Help..Unbootable PC

[Maynard123]

I screwed up. I was having problems with my DRU-500AX, and found a site that suggested eliminating some values in my Registry using regit32. I changed the settings, and now I can't boot from either my hard disk, or my diskette drive or my CD-ROM (I have tried changing the boot order via the F2 setup menu, but it still won't boot).

I am using XP Professional, and can't find the menu about the "last good configuration". Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...I'm really in a panic about this.

Thanks.

[rvl123]

the menu with the "last good config..." starts when you press one of the F buttons. I think it's F8, but try all of them to make sure :P .

[Maynard123]

Thanks RVL. I'll give that a try.

[Maynard123]

I got the computer to finally boot off of my DRU-500AX DVD writer, and it is booting my XP orginal CD-ROM. It gives me two options, a new install and a repair. When I try to do a new install, it says there is already a version of XP on the disk, which will create problems if I install another copy of it. When I try to Repair my current XP, it asks for an administrator password, which I forgot, and after 3 tries it stops letting me try.

I feel like a total idiot. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Bob W]

I think if you just hold down the F8 key when you boot this will bring up a dos menu and one option is to go back to the last known good configuration.

[jrbling]

If you dont have an Emergency repair disk, then try holding f8 before the windows screen would normally load. If you cant access this menu, then boot using your cd and repair an installation, which will restore regestry values default on the cd-rom, so whatever updates to the registry have been made will be lost, and a good chance some programs will not operate correctly.
To get around the password problem, you may have to "flash" your bios. Refer to your system board manual if you have one and find the location of the jumpers controlling bios. What you have to do is move the jumper off one of the pins, so one pin is in the jumper but the the other is not covered, then boot your computer. After this, turn off your computer and reset the jumpers to where they were, and this should have erased all cmos changes made, including any password set. A lot to go through but a word of advice, DONT EVER mess with your registry manually unless you know what your doing. But regardless you should be able to boot, and clear up any problems and back up any data if you plan to start over (clean install), good luck.

[Jukka]

There are two ways around the password problem,

(1) Find a program called NTFS Password Reset (or similar on the web), it is a Linux bootdisc that allows you to reset the admin password (need a friend to help you create the boot floppy or CD)

(2) I heard this done on NT so should work on XP - do a CLEAN XP install but into either another disc partion (if you have one) OR a new folder on your root drive (i.e. not where your old one is). This should go like clockwork and then set up a new administrator for you, this should allow you to access all the old stuff on the HD. You will have to re-install all your programs. Like I said, I have never done this so I don't know if it works, but the theory looks sound.

If at all possible NEVER flash your BIOS if you can avoid it.

[Bob W]

You can get all kinds of boot discs files here.
http://www.bootdisk.com/

[Jukka]

Here are some links for admin password recovery:

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm#1

and

http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
(downloads near the bottom)

Good Luck

[andkiich]

In the future, before you start tinkering with the registry:

1) Make sure you have an emergency recovery disc
2) Backup the registry file

[Maynard123]

Thanks, all, for the great advice...you helped me get my PC back up and running.

[lordsmurf]

I botched up Win2K a while back. I remember deleting several files, sort of like the old Win95/98/ME days when you deleted win.ini and win.com to fool the system. Win2K and WinXP can be fooled too, but it's been a while since I did that. It worked, fixed the registry, and I even converted to NTFS since I screwed up the first time around when I first loaded the OS. Didn't have to reinstall anything. Files still intact. Saved me from a heart attack.