Re: msconfig missing not a virus

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

SUCCESS!! SUCCESS!! SUCCESS!! You, sir, are a hero. Thanks for the
advice. After a repair install >using the slipstreamed cd< all is as it
should be again. I thank you very kindly.
Now that I have a completely fresh and functional OS, I'm afraid to use it
out of fear of something going awry once again! Can you suggest a way of
capturing this point in this computers life so that I have a hard copy of all
system settings, etc.
I did have to download upwards of 100 updates after the repair install and
would rather not have to do that again! Is there a microsoft site that has
sp2 with all associated critical updates available to download. I noticed in
"nlite" that there is an option to include other updates along with sp2 into
the slipstreamed disc. However, to do this manually, one update at a time,
would take more time than it is worth, I believe.
Once again, I thank you.

Chris.


"witsend" wrote:

Hey Colin. Ok, created the slipstream windows disk and ran system file
checker. I had to enter retry numerous times as the blue status bar made its
way across, but managed to get through it. At the end of the process, it
just stopped...ie no "operation completed" message or the such. Is that how
it ends? I tried msconfig from start>>run and nothing happened. Will reboot
and try again to see if that works. If not will try repair installation.
However, would that not set me back to xp with sp2 only...ie no updates?

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

Good luck! Get that XP SP2 cd made before you go any further. It will be
invaluable.

"witsend" <witsend@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:10748F0D-134C-4EF6-88F9-EDD7E6657B24@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once again, I thank you for your reply. I will indeed try your
suggestions
and will be sure to follow up and let you know how things go. Wish me
luck!

BTW LKGC would probably not work as I just ghosted the machine yesterday
and
msconfig was the first thing I checked as I have experienced this problem
in
the past when I have ghosted. Its a long story but suffice it to say I
have
been having a few interesting weeks learning about and playing with
re-installing windows.

FYI.. I'm not actually using Ghost but Western Digitals Data Lifeguard
Tools
instead. The 2 drives are indeed Western Digital drives. "Ghost" in this
context is just a handy verb!

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

It certainly doesn't hurt to try but Last Known Good resets the config to
the last time you successfully started Windows. It doesn't alter any
system
files themselves. LKGC does not let you roll back to a time of your
choice
like System Restore does. LKGC is a choice on the Windows Advanced
Options
Menu. Restart the computer and keep tapping F8 while it is booting to
get
to the WAO menu.

The solution to being stuck with an old XP cd is to make an up-to-date
one.
This is called slipstreaming and is quite easy.

I use nLite (http://www.nliteos.com/guide/ and
http://www.nliteos.com/download.html). This program has you put your XP
cd
in the drive as the source and the downloadable version of SP2 (called
"SP2
for IT Professionals"
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en)
as the service pack. The program then merges the two and creates a
bootable
.iso file which you then burn to a new cd. Then when you need to use
your
XP cd you use the slipstreamed one. Your product key will work with the
slipstreamed cd just fine. Hint: Download the SP2 file to your desktop
so
it is very easy to find while you are working.

It only takes a few minutes and you should definitely have one at service
pack level 2.

While you can also have the program use the Windows files already on the
hard drive I would not do that in this case because one or more of those
files may be what you need to fix.

There are other slipstreaming programs and there are MS knowledgebase
articles about slipstreaming. It doesn't matter how you do it, just so
you
do it.

"witsend" <witsend@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:29DA1353-0F70-4C71-A19D-33AC8C2CA35C@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello Colin. Thanks for your reply. My system started out as an
original
xp
system...that is to say with no service packs. It is now fully up to
date
using windows/microsoft update therefore I haven't an xp cd at the same
service pack level as whats on the system right now. Can I do
something
similar using the "good system configuration" on the other hard drive?
If
so, would you mind walking me through that? I seem to remember trying
to
make such a cd at one time a while back by merging the original cd with
an
online copy of sp2...with no success. Again, I was following
instructions
on
a microsoft website on how to do this...and was not successful.


"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

Have you considered running the system file checker? You will need an
XP
cd
that is at the same service pack level as the installed XP. The
method
is:
Start>Run, type cmd + Enter. In the Command window at the prompt type
sfc /scannow + Enter

If that does not fix things, consider doing a Repair Installation of
Windows. Like sfc, you will need an XP cd at the same service pack
level.

"witsend" <witsend@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:89BB5FCD-FBD3-4474-BA21-78FAD5625483@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I should also mention that "msconfig" is present in
C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\binaries and in
C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 on both drives. It only works in
the
original drive and not in the new drive.



"witsend" wrote:

Can anyone figure this one out. I type msconfig and all other
iterations
of
same to get it to run. It doesn't. I copied a copy of the program
itself
from an internet source provided by a previous discussion group
onto
my
desktop and tried running it from there (as a test to see if it
works).
It
doesn't.
I just "ghosted" my OS over to a new hard drive within the same
machine
and
have the OS on both drives now. The settings in the registry under
HKEY
CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System

and

HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System

and

HKEY USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System

are identical on both hard drives, yet on the original drive I can
boot
up
and msconfig will work. On the new drive msconfig doesn't work.
I went to the "windows xp from a to z" site downloaded the repair
for
a
corrupt msconfig file. It ran and it couldn't make it run. I even
copied
the original msconfig from my windows installation cd onto the new
hard
drive
into the appropriate location and even that couldn't get it to go.
I'm stumped. I am not a computer specialist by any means. All the
above
solutions and observations were come by through these very forums.
Can anyone help with this?





.

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