XP Repair w/ SATA HD

[Tony D]

I have a Windows XP Pro machine that is giving me all sorts of problems. Internet Explorer isn't working (Page not Found). SAS and MalwareBytes can't find their servers to update. Firefox is OK. This is even in Safe Mode with Networking.

 

I slaved the drive to another machine and ran SAS and MBAM. There were a few thing each saw and cleaned out. I'm still having Internet access problems with this machine because SAS and MBAM won't update and IE can't find pages. Again, Firefox works fine.

 

Trying to do an XP Repair. The XP install disk doesn't recognize that this machine already has a version of Windows XP so it doesn't see anything to repair. It's my guess that when it boots from the XP Install disk, the drivers for the SATA HD are missing.

 

I'm posting here because I'm certain that some of the techs here have seen this and have a solution. I'm out to do some web searching and will check back later.

[AdvancedSetup]

What version of IE and what OS Service Pack is it running?

[Dalo Harkin]

This is one of the problems that Vista eliminates (Seth where art thou :rolleyes:)

 

Do you have the drivers from the motherboard - the drivers from the SATA drives are stored on their and they are Motherboard specific - so if you are trying from another machine you will have problems - if you put the HDD back in the other machine is there no repair option on that one?

I hated doing this on XP and it used to drive me up the wall :(

[AdvancedSetup]

Kelly,

 

You really need to invest in creating an Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows

 

It can overcome all these issues. I've not run into any IDE/SATA setup the disk can not work with. It even works with many Server RAID controllers. With the amount of systems you seem to run into that have issues this disk will be indispensable for you.

 

I was wondering more about the OS and IE to fix it while live running and not trying to do a system repair.

 

 

You can also look at this disk also which has a couple tools the UBCD4W does not have, but I've not tested it yet with SATA but is another great tool to keep on hand for repairs.

 

Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset

30 day evaluation of the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset. This product provides powerful, intuitive tools that help administrators recover PCs that have become unusable, and easily identify root causes of system issues.

 

 

.

[Tony D]

This machine is XP Pro with IE 6.

 

On the UBCD: I've only used it for a few things like resetting Admin password.

On the MS Diag and Rec: I downloaded it and I don't see where it will help restore Windows.

 

I found the SATA driver on the mahine's hard drive and I'm currently doing an XP Repair which isn't going well. It keeps asking for files on the CD. I can browse to the files in questiong, but the XP Repair routine doesn't recognize the file. It keeps coming back with RETRY and BROWSE. I again browse to the file, but XP Repair won't continue, so I skip the file.

[Dalo Harkin]

Kelly -

I have never seen one repaired in this manner - I have just always reinstalled the OS and used the F5 function to install the drivers - it may be worth you looking at the Nlite that Flair IT posted - it is useful for this exact problem.

[Tony D]

I've copied the SATA drivers to a floppy and I've attempted to do the XP Repair. The install disk now sees the SATA drive and the installed Windows. However, I'm having other unexpected problems and will open a new thread to address that.

[AdvancedSetup]

This machine is XP Pro with IE 6.

 

On the UBCD: I've only used it for a few things like resetting Admin password.

On the MS Diag and Rec: I downloaded it and I don't see where it will help restore Windows.

 

Did you boot up with that CD? It has a specific option to check and repair Windows on it. That is what the CD was made for [not that it works all the time as it does not, but still that is what its for]

 

UBCD4W has a ton of tools and items to use to check and correct what might be wrong with the system. Too late now as you've started the repair process but for future use maybe read up on the tools and what they offer.

[Tony D]

Thanks for that. My UBCD doesn't have any option that I see for repairing Windows. I'll download and try the newest version. That would be great if it worked because I can't get the XP Repair to work.

[AdvancedSetup]

There is no "automated" repair with UBCD4W that is on the one from Microsoft.

 

The tools on the UBCD4W is what I'm talking about. You as the Technician still have to sort of know what you're looking for and try to repair it with the provided tools on the CD.

 

 

The MS repair CD I linked to is good but when it does go to do the repair I think it will ask for and use the Windows XP CD as well for the actual repair for incorrect or missing files.