Windows XP Repeat BootUp

[cain]

Alright heres my problem, I just got wireless DSL and while i was messing around I downloaded a internet optimizer called CableNut. After I installed and used its preset registries for optimizing my DSL (it has premade files ready to change your registry which I shouldnt have messed with in the first place) for XP it told me to reboot. So I reboot and after the Windows XP splash/loading screen shows up it starts all over again without ever entering windows over and over again. I tried all the different boot options (safemode, start with previous settings) and all that. And now I have no idea how to recover from this. Thanks for the input.

[Confused]

You might try a repair. Boot from the XP CD and carefully follow screen prompts. It's been awhile since I have done a repair and cain't give from memory the exact procedure. I do remember that it was fairly easy though.

If you are unsure just be patient as someone will post the exact replys needed for a repair.
Chas

[DragonNOA1]

Make sure Boot from CD-ROM is selected in your advanced settings in your BIOS.

Insert your Windows XP CD into your CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive.

Save BIOS settings and it will auto reboot.

When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

When you see the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is displayed. Do not select this option.

On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.

Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press the R key to repair Windows XP.

[glc]

Before I'd mess with a repair, I'd try to get it up in safe mode and do a system restore.

[cain]

Thanks for the replies, I don't see where to boot from CD in my advanced setting in my bios, and I have tried to boot in safe mode and it does the same thing.

[DragonNOA1]

Use/try SYSTEM RESTORE while in safe mode.

[cain]

I cant even get into safe mode it just loads the windows splash screen and then starts from the beginning. I can get into BIOs and the F8 start up options but none of them seem to do anything. Is there somehow I can get a command prompt up to try that command?

[cain]

It starts with the screen showing my Video card information then (sometimes) the HP invent splash screen and then the windows xp loading/splash screen pauses for a few seconds then starts over...over and over again beginning with the video card screen.

[cain]

I must have an old bios set up becuase instead of seeing boot from CD in advanced options i have a seperate boot menu that lists 4 boot devices first one being floppy then harddrive then CDROM and then some network deal

[bigz]

Is it possible to enter the advanced bios screen and hit + /- keys to switch the order or rearrange it... Also what is your Bios Name like AMBIOS or whatever the names are?

[glc]

Bingo - follow the instructions for moving items up and down on that screen. It's usually one of 2 ways - highlight the CDROM and use the +/- keys to move it up and down, or highlight the first item and hit Enter and choose the device you want first.

[cain]

Yeah moving it up the list did boot the CD but now theres another problem. I ran the repair thing on the XP setup and when it rebooted to "continue" the setup it hit the splash screen then a thing showed up saying "setup is restarting" and then it stays there for a few seconds then reboots again and again and again doing the same old thing but now adding the "setup is restarting" screen.

[cain]

I started following the instructions on this guys page http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/0..._boot_toot.htm and used the recovery console to try and replace the system files with the ones in the "repair" directory but after i deleted them and tried to copy them over from the repair directory it says "specified file not found" and now I'm at a total loss on what to do. Really right now I would do a reformat but I have so many important files on the drive.

[DragonNOA1]

I have a Knoppix (Linux) CD that I would use if my Windows install was totally destroyed. I could boot up to that and save my data to another HD (local or network) or burn to a disk. Could be used as a last resort if needed. Just a thought.

[cain]

If I could somehow burn that stuff to a disk that would be a major help. Although I dont know where to find a linux CD.

[cain]

And since I deleted those files and couldn't replace them I no longer detects I have windows installed for obvious reasons and when I go to the windows reinstall screen it keeps saying it cant read the disk. I'm about ready to pull my hair out.

[cain]

I just NOW read the HP pavilion site and it told me to do a system recovery without using the desktop trouble is now that I deleted those windows files and couldn't get them back I can't perform that.
Is there ANY way I can replace those deleted system files by using recovery console?

[healtheworld]

IF everything fails try this.. in recovery console

md tmp
copy C:\windows\system32\config\system C:\windows\tmp\system.bak
delete C:\windows\system32\config\system
copy C:\windows\repair\system C:\windows\system32\config\system
copy C:\windows\system32\config\software C:\windows\tmp\software.bak
delete C:\windows\system32\config\software
copy C:\windows\repair\software C:\windows\system32\config\software

[cain]

Thats the problem I cant copy system out of the repair folder and it just says "cannot find specified file" when I try.

[cain]

Is there someway from recovery console that I can replace the backup files that I deleted?

[glc]

1. Please use the Edit function in your posts instead of posting new replies one right after another. Thank you.

2. The reason there are no files in the repair directory is because you never created an ERD.

3. You are now up the creek without a paddle. The files you deleted are gone, period. You are looking at a complete reinstall no matter what you do, here are your options for recovering the files you need:

a. Remove the hard drive and slave it into another working XP computer, copy off the files you need. This is the safest way.

b. Do a complete reinstall of XP into a different directory without formatting the drive. Your files will still be there, install your burning software and start burning - then reformat and get a fresh start.