoskrnl.exe via c:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

 

This program basically loads an executable and checks for problems such as manifest errors (Side by Side), and libraries dependencies i.e. files being missing, corrupted or wrong version.

 

If Dependency Walker gives the all clear then I'm afraid I'm really out of ideas. :blink:

 

One last thing could you open c:\boot.ini with notepad does it look something like...?

 

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

 

Richard S.

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There's obviously a lot more wrong with oh boys computer than deleted start-up entries. But that goes without saying.

 

I saw mention of a virus infection somewhere in this thread, and there could be something in that, but the problem is doing something about it. There are LiveCD Antivirus scanners to be had for free, and the results of a scan of "oh boys" computer would be interesting, but what would that achieve at this stage?

 

Would it help with getting his PC to boot? Not initially, but it might take something out of the equation which may be compounding the problems, or making them totally impossible to fix.

 

13 Antivirus Rescue CDs Software Compared:

 

For the cost of a few blank CD's maybe worth a punt.

 

And there is still the possibilty of getting "System Restore" ran on that computer, or running a "System File" scan and repair.

 

The problem encountered with that, and this is where I need help from you guys, is that the Rescue CD can't see a Windows Installation on that computer. It's paramount that it can find and therefore attach to the Installation, which then enables it to control that computers System Restore function.

 

This is the first time I've encountered this, but googling tells me that it isn't uncommon.

 

What is the Rescue CD looking for when you boot it up and set it away?

 

This screeny is the crucial point in the booting process. "oh boys" computer shows only the "None - Do not attach to a Windows Installation" ...

 

 

 

With no tech knowledge of this, I'm guessing it's something in the Root Directory. "NTDETECT.COM" has been successfully copied from the i386 folder to the Root Directory, but there was a problem copying NTLDR over.

 

As these are two important files in the launching of an Operating System, and as replacing these two files (whether missing or corrupt) has fixed both my sons and a neighbours non booting computers, they were a starting point.

 

Am I way off, or could they be the cause of that computers Windows Installation not being found?

 

If neither of those two, then what?

 

If we can get the Installation to be recognized and picked up, there may just be a fix to be had.

Edited by DennisD
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Fwiw, the TDSS Rootkit was mentioned in some of the articles I found. Nothing stated for certain. I was just looking for information about some aspect of the problem, don't remember which just now.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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