please help. used recovery console now access limited in winxp

captain_69uk · 16 Feb 2010 at 15:14

hi

i used recovery console to restore a file that was missing. (system was unable to boot)

now windows boots up into a new user account called 'administrator' and my old user account does not appear to exist!

what is more this so called administrator account does not have 'sufficient access' to open any install files or settings. i cannot even open the user accounts in control panel!!!

i can open internet explorer (not firefox) but can't acces the network settings to get an internet connection working... I can't DO anything in windows! haha i can't even open word anymore!

is there anything i can do about this?
thank you !

SiriusB · 16 Feb 2010 at 15:31

It sounds as if a lot more is broken than just a missing file.

My next step in your situation would be to try a Repair Install. This replaces all the system files with fresh ones from the installation disc. Your personal data should remain intact. Customizations won't [Wallpaper and things like that will go back to default].

captain_69uk · 16 Feb 2010 at 16:09

ok thanks for the answer sirius

you sound very well informed. i will let this hard drive/windows install go now - my original problem relates to another, newer hdd. i wonder if you can help me with that?

i transfered win xp pro onto this other, newer hdd from my old one.
now after virus problems it won't boot into winxp and when i try to re-install windows xp setup cannot actually see an existing windows instalation.

it can only see an 'unknown' partition of 127gb size and nothing else. the hdd is 320gb...
this 127gb could i reckon either be the total size of the windows partitions (c: and d: - transfered from my old hdd) which means they are hidden for some reason maybe because of the virus OR this 127gb is the size of the free space left after the windows c: and d: partitions.

ideally i want to try to rescue the data on the d: partition but i can't even just re-format and re-install windows on the c: partition at the moment.

as a last resort is there another way to wipe/ format the whole drive other than using the windows setup?

i hope this is clear enough
if you can help i would be very grateful!
many thanks

captain_69uk · 17 Feb 2010 at 12:45

SiriusB · 17 Feb 2010 at 14:09

How exactly did you transfer the data from the old HDD? You can't just copy then paste Windows onto another HDD and expect it to work.

captain_69uk · 1 Mar 2010 at 02:50

hi sirius, thanks.
i used a transfer program - acronis - to do it.
it worked just fine till this problem came up. don't suppose you have an opinion about whether or not the data on the problem hdd can be recovered?

Andre · 1 Mar 2010 at 05:33

Sounds like your XP disc is pre-SP1 which onlyhad support for up to 127GB drives and when you have done a repair you have managed to get back to a state where the OS cannot recognise the partition it is sitting on.

Can you get yourself a copy of XP with SP3 integrated to try the repair install?