Re: SERIOUS HDD PROBLEM - NUKED XP - CAN'T GET WINDOWS GOING AGAIN

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Neil,

The Shock page was very helpful, thanks. But, one step forward, three back!
I've used KNOPPIX to copy my C: drive to another HDD directory (E:), then,
reformatted C: and reinstalled XP/SP2 with no significant issues. But now,
having reinstalled W/XP I can't get KNOPPIX to boot from the CD to enable me
to restore the backed up original C: files from E:.

I've checked the BIOS setup, boot from CD is first priority but no luck,
keeps booting into W/XP from the reformatted C: HDD (drive 0). So, I can't
restore my W/XP files from the E: HDD backup I made under KNOPPIX. DOH!!

Also, W/XP doesn't acknowledge D: and E: HDD's (Drives 1 & 2). It does see
the CD/DVD Drive (D:).

Any suggestions?

Geoff

"neil" <neilp67_@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:VGIkk.27$Lw1.17@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Have a look at this webpage http://www.shockfamily.net/cedric/knoppix/
someone has gone to a lot of trouble in detailing recovering data. I think
it's a good place to start and see if you can follow the advice to recover
your data.
I know I've used the disk before myself but to remember each step could
take
a while.
best of luck
Neil
PS post back on your progress.

"GeoffWHere" <gumboot@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23SzaxK88IHA.356@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Neil,

WOW! Impressive! I've created a KNOPPIX Boot Image CD and it booted my
PC
in literally a few seconds, but I'm afraid I may have opened Aladdin's
Cave,
or maybe even Pandora's Box! Where to start, there's so much to see
here?
I know, given that it's now 8.30pm Friday I'll go open that bottle of
wine
and resume in the morning.

By tomorrow morning, you may have read this post and offered me some
suggestions about getting started on resurrecting my ailing HDD.

Geoff

"neil" <neilp67_@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:P6mkk.132574$oo.8167@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Did you look at the knoppix option.
Neil
"GeoffWHere" <gumboot@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ewkwpuc8IHA.4864@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Philo, Neil, et al (BTW, who's Al?)

Thanks for your suggestions but I'm still in the dark as to why W/XP
does
this wierdo logon/logoff thing, as described in my original post. I
think
I
still need to get the old C: drive cranked up so I can do the
transfer
to
the D:/E: drives and get the old C: drive ready for burial.

So, is there a file that I could restore from the backup or repair
directories that will get me past the "Windows is loading your
personal
settings" stage?

Thanks,
Geoff

"GeoffWHere" <gumboot@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ubkRzB77IHA.2260@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My C: drive has dropped plenty of bad sectors and much of XP went
down
the
drain with them. I have an identical (32GB) D: with some program
and
data
files on it that could be either sacrificed or copied to my 200GB E:
drive
but none of this can be achieved without resurrecturing XP enough to
A)
See
the D/E: drives and B) shift the files around so I can get the
remainder
of
XP across to the replacement (D:) drive.

I've been through the Repair Install procedure as detailed by MS-MVP
Michael
Stevens, including the link to Charlie White's article "Windows XP
Crashed"
and the additional suggestions from MVP Alex Nichol, all to no
avail.

When following Charlie White's process, I get to PART 2 where it's
time
to
reboot into W/XP and, after I enter the Administrator's password,
the
system
says it's loading personal settings and, after a pause, says it's
logging
off - back to the log in screen.

I've tried to get into Safe Mode but get the same problem.

Is there any other magic I might use to at least get my Xp running
enough
to
get the stuff of the C: drive before I bury it?

My biggest concern is wiping out my Outlook mail file and other
documents/pics, etc that might get lost, not to mention going
through
a
clean install and the time/pain involved with that.

Can anybody offer assistance resolving this disaster?

Thanks in advance,
Geoff













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