O/S help for Windows XP

**LC Interactive** · 02-17-2008, 03:11 AM

Ok my dad's computer is basically screwed, but he wants to keep most of his files on it. When ever it goes to logon screen it just shows it normally. Then It shows no user accounts. It seems like the computer just decided to remove all the user accounts. I cant find my windows XP Home Edition CD but i have a Windows XP Media Edition.
I've tied Safe mode, Safe Mode with Command promt and safe mode with networking. I've even tried booting using the Last Known good configuration
any help would be greatly appreciated.

Xenoth · 02-17-2008, 04:44 AM

Try hooking the hdd into a computer as a slave drive, and moving the files off of it on to that computer. You will keep all your important documents and so on, then put the drive back into normal pc, find xp disc and a good formatting is in order.

In regards to formatting due to major system failure I have the following system:

I backup to dvd all my development files once a week, so when im editing the os or fiddling where i should not be and the computer breaks i format. It happens about once a year. Its alot of fun... but i have a sick sense of humour.

**LC Interactive** · 02-17-2008, 06:05 AM

The problem is i dont have my win XP cd. and it was due to a Microsoft File downloaded from Microsoft.com for their Media Player... I do have a Vista DVD 2 copies of a burned XP (usually works) and 2 Media Center CD's.. None of them seem to work, i cant even get to the Bios to change the boot device.
As for putting the HD as a slave one on a working computer, i dont think that'd work. the 2 XP's would conflict with each other wouldnt they?

Xenoth · 02-17-2008, 05:33 PM

No they wouldnt conflict, as you'd only be booting one of them. How come you can get to a log in screen but you cant get into the bios? That doesnt make sense. Your OS shouldnt stop you accessing the bios at power on.

**LC Interactive** · 02-18-2008, 03:34 AM

Sry, it's an old computer and the it didnt show what key would bring me to the Bio's, we got in. but no success.. Im trying to tell him to install Linux over the Windows then try to install Windows after wards again..

Ill try your idea tho. thnx

::EDIT::

This did not work :/ it still has the problem. Luckily one of the hd's are partitioned (just learned that) so he's going to install the XP on the second hd.

**Watcher** · 02-18-2008, 01:33 PM

have you tryed to go back a day or 2 to when there was no problem?

**LC Interactive** · 02-19-2008, 03:23 AM

Theres no way of accessing the Windows Desktop what so ever. He just installed the XP on the second hd, and it worked. Its just strange that Windows didnt find anything wrong. and that there was no usernames//passwords.

If i were to go back a couple days would it remove the second XP installation?

**Watcher** · 02-19-2008, 03:47 AM

if it will go back it will put it in a state that the HD was in, though saved files will sometime not be affected, just the installed items. just remember you have to go back to a time when it was working, if it will let you

**Sean** · 02-19-2008, 06:30 PM

AS mentioned if u cant log into windows, then you will need to access the files using another computer. Same problem happened to me once and i just plugged the HDD into my other pc as a slave and grabbed the files that way.

To enter BIOS you usually just need to press either F1 or F2 when the pc starts.

**LC Interactive** · 02-20-2008, 02:34 AM

Ya i tried F1 and F2 b4, Dell has this ancient computer set to like F4 or F5 something like that.

And we got it working. Thanks for the help