Laptop problem!!

Countcussy

Countcussy

Countcussy

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10 Nov 2006
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My boss has just returned from Canada, during which time his Toshiba Satellite A30 has suffered an error. He has asked me to look at it, but i am a bit stumped.

Windows will not boot, even in safe mode and gives the error,

File may be missing or corrupt C:\Windows\system32\config\system

Now I have encountered this before, and fixed it with recovery console, but, even though there is no admin password set, windows tells me that the password for the recovery console is wrong. I have tried 2 XP discs, my own and a Dell one from work, as the discs shipped with the Tosh are full recovery discs, which will wipe the hard drive. I hope to avoid this.

Now, I have the XP key for this machine, but not the disk. If i do a repair installation with my own SP2 XP disc, will the existing XP key work, or are they disc related.

Do i have any other options? I don`t mind getting my hands dirty in dos, if someone can point me in the right direction. There seems many instances of this invalid password, but the fix always involves windows, which i cant boot to.

I would really appreciate some help with this.
 
Boot to windows set up (not recovery console) from any XP SP2 disc (the same version that the laptop is using, but it can be any flavour, SP1a, SP2, etc, as long as it is XP Pro or XP Home). To clarify, if the laptop is XP Home SP2, you can use XP Home SP1a, XP Home, or XP home SP2, if the lappy is XP Pro, you can use XP Pro, Pro SP1a, Pro SP2.

You'll see the partition, choose to install over it and it will ask you if you want to repair. Job done.

The XP Key is an algorithm, not related to the disc, only to the version.

My option would be to remove the drive, stick it in a USB caddy, pull the data, then clean install.
 
I had the same error on a friends pc and the option to repair install wasn't there, I used Acronis True image to make a backup copy onto my external hard drive. It depends how important the data AND setup is to your boss, you can put the drive in a Hard Drive Enclosure and copy data off onto another pc. Are there emails and email adresses to be saved? I prefer the image backup first just in case things go BAD or you miss something. :)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=14&subid=72
 
Recovery console requires the knowledge of the local admin account, and no other admin account.

Use a well known live cd to change the local admin password, then log back into recovery console with the newly changed password for the local admin account and fix the problem.

This issue happens all the time - no major issues.

EDIT: p.s. the file is system.ced
 
Use WinPE with the built in file manager you have full access to the hard drive regardless of the admin password.
 
Thanks again for the replies. Got into recovery console, did the fix, windows begins to load, get the XP loading screen, but then the following message appears:

"When trying to update a password, this return status indicates that the value provided as the current password is incorrect." System reboots.

Reading around the web, it seems that the Toshiba oem install of XP does things a little differently, meaning a full install with the recovery disk is the only option.

I am not even able to do a repair, with what i know is a working SP2 disc. It looks like its going to start, but at the point where the setup files are ready and the computer re-boots, it seems to ignore the installed setup files, instead choosing to boot from the existing files, and i end up in a loop

Recovery discs should be banned :(:(
 
Update for those that kindly offered help.

Made myself an Ultimate Windows Boot CD (What a tool btw:D) and accessed the contents of the drive. Had a bit of a play, then replaced the sam, system, security etc. files, with backups I had made.

Tried to go back with the registry, but no backups were found. Ran chkdsk etc..etc.. and re-booted, not expecting much.

I was wrong, Windows booted to the logon screen, where it told me I had to activate windows. I said OK, and it went back to the logon screen. It just kept looping this way. I was sure this was related to IE7, I don`t know why, but I had a feeling I had read this somewhere. Uninstalled IE7 from safe mode, re-booted and voila!!! It offered me the option to activate. Went to bed though as it was gone 2am.

Activated Windows this morning and we are back up and running, with NO data loss. :) I am not convinced that the machine is perfect(It never was), but its up and running and the boss is happy.

Well Chuffed. Thanks again.
 
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I would now format and reinstall as a repaired install is never as stable as a properly configured system.

If you think you might have problems finding drivers for the hardware google for DriverGraber and it will find all the non standard drivers from the system.
 
Slightly OT but that DriverGrabber programme sounds like a great idea if its got a decent driver/device database! Have tried programmes similar to it before but none of them worked that well.
 
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It just pulls the current in use device drivers from the system and plonks them in a folder. nothing too special but it works well.
 
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