Verifying DMI pool data NTLDR is missing winxp

tronator

Donnie wrote: »

Please just fix the problem with the Master Boot Record as I indicated, rather than messing around with the backing up of files at this stage.

It's never wrong to make a backup first! You never know...

Lady_K

I know we can try to repair it with a win xp disc but I would it be better to completely reformat it? as its never been done since she bought it from a friend a few years ago. Only thing is she never had a disc with it, I think it was a pre installed machine.

Her partner has said he has what he calls discs for a 2002 xp dell pc, hes getting them from his parents house either today or tomorrow can she use those or the windows disc from that set plus his windows xp key seeing as she cannot find her own?

I've never done a reinstal of windows xp myself only on a sony f10 way which is pretty simple but I realised that even if we have a windows xp disc wouldnt we need to have any drivers for her machine? If so how would I get them and get them on after a reformat? the ubuntu pc is not getting online for some reason either so hoping I wont need it to be

gaming_guy

....................

Donnie

Fix the booting problem as indicated, back up any important info within the Windows environment including retrieving the Windows key with Everest or Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder, back up essential drivers if necessary, then re-install if that is your intention. I can point to towards the correct disc once you furnish the details of the machine.

Lady_K

I thought I needed a win xp disc to repair the booting problem anyway but we don't know an administrator password either so hoping we wont need it, I think its just xp home on the broken pc. Can we use the xp disc from the other old dell pc to try and repair it first?

When I click on my own pc in my computer properties it tells me my windows key in general system properties but this is xp pro

Donnie

Your first reply... with more detail:

Does she have a Floppy Disc drive? If not, she would need to create a bootable CD*.

*Download Clean Boot CD package v2.0 (596KB) and unpack/extract it into any directory you like.

Add your own files, needed to upgrade your BIOS, to the cds\clean\bootdisk\ folder. You have about 2.5MB available space on the bootimage (the CD uses 2.88MB floppy emulation). Do not add your files to cds\clean\files\ folder!
Optionally you can edit the file cds\clean\bootdisk\autorun.bat and append a line to automatically run your flash program.

When you're done customizing, run "build-clean.cmd" to build your ISO image and burn it to your CD writer.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320397

bcupdate2

Donnie

If all of that is too complicated for you, here is another possibility for you to get the machine to boot normally.

On a working PC, download and save this image file to the Desktop and use ImgBurn(Download and install, but opt out of installing the silly Toolbar) to burn the image to disc. Instructions here(skip step 2b).

Once the disc has been created, pop it into the damaged PC and reboot. Hit Enter when given the option to 'Boot from CD'. You should see a black screen with white letters that says:

1ST TRY THIS seleccione esto primero
2ND TRY THIS essayez ceci en deuxieme
3RD TRY THIS wahlen Sie diesen Third
4TH TRY THIS selezioni questo fourth
5TH TRY THIS selecione este fifth
6TH TRY THIS seleccione este sexto
7TH TRY THIS essayez ceci en septieme
8TH TRY THIS wahlen Sie dieses achte
9TH TRY THIS selezioni questo nono
10TH TRY THIS selecione este decimo

This file is set up to automatically select the "1ST TRY THIS" choice after 30 seconds. Try it first, if it was the wrong selection, you will likely get one of these four errors:

1. Windows could not start because file "<Windows Root>\system32\hal.dll was missing or corrupt

2. Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

3. I/O Error accessing boot sector file multi(0)disk(0)fdisk(0)\BOOTSECT.DOS

4. Immediate reboot

If you get the immediate reboot or some other weird error, try pressing F8 at the "1st Try This" selection screen, it will give you a prompt where you can select Safe Mode, and then try the "1st Try This" option again. Safe Mode is a special "minimal" version of Windows that doesn't load certain parts of the operating system that might have caused the problem.

One of the choices should eventually boot you back into Windows.

Begin backing up important info and give us the make and model of the machine. Seriously.

Lady_K

Thankyou Donnie,

The first one seems a bit complicated to me at the moment although it might sink in at some stage so wont rule it out completely but for now I will probably try the second imgburn one. I have to keep re reading that one too though.

I will try to get the machine info but we are in different houses so I will get it when I'm there, I 'll have to use the ubuntu disc to get that though because there is nothing on the outside, it might even have been made up by someone there are no stickers on it anywhere. If I might need drivers for later can I get those when I'm getting the machine info and if so where will they all be?

I know safe mode wont work at the moment anyway, the only thing is bios.

Donnie

Lady_K wrote: »

Thankyou Donnie,

The first one seems a bit complicated to me at the moment although it might sink in at some stage so wont rule it out completely but for now I will probably try the second imgburn one. I have to keep re reading that one too though.

I will try to get the machine info but we are in different houses so I will get it when I'm there, I 'll have to use the ubuntu disc to get that though because there is nothing on the outside, it might even have been made up by someone there are no stickers on it anywhere. If I might need drivers for later can I get those when I'm getting the machine info and if so where will they all be?

I know safe mode wont work at the moment anyway, the only thing is bios.

If it is a made up machine, it is important that you get into the Windows environment in order to back up the drivers. Once in, install DriverBackup! and use it to back the drivers up to an external source.

If you don't do this, you can have problems after a reinstallation in gaining Internet access.

You can use Everest Home Edition or Belarc Advisor to retrieve keys and relevant hardware information. Also Magical Jelly Bean if necessary.

Only when you have all of these things in place should you attempt a reinstall.

Lady_K

Thanks yes daughter confirmed it is a made up machine.

So do I get on the machine with ubuntu to get into the windows environment and use driverbackup? I will need to put driverbackup onto a usb though from my own pc as I cant get on the net with ubuntu on the faulty one, I can also get belarc advisor etc on the usb too, I have used that before but forgot about it do all these work without being connected to the net though?

I wont be able to back up to a disc on there as the ubuntu takes the disc up, it will have to be usb there is no floppy