Re: WinXP Pro Not Booting === Challenging Problem for Experts - Cant use Recovery Console or Repair, Install Loops + Encrypted Data to retrive

From: Bill James (wgjames_at_mvps.org)
Date: 07/29/03 

Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 05:10:45 -0600

The KB article for password rejection using the Recovery Console gives information on how to obtain the hotfix by calling MS Support. As long as you have that specific problem and do not ask any other support questions during the call you will not be charged for the call.

You might want to check your RAM with a good boot disk diagnostic checker such as Memtest86 - Memory Diagnostic Page: http://www.memtest86.com/. Bad RAM could have caused the original problem and the problems with repair install. 

-- 
Bill James
Microsoft MVP·DTS
Win9x VBScript Utilities » www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips » www.billsway.com/notes_public/
"Paul" <paulb@NOSPAMihug.com.au> wrote in message news:bg5gse$q2f$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...
> WinXP Pro Not Booting - Challenging Problem for Experts - Cant use Recovery
> Console or Repair, Install Loops + Encrypted Data to retrive
> 
> ******Issue******
> 
> Laptop wouldnt boot due to a registry issue/corruption - Was able to go into
> windows and login, but no shell (start menu, desktop, icons etc)
> 
> Safe Mode, Last Know Good and all other users profiles didnt work either -
> same issue as above.
> 
> I do not have a ASR Boot Disk, but do have a System State backup on my
> drive.
> 
> *****Fixs Tried******
> 
> 1. Recovery Console
> 
> Tried using Recovery Console from WinXP CD, ie. Boot from XP CD
> 
> Refer
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307545
> How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry That Prevents Windows XP from
> Starting.
> (The procedure described in this article uses Recovery Console and System
> Restore)
> 
> This worked until I got to the Admin password prompt. It then failed as
> there is a bug with Recovery Console and some machines where XP was OEM
> installed. So its not possible to run Recovery Console.
> 
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308402 - 'The
> Password Is Not Valid' Error Message Appears When You Log On to Recovery
> Console in WinXP
> 
> 2. Repair from XP CD
> 
> I next tried a repair from CD per MS KB article.
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315341 - How to
> Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
> 
> This started to work but then after installing drivers and adding CD Key it
> restarted the PC (reading about 32 minutes remaining). It restarts the
> install from scratch again (......"restarting Setup.....")
> 
> And It goes round and round in this loop. Probably due to the auto restart
> on device install failure or perhaps because of the corrupt registry.
> 
> *******Current Status******
> 
> Starting PC now restarts the WinXP install as it never finished last time,
> ie. it DOESNT go to a Win Startup Adv Start Up menu now.
> 
> So I'm kind off half way into an install that wont complete. Its possible to
> boot with XP CD and go to Recovery Console and/or XP Install. But neither
> work.
> 
> I could do a new install maybe but this may not work either and may????
> result in me not being able to access user profiles and data that is
> ENCRYPTED using WinXP EFS - I do not have the key saved anywhere to disk
> etc.
> 
> *******
> I am really desperate on what to do with this due ro my 8GB's of encrypted
> data, can anyone please help?
> *******
> 
> I have contacted MS and the OEM and they are no help, expect to try a
> parallel install of Windows which will I'm sure will lose all my encrypted
> data, or at leas never allow me to access it again.
> 
> I think I need an NTFS Dos type app so that I can follow a [semi] normal
> procedure for system restore per KB article on using the recovery console.
> 
> 
> *****Can anyone provide any light please:*******
> 
> 1. What options do I have?
> 
> 2. Can I save my data anyway? esp. given that its encrypted?
> 
> 3. Is using some sort of NTFS DOS type app going to be enough for me to
> restore some standard registry setting settings to boot?
> 
> 4  If I do this will it boot given that I am now half way through a new
> install that wont finish?
> 
> 5. Is it possible to force the install to complete, disable the flag
> somewhere that is making it reboot?
> 
> 6. Will the restore options,ie. converting back to an original registry work
> given that I seem to be half way through an install? If I do this it may not
> boot anyway?
> 
> *******
> 
> I'd really appreciate any help that people can give me, feel free to email
> group or myself direct. Im sure that others must have had this problem.
> Basically if it had not been for the MS BUG with Recovery Console and OEM
> version of XP I would have had it fixed in 30 minutes.
> 
> Regards
> Paul
> 
> ps. For more on the repair options I have tried you can check out this
> excellent resource with screen shots:
> http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm
> 
> Also I think reinstalling will also cause some data loss according to:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;312369 -You May Lose
> Data or Program Settings After Reinstalling, Repairing, or Upgrading Windows
> XP
> 
>

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