The Windows XP installation CD-ROM includes recovery options on it. When booting from the CD-ROM you can access the recovery console to repair corrupted boot files and scan the hard drive for any errors. If your computer did not come with an installation CD-ROM or if you've lost it you can download the bootable disks from Microsoft, provided you have a floppy drive.
Windows Xp Sp3 Repair Disk Download
Browse to the Microsoft download site (see link in Resources) and download the floppy disk creator. Ensure you select the download that matches your version of Windows XP, either Home or Professional.
Make yourself a Hiren's Boot CD which you can download from here: The ZIP file is large, so the download will probably take a little while to complete bit it is worth it. Then unzip the download to extract the Hirens.BootCD.ISO file that will be used to create your new bootable CD.Creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file is not the same as just copying the .ISO file to a blank CD. You have to use software that understands how to burn a .ISO file to a CD to create a bootable CD.In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it, but I have never used it and prefer to use ImgBurn.If you need a free and easy CD burning software package, here is a popular free program: Like many third party programs you might install, the ImgBurn installation defaults to installing things you probably don't want installed on your system in the form of extra Internet browser toolbars or may make other adjustments to your browser. You don't want to install any of that so you have to pay attention during the installation.When clicking through the installation screens be sure to pay attention to the screens and always choose a Custom install and UNcheck the following (or any other things like it):UNcheck:Install the AVG toolbar and set AVG Secure Search as my default search providerSet AVG Secure Search as my homepage and newly opened tabsChoose custom installation again and UNcheck the following:Uncheck:Install QuickShareThere could be other things too.Here are some instructions for ImgBurn: =61It would be a good idea to test your new bootable CD on a computer that is working.You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk. These adjustments are made before Windows tries to load. If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.When booting on the Hiren's CD you will see a menu of options. Choose the Mini XP option. Then it will appear that Windows is being loaded and you will be presented with a desktop that has the look and feel of the Windows Explorer interface you are already used to using.Remember: You did not boot on your hard disk - you booted into the Hiren's desktop.One way to check the disk for errors is to open My Computer and right click your afflicted drive and choose Properties, Tools, Error-checking, Check Now... put a check mark in both the boxes and then Start.Sometimes that doesn't work, so you can also click Start, Run and in the box enter:cmdClick OK to open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command (assuming XP is installed on your C drive)chkdsk c: /rThis disk checking can take a long time (perhaps several to many hours) depending on the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what the disk checking finds to do.
In Recovery Console, change to the c:\Windows folder.Type cd system32\config , and then press ENTER.Type dir system , and then press ENTER.If you cannot run the preceding command successfully (because the file is missing), skip to step 3. If you can run the preceding command successfully, type ren system system.bak , and then press ENTER.NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file, replace "system" with "software" in the preceding command. For example, you would type ren software software.bak (instead of ren system system.bak ), and then press ENTER.Type copy c:\windows\repair\system , and then press ENTER.NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file, replace "system" with "software" in the preceding command. For example, you would type copy c:\windows\repair\software (instead of copy c:\windows\repair\system ), and then press ENTER.You should receive a "One file copied" informational message.
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or 3 contains MDAC version 2.81, which is currently not available for download at the Microsoft Web site as a standalone installation. If you try to install MDAC 2.8, which is the latest available standalone download of MDAC, you will receive a message that you already have a newer version of MDAC installed. Therefore, under Windows XP SP2/SP3, you must manually repair MDAC 2.81 as outlined below.
Note: if you are using Windows 95 and require CD-Rom support you should just download the Windows 98 boot disk. The Windows installation disk contains the files necessary to start Windows, so it is itself a boot disk. If a problem is preventing Windows from starting, you can use the installation CD to start Windows. The installation CD also contains Startup Repair, which you can use to repair Windows if a problem prevents it from starting correctly. Startup Repair can automatically fix many of the problems that in the past required a boot disk to fix.Note: For Windows XP and later check out our guide to the.
If you have access to another computer and a CD burner, you can download (legally) a Vista or Windows 7 recovery disk and use this to run CHKDSK. Hopefully Vista or Win 7 would have drivers for your ESATA disk. -vista-recovery-disc-download/
Another solution (and in my opinion the best) is to invest in a commercial disk repair program, which will try to recover the existing contents of the disk, by rereading the bad sectors in various ways, then mapping them to good sectors.
What worked for me was a program called TESTDISK. Testdisk is FREE recovery software and will run on several operating systems. Using my dad's computer I created a live Linux CD that had testdisk, I used it to repair the BOOT SECTOR and that fixed it, allowing me to boot Windows. Later I ran chkdsk to repair Windows file system.
Using Linux can provide the drivers you need, and Testdisk can repair a Windows partition that won't boot. Windows Repair Installation was mentioned, but that is more for repairing Windows file system (C:\WINDOWS), not a hard drive or boot sector problem. If nothing happens when you turn on the computer, the boot sector is messed up and I don't think a Repair Installation will help, but, it's great for missing Windows files.
Basically, run Testdisk and use it to repair the MFT and the boot sector. Also, if you can't use your CD/DVD drive, you can put Linux on a USB thumb drive. I know it can be done, but I personally don't have any experience with it.
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 contains MDAC version 2.81, which is currently not available for download at the Microsoft Web site as a standalone installation. If you try to install MDAC 2.8, which is the latest available standalone download of MDAC, you will receive a message that you already have a newer version of MDAC installed. Therefore, under Windows XP SP2, you must manually repair MDAC 2.81 as outlined below.
There are people that encountered problems in using Automatic Updates after repairing Windows. To solve this problem, you need to manually visit the Windows Update or Microsoft Update site, download and install at least one security update or Service Pack, and it will solve the problem.
Make sure to install your chosen version of Internet Explorer again afterwards, you can download the Installer for IE 8 direct from Microsoft. This will also work if you have done the repair install before removing Internet Explorer and now experience any activation problems mentioned or other problems related to Internet Explorer. Any further trouble can be resolved with a Microsoft Fixit to repair Internet Explorer.
Wanted to share with other techs out there who spend hours reinstalling windows with drivers etc. This will save you a lot of time (unless you are imaging of course) One of my local colleagues helped developed this disk, took him a few years and a few people helping. Hope you enjoy it, leave feedback. (and donate to Pete if you like it!) This thing is basically all versions of Windows XP SP3 with drivers for some manufacturers put onto one disk.
Since I do all my repair work on-site this has allowed me to go from several large binders of DVD disks that must go with me every where (and the disk end up getting broken or left in clients drives more often than not) I have one simple portable hard drive which contains every ISO I might need and, to date, I have yet to find a computer the the ability to boot from USB that could not boot from my Zalman PHDD. So any computer made in the last decade essentially.
And you're on the menu "Installation, repair, leave." Press ENTER. If you've downloaded the correct driver the wizard should detect your hard drive and you can install Windows XP.Note : If you do not know how to install Windows XP, read our tutorial "Windows XP - Format and reinstall".
If you are installing Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition on a computer that has a SAS drive installed, you must connect an external USB diskette drive and download and install the SAS device driver. If you are installing the operating system on a computer that has a SATA drive installed, skip step 2. You do not have to install a SATA device driver. The SATA device driver is included in Windows XP Professional Edition.
Never be tempted to download a restore disk from a torrent site or from Usenet. Most of these are fake restore disks and will contain files contaminated by a Trojan or virus. We will supply you a perfect genuine and legal restore disk, supplied by a genuine Microsoft authorized digital partner or directly from the OEM manufacturer. 2ff7e9595c
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