Nothing to do with UO at all

[Allura Prime]

Ok, my son's pc, running WindowsXP, won't boot. I get the error message \WINNT\SYSTEM32|CONFIG\SYSTEM is missing or corrupt.

It failed a smart scan and when I did chkdsk /r it says it has errors that are unrecoverable. So I think its safe to say the hard drive is toast.

My questions for all you pc people are:

1.Is there anyway I can get the files that are on the drive?

2. If I put their hard drive in my pc will I be able to access that information?

3. Do I need a new drive or can I just reformat the old one?

Thanks for your help

[teigvondor]

Here is what to do, get the XP disk and do an Install in place. Make sure the text reads that no files will be deleted. It will install XP over the existing install. That should get you bach up and running. ICQ me if you need further help.

[jim]

Is smartscan a disk utility to tell you that the drive is failing? If it is then you should be able to save any of the uncorrupted files by putting it in the other machine. If it's the one I'm thinking (and I could easily be wrong) it lets you know when all the hidden backup area on the disk is used up to replace the bad areas. Drives are shipped with that hidden area to replace bad areas as they occur. You should be able to save any of the uncorrupted files by putting it in the other machine. Make it the slave and the boot disk the master so you boot off the usual drive. I'd run a virus scan on it before taking it out of the original machine using floppies if at all possible though.

If the above is true then you will probably be best getting a new drive for it's machine (newegg.com is a reliable online ordering place) but I've run older drives past the point of it notifying me that's it's used up all the backup area. Can't trust them anymore but if it's a newer drive it may have a 3 year warrenty anyway. Though I only use them as a slave drive for unimportant stuff.

If smartscan is something else then lots of things could cause unrecoverable files and Teig has the right idea. Could even be as simple as a bad cable. Get up and running and do an online virus scan right away just in case.

[Allura Prime]

I am going to be trying the suggestions this weekend.

The first thing I did when it wouldn't boot was run a virus scan because my pc's are networked and that would be the last thing I need.

I will let you know what happens.

[Cabs]

Okay...i'll try to help..

Step 1) Beer
Step 2) Duct Tape
Step 3) Ice (for the beer..not the tape)
Step 4) Open case (comp..not beer)
Step 5) Look for anything techy resembling
Step 6) Open beer (as if you didn't already)
Step 7) Keep Ice near beer..not comp
Step 8) See step 1
Step 9) Sigh.. then hope other comp works
Step 10) Check wif da UO folks on the rest
Step 11) Stick wit da beer till all is well again

Hope this helps ;D

[chris]

ack im stuck on step 3 and also my beers gone warm