Uh oh..need computer help badly - anyone know XP directory names?

[seaglass]

My laptop won't boot to windows. I've already called support and they want me to reinstall xp but are telling me if I do that I'll lose all my data.

I seem to have gotten to the C:\ by using a diagnostics CD. But I'm not sure if I'm really there because when I do a DIR it says File Not Found.

It's been a long time since I've used DOS commands - I'm really hoping the command has changed...

Does anyone know any directory names off C:, I've tried win, windows and system...

[TroubleMan]

1. Try an upgrade install or repair install

You'll keep your settings if you can pull it off.

Boot from your XP cd....it's in there somewhere, but I can't remember exactly where.


Wait...I found a page that walks you through it:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[seaglass]

13. OK, there are directions on that link to use Recovery Console,

and supposedly if I follow them exactly it will take me to a point when my system was working fine (a few hours ago).

But...when I was on with Dell the CSR definitely didn't want me to do this because of data loss, she suggested I call a data recovery company and then call her back to reinstall XP (and my data is really NOT worh $500-$2700).

Seems to me that I might as well just do the Recovery Console and take the chance I'll lose my data, but I am a little nervous about it.

[TroubleMan]

2. Also...another trick I've done before

If you have XP Home you can upgrade install to XP Pro without loosing settings.

[Seldona]

3. If you cannot get a directory listing on C:\ then you might

be is serious trouble.

I know to change directories, the command is (cd), and to go back it is (cd..).

Without the brackets.

Can you boot to safe mode and remove everything from the start-up menu?

That might stop the rogue program from starting at boot up and allow you to get into Windows.

Just the first things I would try.

[TroubleMan]

4. If he had NTFS, you won't be able to do it from Win 98 boot disk or DOS

Just something to watch out for before you delete anything.

[seaglass]

7. Can't boot to Safe mode. I get a BSOD and then it loops back

around asking me to try Safe mode again.

Yep tried cd to get into win, windows systems directories.

[TroubleMan]

9. try the repair install....it should work

make sure you do your updates immediately after that.

[MichaelHarris]

5. type

dir *.* does it list any files?

[seaglass]

Nope n/t

[seaglass]

8. Nope n/t

[MichaelHarris]

23. if your not getting any

directories then it may be gone. Have you tried fdisk to look at the format and partitions?

[Nlighten1]

6. Do this...

cd winnt or windows.

[seaglass]

11. It didn't work, I thought the windows dir might be somewhere else. n/t

[BlueJazz]

10. Sounds like your system is NTFS ...

Which means most boot disks won't see the directories.
Do you know somebody who has Partition Magic 8 or better? (The floppies see the ntfs). (NTFS=New Technology File System)

Some of the disks that come with computers will not let you replace your Operating System without wiping your disk clean...so be careful.

[fearnobush]

12. If you have an other PC, home PC, you can

connect your laptop hard drive to the secondary controller (spare ribbon from PC harddrive or a second connecter attached to the existing ribbon. Your still gonna boot from PC's hard drive, if the damage is not too severe and the PC is a NTFS filing system (Win2000 or XP), you will be able to view the directory under the next available drive letter when you open "My Computer" from windows or from windows explorer.

Remember, a DOS or win98 (FAT or FAT32) disk will not show any NTFS directory.

[seaglass]

14. I do have another PC that I'm on now. OK, now you're getting beyond

me because I don't know what a secondary controller is (or a ribbon).

Are you saying that I physically remove the hard drive from my laptop and there should be some type of connector on it that I can connect to my PC and then I can designate my PC to boot from the laptop hdd?

[fearnobush]

19. Your PC will boot to its own drive and yes, you have to take the PC

apart, Just remove the cover. (Powered off and unplugged) The ribbon is white and about 2" wide. There should be a plastic rectangle shaped object with lots of pin holes on it. That is where the laptop drive can go.

[seaglass]

22. Thanks, now I know what you're talking about. It's been a long time

since I opened up a PC.:-)

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

15. Before you do ANYTHING

Take the hard drive to a PC tech and have them hook it up to another XP machine as a slave to see if the directories are still in place or not. If not, if you have documents to save, it then becomes a recovery operation. If the directories ARE in fact there they can back them up before you try a repair operation. This is VITAL because if you do it incorrectly you can delete or overwrite the files you want to save, and that can destroy the data.

If you're not familiar with a Windoze recovery DO NOT TRY IT. It's easy to make a wrong decision and screw yourself.

Yes, you can hook up a laptop hard drive to a PC for recovery-- it takes a converter that costs perhaps seven bucks (I have two on hand).

GO SLOWLY. Take a deep breath and understand that all is not necessarily lost IF STEPS ARE TAKEN BY A TECHIE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

BTW, try "C:\WINNT"

[seaglass]

16. I understand what you're saying. Does the other pc (master) have to

be XP to see if the directories are intact?

[TroubleMan]

17. Yes XP, NT, or 2000

nt.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

18. XP or 2000

If NT4, it has to have service pack 3 or higher since the NTFS file structure was improved and changed.

If it's a FAT32 machine then add Win98 and WinME and NOT NT4.

Too much information? :evilgrin:

[TroubleMan]

21. Yeah...I forgot about that

NT 4 or higher with SP3.....man, I haven't seen any older NT than version 4 in a loooooooooonnnggg time.

[seaglass]

20. Thanks everyone for your help! I'm going to either try to set up my

PC with laptop as a master/slave or if that gets too complicated for me, take it to a techie to see if they can do it for me.

[Nlighten1]

24. Can you access the C: drive?

Try typing

dir

to find out what your Windows directory is called.