Need to repair xp, password required HELP !

the_tyke

the_tyke

the_tyke

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I have a damaged system file and windows won't load.
I get the message : use the windows disk and press r at the first screen to repair.

Ok fine so far, but when I try to get further it asks for a password.
Well I've never set a password , so how do I proceed ?? Any ideas
 
generally xp has no admin password. If it does try admin, administrator or password i guess.

You could also try just repairing the windows installation. From memory press enter i think to setup your pc / windows. Then an option should appear that xp is already installed and you have the option of repairing it.
 
Repairing the installation is precisely what he is trying to do.

The Administrator password in XP is usually separate from the account you would have created for yourself. So even if your own is blank you may have set something for the Admin during setup. If not, it should just be blank.

There are ways to reset the XP administrator password, so go hit Google.
 
SiriusB said:
Repairing the installation is precisely what he is trying to do.

The Administrator password in XP is usually separate from the account you would have created for yourself. So even if your own is blank you may have set something for the Admin during setup. If not, it should just be blank.

There are ways to reset the XP administrator password, so go hit Google.
Click to expand...

the_tyke said:
I get the message : use the windows disk and press r at the first screen to repair.
Click to expand...

This suggest he is trying to get into the recovery console (hence asking for a password - i've never seen when trying to repair xp that you asked for a password). I'm just pointing him in the correct direction.
 
Thanks for the replies.

The other option, other than repair is load windows. If I do this without reformatting , will I keep all my important files like photos etc etc
 
First off you need to find out why the file was damaged, unless you deleted or edited it? Run mem test and hard disk checks (grab UBCD from www.ultimatebootcd.com).

Second, are you trying to copy just the file over? As you're trying to get into Recovery Console as pointed out above. If you want to repair the whole OS then you press Enter first then it searches for current OS's on your system and should list your XP on there, then press R to repair and it will keep your files and refresh the system files. If there is no repair option on that list (only to install a new copy), you can run a tool called bootcfg (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291980) which can help fix the issue but it can also happen if you have a different version of XP disk than originally installed.
 
The file thats missing is
system32\DRIVERS\isapnp.sys

I've got the r option to repair. But it then says it wants an administrator password, and I have never set one !
 
Now type chkdsk /r and press return, once complete reboot and report back if it still wont load windows.
 
Thanks Dano, it's got to 52% and going very slowly. In case your not around when it completes, what should I expect to see ?
 
When chkdsk has finished id recommend rebooting into the xp cd. Where you previously pressed "R", press "Enter". It says to setup xp i think or something along the lines. Next it shoudl hopefully detect an xp installation and allow you to repair it. This will replace system files etc etc which windows needs. Should replace your corrupt / missing file allowing you to boot.
 
Great, thanks very much guys.

It repaired the file, but then reloaded Windows again and I thought 'Oh my god 'it's going to delete al my family photo albums.
But thankfully they're all still there, but I've had to reinstall service pack 2.

cheers
 
How long did the chkdsk take to run? If it was longer than an hour or so I'd strongly suggest checking your hard drive health with the utility provided by the drive manufactorer as it might be failing, a common cause of the initial issue you had.
 
It's just done it again, but this time with an error saying

windows\system\config\system missing

I'm running that chkdsk /r again, but it seems to have stopped at 25% completed.

If I could just get back on to windows again to get some important family photos copied to disk, then I would be happy to scrap this hard disk
 
the_tyke said:
It's just done it again, but this time with an error saying

windows\system\config\system missing

I'm running that chkdsk /r again, but it seems to have stopped at 25% completed.

If I could just get back on to windows again to get some important family photos copied to disk, then I would be happy to scrap this hard disk
Click to expand...

If it's a SATA disk get hold of a USB Dock for SATA disks and plug into a USB port on another PC, if it's just the Windows files that are corrupted then you will still be able to copy files in My Documents from it.

When it's fixed make a backup of your data.

Andi.
 
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