Starting XP with Command Prompt - Recovery Console - Administrator password

Question

I have read the FAQ - my question is not answered there or on the links to the Microsoft support site. A few days ago, I could not boot my computer - error message - \windows\system32\config\system - file missing or corrupted. I got a Windows 2003 disk mailed from Dell and went into recovery mode. When prompted for the Administrator password, I hit ENTER and got a command prompt - DOS mode. I printed some instructions from Microsoft's site about how to recover from this problem. I located the above file - could not copy it to move it elsewhere. I renamed it. I went into the \windows\repair folder and found a file named system.bak - there was no file named just \windows\repair\system as the Microsoft instructions suggested. I copied that system.bak file with the name system i.e., it became \windows\system32\config\system. When I tried to boot the computer, it did boot but eventually, after the Windows XP screen displayed, I got an error message to the effect that the password value is incorrect. The computer then reboots and this is a loop that goes on and on. Now, I cannot get into the Recovery Console since when I am prompted for the Administrator Password, nothing works - not hitting ENTER, or typing in Password, or Admin. When I try to start in Safe Mode with the command prompt, I get a display of drivers and then the computer tries to reboot and I get the error message about the incorrect password value. I know that I can reinstall Win 2003 entirely and lose everything not backed up - I have a complete backup as of 3 weeks ago. What can I do to solve this problem so that I can go in and delete the system file I copied and go through the repair process? Thanks for the help. Bwana3

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

bwana3    Could you post a link to the Microsoft KB article you were using?

bwana3 · Answer

It is Microsoft Knowledge Base document 307545. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545 I have been told by a user on the Microsoft support site that I needed the entire set of files \windows\repair\system, software, sam, security, and default, not just the system file. At this point, after thinking about this, I beleive that I need to make a bootable CD and get the command prompt back so that I can delete the \system file I created and perhaps (not sure) restore the corrupted \system file and then use the Microsoft Windows CD received from Dell to do a repair. I have not been able to create a bootable CD since I cannot use my Inspiron 600m at all and have an iMac which does not seem capable of extracting files from some of the utilities I have found by searching with the iMac. I now have another 600m available to me so I can perhaps make a bootable CD. One other question I have is whether I can copy any of the files on the Windows CD sent by Dell and use that file to boot. Any ideas? I'd like to avoid a clean reinstall since that would mean losing everything and since I have not backed up in 3 weeks, I'd rather recover everything back it up or make copies on my external hard drive and then perhaps do a reinstall as the corrupted file may indicate a failing hard drive. Thanks again. cheerz...

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

bwana3 wrote:
Any ideas? I'd like to avoid a clean reinstall since that would mean losing everything and since I have not backed up in 3 weeks, I'd rather recover everything back it up or make copies on my external hard drive and then perhaps do a reinstall as the corrupted file may indicate a failing hard drive. Thanks again. cheerz...

You could do a parallel install, basically install Windows in a different directory. Example : WIN2. Once up and running you can back up your files, and make changes to the original windows install.

bwana3 · Answer

Thank you - I'll try that. I assume that when I use the Win 2003 CD received from Dell, I'll have that option. BTW, I did get an email from Dell saying I'd have to load the drivers separately from the Internet, but the CD I received seems to have all sorts of drivers loading up initially. Anyhow, this should not be an issue as I will hopefully be able to correct the problems in the original installation.

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

Here is an article on installing Windows XP, to do a parallel install you want the section titled
Install Windows XP to a new folder. You should have received a Drivers and Utilities CD with your system also.

bwana3 · Answer

Jimmy

I did a parallel install and deleted the \windows\system32\config\system file I had inserted into the original installation. That did not work.

Following the Microsoft KB article was not possible as there was no file named "system" - only system.bak as I first noted.

I then copied the set of files from the new installation - i.e. \winxp2\system32\config\system - and sam, security, software, default and put them in the original \windows installation. Of course, this had to be done in two steps because you do not have access to the \windows\system32\ folder unless you go in via the Recovery Console - so I copied them to a new tmp folder and then from there into \windows.

This did not work.

I then copied the files from my external hard drive where I have a full backup of my C drive - iow, I found the backed up \windows\system32\config folder and copied system, software, sam, security and default - again a two-step process into the original \windows\system32\config folder.

This time I got an error message "Parser Message Value Creation Failed at Line 906."

Is there a solution?

I was thinking that I could simply copy the data files from the \Windows\ installation over to the \winxp2 parallel installation, or to the external hard drive, and then do a complete reformat and reinstall.

However, that would mean reinstalling all programs and a substantial time waste on top of what I have already done.

I'd appreciate any insights you may have on the Parser message and solutions for this.

Thanks.

Bwana3

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

bwana3 wrote:
I was thinking that I could simply copy the data files from the \Windows\ installation over to the \winxp2 parallel installation, or to the external hard drive, and then do a complete reformat and reinstall.

However, that would mean reinstalling all programs and a substantial time waste on top of what I have already done.

I'd appreciate any insights you may have on the Parser message and solutions for this.

Thanks.

Bwana3

I would back up my data and reinstall, at this point you seem to be spinning your wheels anyway. How much more time do you want to waist trying to save a corrupted OS when you will probably just end up reinstalling anyway?

bwana3 · Answer

Jimmy Thanks. I did a clean install. However, I did not receive a drivers and utilities CD but instead an email telling me that it does not ship and I have to go online to get the drivers. Unfortunately, the wireless card is not recognized presumably because the driver is not installed. I will try connecting to the wireless router by direct ethernet cable to see it that works. This is just enormously silly on Dell's part - I received 5 CDs including Roxio and DVD Power, and all sorts of useless stuff like AOL 9.0, but not the stuff to make the Internet connection work! Perhaps you can pass the message on to Dell that this is truly horrible customer service - no wonder HP is doing well. Also, it would have been simple enough to include comprehensive instructions in the package or on this forum as to how to do all the stuff needed to get the job accomplished instead of making me jump through hoops to figure it out. However, I do appreciate your help. My daughter has an identical laptop - I bought her a Macbook and will likely get one myself, just to stop dealing with Dell and this nonsense. Thanks.

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

bwana3   Here's a link to the driver for your wireless card.   http://ftp.us.dell.com/network/R155386.EXE

bwana3 · Answer

Thank you very much. I have downloaded this on an iMac along with the drivers mentioned in the email sent by Dell and the files are being burned to a CD as I type. However, this particular driver was not on the page referenced by Dell, so who knows? I hope that I will be able to run the files from the CD once I put it in my laptop. This has taken way, way too much time. I don't understand the value of having backed up my entire C drive since I could not restore it without the ability to run the Dantz software. Since I do have the drivers in the backup folders (or at least they should be there) - is there a way I can identify them and copy them over? If so, to which folder? Thanks again.

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

bwana3    I'm not sure what you mean, but if you are asking where the installed drivers are, it would be a little more complicated then just finding them and copying them to the new Windows installation. There are a lot of files involved.   I have found that reinstalling an OS, Drivers and updates with out any other software is about a two to three hour process, that's if you have everything you need setting right in front of you.

bwana3 · Answer

I know it's complicated because there are common files, etc. and that generally drivers are in the inf folder or the drivers folder.   I was able to find the dell wireless pro set driver which happened to be a program and click on it off the back up folder on my external hard drive and it installed.   I have no idea what internal network card I have or which video card I have, but I did copy the drivers on to a CD using the iMac and am ready to run those.  I guess what I'm afraid of is messing up the system like what happened last time.   Also, sometimes, the stuff copied from a MAC doesn't work the same on Windows.   Nevertheless, I now have Internet access so I can download the drivers and run them on the Inspiron laptop if necessary.   My instructions tell me to install the Dell Notebook System Software first but I did not see that on the website.   Thanks again.

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

bwana3 wrote:

My instructions tell me to install the Dell Notebook System Software first but I did not see that on the website.

Thanks again.

Here is the Dell Notebook System Software.

http://ftp.us.dell.com/utility/R96945.EXE

bwana3 · Answer

Jimmy P.   Thank you for your continuing assistance with my efforts to complete the reinstall and bring the computer back to where it was before the config\system file crashed.   I downloaded the Dell notebook software file you linked.  However, when I tried to run it, I got an error message that this folder is a zip file part of a multidisk file and I need to insert the last disk.  Of course, I don't have the last disk, never mind the fact that I don't have even the first disk!!   As a result, I could not run the program.  I then got another error message that some parts of the folder could not be unzipped and the error code is 110.   A similar thing happened when I was looking for the network card driver (Broadcom).  Eventually, I got one of the files to install and I think I have a functioning network card but still not sure as I'm using the wireless card.   Why can't Dell just send a CD with all the drivers instead of the five useless CDs that were sent along with the Windows CD?   This is just truly remarkably bad service.   BTW, I must be missing a graphics or video driver too since the screen is nowhere near as sharp as it used to be and looks almost like being in safe mode with distorted graphics and text.   Thanks again.   Best regards.   bwana3

DELL-Jimmy P · Answer

bwana3 wrote:

Jimmy P.

Why can't Dell just send a CD with all the drivers instead of the five useless CDs that were sent along with the Windows CD?

We do, I don't know why you would not have recieved one. Check you private messages.

Windows General

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