Game laptop is fubar
#1
Posted 17 December 2005 - 05:41 PM
\windows\system32\config\system
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.
I put in the windows setup, it loads the drivers, then goes to:
Searching for previous versions of Microsoft Windows...
and then the HDD light goes off and it hangs there.
Help! I would rather not fdisk, this has our custom maps on it.
#2
Posted 17 December 2005 - 06:52 PM
#3
Posted 17 December 2005 - 07:04 PM
M$ $uck$.
#4
Posted 17 December 2005 - 07:50 PM
how this is done with windows xp nowadays.. i dunnot know.. heck.. even I get old sometimes
#5
Posted 17 December 2005 - 08:52 PM
Can you get into the bios ? If so try to change the boot order of the computer to use the cd-rom drive and reload winXP using your CD..
-S
#6
Posted 17 December 2005 - 11:22 PM
Been there, done that. I cannot even get to a C: prompt, otherwise I could copy over registry files. I've been thinking for a while now that my HDD is dead...
I have bootable CDs, but the problem is they start looking for a previous version of Windows...and hang. In other words...no command prompt, no reinstall, no recovery, nada.
Last resort...Hartley's dad suggested I make a bootable linux disk. If I can access a command prompt I can make a last attempt to restore the registry files. Let's just say I'm already pricing out a hard drive replacement...one month past the warranty expiration...
#7
Posted 18 December 2005 - 11:14 AM
welcome to the world of computers...
i've had the same problems with an old gateway of ours... now i dunno if this will work right for you, but you can try it anyway...
try choosing the 'reinstallation of windows' part of the menu instead of the repair section.
when we did this on the new dell, it reinstalled windows mainly by itself, and fixed the error i thought it formated the drive too but it apparently didn't delete any of the other files that were on the hard disk. just the windows system files. it was weird but it worked!!!
now, unless it reformats during the reinstallation (like i thought mine was) your files should still be there!!!
Hope it helps!!!
-striker
P.S.
I hope all my explanations are helpful...and i hope it wasn't linux you meant...
Edited by Striker, 18 December 2005 - 11:14 AM.
#8
Posted 18 December 2005 - 12:42 PM
I have bootable CDs, but the problem is they start looking for a previous version of Windows...and hang. In other words...no command prompt, no reinstall, no recovery, nada.
I've been trying everything I can to GET to the reinstall menu. The problem is, the computer always hangs when searching for previous installations of Windows. If there was any way to skip that step this might work, but so far I haven't been able to. Still working on this...and I am thankful for all comments and hints, because you never know when something just might do the trick...!
#10
Posted 18 December 2005 - 01:11 PM
#11
Posted 18 December 2005 - 01:38 PM
Have you tried searching the MS knowledge base? I'm pretty sure you'll find something there. Sometimes that way you find methods and tools for developers that the general public isn't aware of.
I have bootable CDs, but the problem is they start looking for a previous version of Windows...and hang. In other words...no command prompt, no reinstall, no recovery, nada.
I've been trying everything I can to GET to the reinstall menu. The problem is, the computer always hangs when searching for previous installations of Windows. If there was any way to skip that step this might work, but so far I haven't been able to. Still working on this...and I am thankful for all comments and hints, because you never know when something just might do the trick...!
#12
Posted 18 December 2005 - 01:50 PM
#13
Posted 18 December 2005 - 03:08 PM
#14
Posted 18 December 2005 - 03:42 PM
I made an A: drive boot disk. When I tried c: I got:
Invalid drive specification
Damn damn damn!
Replacement HDD from newegg is $144 plus $3 shipping for 3 day turnaround but...is it the HDD? Is it the Mobo?
#15
Posted 18 December 2005 - 03:53 PM
#16
Posted 18 December 2005 - 04:01 PM
Oh, I'm guessing it's simply a couple of bad sectors on the HDD
Edited by DeadlyDon, 18 December 2005 - 04:05 PM.
#17
Posted 18 December 2005 - 04:11 PM
I've been considering that, but I don't know how to mark them as bad in order to move on. I DO have a 20gb USB 2.0 drive.
#18
Posted 18 December 2005 - 05:13 PM
#19
Posted 18 December 2005 - 05:33 PM
I power up the laptop.
I see the Alienware logo.
Brief black screen, 30 seconds.
Then a message:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\windows\system32\config\system
You can attempts to repair this file by starting Windows Setup
using the original Setup CD-ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.
It goes no further than that. There is no command prompt, no safe mode, using Setup hangs at "searching for previous versions of Windows" so there is no repair, no reinstall, no recovery.
Making bootable Linux CDs did nothing, they weren't being recognized (weird).
Making bootable A: floppy gave me the A: prompt but when I type in C: I get told that is an invalid drive specification.
That's all I have for right now. My theories:
- bad hdd
- bad sectors on hdd
- mobo connection to hdd fried
I had thought it was just bad software until I saw that C was considered to be an invalid drive.
#20
Posted 18 December 2005 - 05:37 PM