Re: MCE totally corrupted, what files can I use to recover setting

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I'm fairly sure all of the files are still on the hard drives - just the
registry is corrupt and at this point I want to do a fresh MCE install
without loosing everything.

We have a Raid 0 configured with two SATA 300 Gb drives that serve as the
Recorded TV storage (it should be fine). A 300Gb IDE drive serves as storage
for "My Movies" (it also should be fine). The boot drive itself (also used
for My Pictures, My Music and My Video) is a separate 120 Gb IDE drive.
Currently the registry is corrupt and unreadable during bootup.

What I want to do is retain as much information on the 120 Gb drive, while
doing a fresh install at the same time. One way or another I plan to rename
the standard install directories (Program Files, Windows, and the Documents &
Settings folders - I thought you could at least rename/move/erase
files&folders from the recovery console - is this incorrect? I can plug the
drive into another computer if I have to...) and then do a fresh install in
the default location without reformatting the drive. After the fresh install
(along with drivers, etc.) I plan to make use of the existing MCE
configuration files - if I can figure out where they are. I'll also copy
over other details from the user directories (My Music, My Pictures, etc.)

I know the recorded TV database will rebuild on it's own so that's not an
issue. It's the scheduled TV, Guide setup and channels we recieve that I
primarily want to recover. I assume there must be a database file that
contains this information somewhere.

Could you tell me about the MCE database files and where they are located?

"Dana Cline - MVP" wrote:

> If you cannot boot to Windows, then there may not be a way to recover your
> existing recorded tv shows. If you have a second drive, or an external usb
> drive, or a shared network drive, then you can copy your shows _if_ you can
> boot to Windows (even Safe mode). If you boot the CD into the recovery
> console, sadly you cannot copy files from there.
>
> One alternative is to pull the existing drive out, and put it as the second
> drive in another PC. Then you may be able to get to your recordings to copy
> them.
>
> One thing to consider is either buying a 2nd hard drive or splitting your
> existing drive into two partitions. Then set MCE up to record to D:. Then if
> you ever have to reload the OS, your data is safe on D:.
>
> Dana Cline - MVP
>
> "HTPC Steve" <HTPCSteve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:2E28F665-09AD-41C3-94F1-B6AD6B2CF9EA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > My MCE system is so badly corrupted (constant blue screen crashes every 10
> > minutes to every couple of hours of use for the past 2 days, restores
> don't
> > work, reinstall remains unstable, registry is corrupt again and at this
> point
> > in time MCE won't boot at all) that I think a fresh install is the only
> > option at this point. What I'd like to do is back up the old install
> using
> > the recovery console (rename Windows to OldWindows, Program Files to
> > OldPrograms or similar) do a fresh install, install all drivers, etc. and
> > then copy whatever I can to restore the MCE settings. The problem doesn't
> > seem to be with the MCE shell, but with the core operating system.
> >
> > Specifically I'm interested in not loosing our scheduled recordings (48
> > different shows many with custom settings). Ideally I'd like to retain
> the
> > MCE configuration too.
> >
> > I guess the first question is - is my plan feasible? If so, what files do
> I
> > need to copy and to where?
> >
> > There may be some wierd hardware failure that caused this (I haven't
> changed
> > anything since it was relatively stable - I did just change the
> questionable
> > power supply (too late if that was the issue though)). I figure the first
> > step is a re-install at this point.
>
>
>
.

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