PC Problem After Using Restore CDs

oldagetraveller

Possibly not fixable easily but here goes!
My daughters pc - e-Machines 420 (yes, I know, it was given to her) - about four years old, Windows XP Home, had no sound or working "floppy" drive for some time.
She's just moved into flat with Virgin Broadband active. After connecting ethernet cable to pc etc. and running install cd, message that a Network card couldn't be detected. PC should has onboard LAN.
Checked connections and nothing showing, only old dial up.
As she just needs final push to replace with new pc decided to restore to "factory" set up using provided restore cds after saving bits and pieces of personal stuff to external hdd. However, installation went through ok but on reboot afterwards the Windows couldn't start page appeared. Start in Safe Mode, Normal Start etc. Message indicates the following file is missing or corrupt. "\WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM"
Will not start in Safe Mode or any other option.
So it's going as far as loading Windows then stalls and then round in circles to same page.
PC World's Techguys suggested a HDD problem and take it in store (and we'll take loads of money from you), my added text in brackets.
Any ideas or is it time to spend the money on a relacement pc?

superscaper

Something went wrong with recovery. Either do it again or a Windows repair.

esuhl

DON'T give any money to PC World!!!! You should be able to reinstall the OS to get it booting, then check the manufacture's website (on another PC, obviously!) for the relevant network card drivers, etc.

A program called SIW (System Information for Windows) can be quite useful, as it can often tell you the model number of your motherboard as well as a lot of other information to help you find the correct drivers.

Good luck...

oldagetraveller

Thanks both.
I did try a second (and third!) time but still the same, that's when I contacted Techguys.
There was a message to try a repair - "r" - using the Windows installation disc. Unfortunately don't have this, for that pc, only the originally supplied 2 cds for restoring. They contain the operating system and the the drivers. They've used Symantec "Ghost" and there doesn't appear to be an option than to go through the whole process with the 2 cds.
I do have an XP disc for my own pc (genuine) and looked at the repair option but it asked for an administrators password to proceed further. Don't know what that is?
Not computer literate enough to start searching for other bits and pieces.
Absolutely NO intention of giving PC World anything!!

esuhl

The Administrator password would be the one that was used during the installation process - this is often left blank (i.e. you can just hit return when prompted to enter it).

You might be able to use your other XP CD to install the OS on the PC that isn't working, but in order to stay legal you would need to change the product key after everything has been installed. You can use a tool like the Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder (no, seriously!) to change the product key, but you'd need a key for exactly the same version of XP as was installed, i.e. if your XP CD is for XP Pro, and the "broken" PC came with a XP Home OEM product key, this won't work.

Thinking about it... a new XP CD would probably be just as cheap (and more satisfying!) than taking it to PC World.

The Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder link is here if you need it:
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

oldagetraveller

esuhl wrote: »

The Administrator password would be the one that was used during the installation process - this is often left blank (i.e. you can just hit return when prompted to enter it).

Thanks again, I'll try that first anyway, then think about the next step.
The problem with installing XP from Windows cd could be the drivers etc.

sco0ter

Did you check to see if the onboard lan was switched on in the BIOS???

Other thing as well. If your original XP disk is the same version (XP Home or Professional OEM since it probably came preinstalled) then you could use the license key on the sticker of the e-machine to install it.

As for drivers... You will probably find that once it has been fully updated it will have driver support for everything and if it doesnt a quick search on google will fix that.

Here is a good site for some old drivers although the only 420 I could find was a Intel® Celeron® 2.6GHz. Is this correct???

If so heres the site.. Just scroll down to 420 and click on the link then select downloads from the next page and you will get a list of drivers for the Sound/Video card as well as BIOS upgrades.

http://www.e4allupgraders.info/dir1/support/europ_motherboards.shtml

oldagetraveller

I posted a further reply yesterday afternoon - it's disappeared???!!!
Thanks to all for the help and suggestions.
Now sorted (I hope). I went for a full install from my cd and after selecting the option a message advised Windows XP already installed did I want to repair. I selected this and after about 25 minutes and inputting the cd key on e-Machines XP cert. all worked fine.
Checked BIOS(should have tried that initially, thanks scoOter), floppy was disabled, now working, delved deeper and found reference to 10/100 Ethernet showing disabled, now that works. Only thing not working now is the sound, but that isn't important.
So I don't who has been fiddling with BIOS? No doubt a complete new install hasn't done any harm anyway.
It's been good practice and a steep learning curve.

culpepper

if she has a sound card and onboard sound,she would need to disable the onboard sound in bios for the soundcard to work.As bios seems to have been meddled about with,maybe it has re-enbled onboard sound.Or if she only has onboard sound,it could be,it has been disabled.There may be drivers for the sound(if onboard) which would be on the motherboard disc if she has one.

oldagetraveller

It's "onboard" sound, no separate sound card.
Yes the motherboard disc is available to check. I'll also have a further look in the BIOS to see if there's anything relating to sound.
The motherboard disc does have various drivers listed including sound etc. but there are lots of alternatives!