corrupt Config/System and OEM XP

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fanatical,

Question:

1. Which make and model is the laptop?

 

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I hear that, most it admins i know (inc me) have a couple of disc packs containing all versions of things like windows, office, drivers for the network (sadly i have every driver for every machine ive ever been on since some are not available any more)

Recovery console is good, the other thing you need to think about is if you have data you wish to recover, you could try installing another os onto a separate partition, dual booting and then backing up the data from the now secondary partition with the fubar o/s on it?

 

Without trying to sound bold, I exactly understand and already know what you're saying. The manufaturer OEM is only required if you wish to restore the system to its factory settings as sold. This does not mean that you cannot replace the OS. Back in 2001 I had an HP system that had its own OEM OS for Millenium Edition. I replaced it with OEM XP without activation issues, and in keeping with the OEM license I'd swapped out the graphics card for a new one after testing the default configuration with XP.

So, although I cannot claim this to be true for every system on earth, based on my own experiences and that of others in my situation, in addition to XP's flexible plug 'n' play for a multitude of devices, it is as simple as "just buy an OEM XP."

 

Cool.

Yep, OSs do work fine before the registry is corrupted.

Okay. But there is so much scope to what a 'corrupt registry' could precisely mean. It could be anything from one key to it being entirely unrecoverable forcing a reinstall.

Until the nature of the damage is known one can't say either way if it's likely or not.

That sounds perfectly sensible to me.

 

sorry i forgot that you can tell if an OS is trashed through the power of your mind....

Someone somewhere mentioned a flavour in linux/unix that runs from a CD (so no need to boot to anything first) so perhaps that may be the easiest way to get the data (mostly pictures) off the drive and then just use the recovery CD he's got (at least i hope he's got!) to restore the computer. It's an HP laptop, no idea what model as I was trying to sound out ideas for fixes that I hadn't already thought of. (ie using the CD or trying to use the recovery console).

I;m just going to check myself here to make sure I'm in possesion of all the facts. When I "restore" the laptop from the restore disk this will basicaly reset the machines to its factory state therefore losing all data not on the amchine when it was shipped out.

 

For the Linux route the phrase you are looking for is 'Live CD'.

This essentialy boots from the CD without touching the hard drive.

Ubuntu is probably the easiest to work with.

Harry.

 

coolio, I think I still have a copy of the one I burnt so will use that and transfer the files that way...

 

Any tech worth $0.02 knows how to download drivers off the Intarw3b, throw them on a USB key, and install them.

Uh... yes it is. An OEM XP comes with an activation key, does it not? Of course it does.

 

<mystical ghoolie noises with waving hands in opposing circular motions>

Kay kwai yongo zoray corage - BAH!

Your laptop now... WORKS!

</mystical ghoolie noises with waving hands in opposing circular motions>

 

if you use the ms press books that free xp evaluation cd will work for the recovery console as it is esentially a xp install cd just without a full licence as said earlier

 

you can get adabters from laptop ide to desktop ide's on ebay or from laptop hard drive to usb they are not too expensive either.

 

Agreed. I've got a Coolmax multifunction drive-to-USB adapter that works wonders! It works for 3.5" IDE, 2.5" laptop IDE, and SATA drives. Highly recommended!

 

Only if the circumstances warrant the use of recovery console. If a live server were in the state of this laptop I would first have a backup server and have that one take over whilst the current one gets a fresh install.

People will have to put up with the sort spell of inconvenience! I'll never have to do that anyway, I'm a programmer in the games industry!

 

If the situation is unavoidable, what other option do you have? It's nonsense to repeatedly apply techniques that won't work. I was also implying 'backup', not duplicate, of course.

It's for the greater good, dude! Are you saying you would attempt to maintain an unstable system because of the few wingers? ROFL!

I agree, but 'troubleshooting' of the kind of trying useless steps teaches one nothing.

 

BosonMichael,

The OP mentioned "I have a friend at work who has a laptop with an OEM version of XP on it." So I reasonably assumed that the laptop belonged to the company. Therefore, I further assumed that the company may have already paid for the MS OS license. Since the MS OS license has already been paid for, "simply buying another OEM OS" would be an added cost. Since the additional OEM OS purchase was not a "value added" increase of assets, it would have to be accounted for as a "asset maintenance" accounting factor which is both complicated and actually accountingly an asset reducer. For example, car maintenance. If the engine goes out in the car and need to replace the engine to make the car operational again, then the payment for the new engine doesn't add value to the car but instead, permits the car to maintain it's current fair market value. Further, if a license was obtained previously, then "buy an OEM XP" as advice would cause an inaccuracy of license accountability.

 

Oopsee - sense a minor flame here. Chill pill ?

 

Don't you wish you still had those super powers?

 

Mathematix,

Sounds like your experience with "OEM edition" was relatively positive. However, the OP was talking about a laptop. How do you propose that a laptop owner is going to comply with the "OEM license?" From what I know of laptops, they're not that upgradable like in your case (pun intended) it's video card.