Accessing WinXP from PC that won't boot up

[spionfox]

A friend has a laptop that won't boot into XP, nor will it boot into safe mode - it just keeps going so far and then rebooting.

A bit of research shows that one possible cause is SP3. I need to rename a file in the windows/system32/drivers folder. The problem is, how to get there and do it.

I have booted with a Linux LiveCD and can find the file I want but can't then rename it. Seems like I don't have the right permissions even though I have tried to change the file attributes from within Linux. Is this a windows caused lockout?

I have got a Win98 StartUp Cd but when I get to the A: prompt I can't then find windows. I've tried all drives from b: to z: but the nearest I get is the recovery partition on c: rather than the main partition.

I have a copy of 'Ultimate Boot CD' which contains various utilites but none seem to do what I want.

Anyone got any ideas please?

Thanks.

 

[Scarby]

similar thing happened to me

http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php?p=725786#post725786

 

[spionfox]

similar thing happened to me

http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php?p=725786#post725786

Fortunately, unlike in your case, the personal data backups are up to date!

 

[Durham Fox]

A friend has a laptop that won't boot into XP, nor will it boot into safe mode - it just keeps going so far and then rebooting.

A bit of research shows that one possible cause is SP3. I need to rename a file in the windows/system32/drivers folder. The problem is, how to get there and do it.

I have booted with a Linux LiveCD and can find the file I want but can't then rename it. Seems like I don't have the right permissions even though I have tried to change the file attributes from within Linux. Is this a windows caused lockout?

I have got a Win98 StartUp Cd but when I get to the A: prompt I can't then find windows. I've tried all drives from b: to z: but the nearest I get is the recovery partition on c: rather than the main partition.

I have a copy of 'Ultimate Boot CD' which contains various utilites but none seem to do what I want.

Anyone got any ideas please?

Thanks.

You need a linux flavour that supports NTFS, I would think thats the issue with accessing the folder. I looked at something like this a few months ago but cant remember the linux flavour that supports NTFS off the top of my head.

 

[spionfox]

You need a linux flavour that supports NTFS, I would think thats the issue with accessing the folder. I looked at something like this a few months ago but cant remember the linux flavour that supports NTFS off the top of my head.

All modern Linux kernals support NTFS, albeit only in 'read only' mode. I think I've finally found some instructions on how to access this via Linux though so thanks for helping put me on the right track again.

 

[Macky]

A friend has a laptop that won't boot into XP, nor will it boot into safe mode - it just keeps going so far and then rebooting.

A bit of research shows that one possible cause is SP3. I need to rename a file in the windows/system32/drivers folder. The problem is, how to get there and do it.

I have a copy of 'Ultimate Boot CD' which contains various utilites but none seem to do what I want.

Just use UBCD, open an Explorer window, browse down to the file you want and rename it.

 

[spionfox]

Just use UBCD, open an Explorer window, browse down to the file you want and rename it.

My bad - just checked and it wasn't UBCD that I had but a similar one. Looked at the UBCD webpage and this sounds like it is a must have. Thanks for the pointer Macky.

 

[Macky]

My bad - just checked and it wasn't UBCD that I had but a similar one. Looked at the UBCD webpage and this sounds like it is a must have. Thanks for the pointer Macky.

This is one of the best available

 

[spionfox]

This is one of the best available

JUst one extra question Macky - I've not tried this one yet (can't find an ISO, just an exe) but noticed on the other one that the utilities are all DOS based and DOS can't cope with an NTFS drive can it?

 

[Jeff]

can't find an ISO, just an exe

The exe creates an ISO.

 

[spionfox]

The exe creates an ISO.

Ah, thanks Jeff, downloading now then.

 

[Macky]

JUst one extra question Macky - I've not tried this one yet (can't find an ISO, just an exe) but noticed on the other one that the utilities are all DOS based and DOS can't cope with an NTFS drive can it?

Some of the older, less elegant, boot discs consisted of just command line utilities, they could be awkward to use but can handle NTFS no problem.
The boot disc that I linked to has mainly GUI based apps