Re: msconfig missing not a virus

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You're welcome.

An image back up will capture your moment in time. I use Acronis True Image Home (less than $50). You make an image of the drive whole cloth and file it away. If you need to return to a pristine system you just restore the image.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/ for the description and
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=acronis+true+image
for a better price. Newegg is trustworthy.

"witsend" <witsend@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:4C052D33-DF94-492A-AB11-71FA86FAC2C3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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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