Re: Norton AV ate critical Windows file

Kathi,

Copying your files via Ethernet is possible, but involves more than just
connecting a cable. The problem machine has to load an operating system and
network functionality to be accessible to the other laptop. One way to do
this is to use an operating system that can be run from CD ROM such as
Knoppix http://www.knoppix.net/

There other ways to access the drive in it's present state, but I don't
know how practical they are for you. I often slave such a drive to a
service desktop using an inexpensive 2.5 to 3.5 IDE adapter. External USB
type drives for 2.5 hard drives are another method.

GTS
--

"Kathi Sharpe" <KathiSharpe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:E2AF412D-1580-439B-BD4B-EFAE175BB96C@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Well, most of you gave me some great ideas! :) Thank you!!
>
> Before I do this, a friend gave me another idea. I have two laptops here.
> One is the broken one, the other is the one I'm typing to you on. Both
> running Win XP Home SP2. Could I stick an ethernet cable in, and access
> the
> hard drive to copy my files out? Once I've got them, I can just go ahead
> and
> reformat?
>
> Thanks
>
> Kathi
>
> "GTS" wrote:
>
>> windows/system32/config/system is a critical registry file. It's
>> doubtful
>> you could "get the file? From Microsoft or anywhere else" and have it
>> work
>> as it's the registry for your specific system. The Toshiba tech sounds
>> like
>> a total incompetent.
>>
>> There is a procedure to try to recover from this type of failure, but it
>> rarely works at all and is not applicable to OEM Windows installations.
>> If
>> interested see How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents
>> Windows XP from starting
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545
>>
>> It is appalling that NAV just trashed the registry completely. Why
>> didn't
>> your Restore disk work? Is it the type that forces a reformat of the
>> drive, or should it be able to do a repair install?
>>
>> There are various ways to recover your data files and purchasing and
>> doing a
>> "parallel" XP installation from a standard XP CD is an option. It will
>> involve some work. You will need to download any Toshiba drivers that
>> may
>> not be part of the standard XP installation, possibly take ownership of
>> data
>> files in the old installation, import Email etc.
>> --
>>
>> "Kathi Sharpe" <Kathi Sharpe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:EAFE0E66-7622-4B9D-B381-2EC6A2D6EF75@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > There I was, typing along, when Norton flashed on my screen. I had a
>> > virus
>> > (I
>> > was connected to the internet at the time.) Norton announced that
>> > cleaning
>> > it
>> > up was NO problem. Good, I thought.
>> >
>> > A few seconds later came the blue screen we all know, and hate. Hit the
>> > off
>> > button, waited a few seconds, rebooted. To my shock and dismay, Windows
>> > announced that it could not find windows/system32/config/system.
>> >
>> > Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.
>> >
>> > So. First, I grabbed the nice little diskie that came with my computer.
>> > That
>> > happened to be a restore disk. Did not work. Called up Toshiba. The
>> > Very
>> > Nice
>> > Guy there smiled and said, "Just reformat!" and I smiled and said,
>> > "NO!"
>> > I've
>> > got too much on there that's not backed up!
>> >
>> > He suggested that I find someone with windows xp disks and get the file
>> > off
>> > them. Great. Everyone I know also has OEM computers.
>> >
>> > So this morning I called up Symantec and demanded a refund. Got it,
>> > too.
>> > So
>> > much for security. :) Tried to get them to buy me a new copy of
>> > Windows.
>> > That
>> > didn't fly.
>> >
>> > So - what I need to know is - is there a way to get the file? From
>> > Microsoft
>> > or anywhere else?
>> >
>> > Barring that, if I was to go out and buy a new copy of XP, would that
>> > solve
>> > my problem? And if I reinstall Windows, will the stuff in my My Docs
>> > folder,
>> > my Outlook files, and so on all be ok?
>> >
>> > Are tehre any other solutions???
>> >
>> > Please please please help!! Thank you!! :)
>>
>>
>>


.