Greetings all....

I killed my XPsp2 workstation with some WMI and DCOM permissions and tweaks yesterday. The PC will not boot, period. No Safe Mode, no Safe Mode 'command prompt', nothing. In normal boot I get as far as the OEM wallpaper and it stops/stays there. In safe mode (+command prompt) I can get to a black background with SAFE in all 4 corners....but no prompt.

Searching around for an alternative to simply torching the OS and reinstalling, I found this site and built the UBCD4win CD as directed. I was hoping with it I could simply browse to the SystemRestore executable under C:\windows\system32\restore\ and run it. I tried...I can run it, but it doesn't work. It does nothing visible.

Does anyone know if there is a way to successfully do a SystemRestore to a previous time ...

(1.) in the UBCD4win environment..??

(2.) in "any" environment..???

Many thanks....


Cheers,

-joe-

Yes, you can do that with regreswiz.exe in the UBCD4win environment!

Joshua

Specifically in v2.6 you will find that under the Registry Tools and its called the Registry Restore Wizard

...thanks for this guys. I have 2.6 and will try it.

That aside, I also made file/folder permission changes....I believe that is what's causing me much of the grief, not totally sure.

I just finished manually copying the registry hives from the \snapshot folder of a previous SystemRestore point in the recovery console. When I exited and the machine rebooted....same thing. No further ahead.

I will try the reg tool you mentioned first....however I believe it's file permissions that are the main culprit.
I'll let you know shortly...

Many thanks...

-joe-

I just tried that Registry Wizard.....~very~ nice !! I did basically the same thing from the recovery console earlier but my system still wouldn't boot. I rebooted after using the Wixard...same thing. I get as far as the default OEM wallpaper, and no further. No visible (or audible) errors...the mouse works, but nothing else.

I was also playing with file permissions, making them more restrictive....I should have known better than to try be as granular as I was. I may have done more damage to myself there. Do you know of a way to reset 'all' file permissions say on the C:\ drive to some default template that will not prevent the system to boot..??

I have a feeling (for lack of anything more concrete) it's file permissions that are stopping me. Inside the UBCD4win environment I used the A43 browser and gave System and Everyone to "Full Control" to the entire C:\ drive ... that didn't help either.

Any help appreciated....

Cheers,

-joe-

It sounds like you'll have to just save any data that you can while in the UBCD4Win and then format the drive and re-install. Probably the best/easiest way to go with how bad it sounds.

BTW, on a side note, I've always hated System Restore. It has never worked for me, which is why I always keep daily backups (just syncing folders and files) on a backup internal drive and monthly full system images on an external backup drive.

You can use SubInAcl to reset registry and file permissions as described HERE

Here's the reset.cmd file:


Before running reset.cmd you'll want to load the registry hives from the hard drive (use RegeditPE) or you'll just be resetting the permissions for the UBCD4WIN registry.

Tom

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago with a paint and body shop that didn't have their data backed up and couldn't operate. I used Ghost 9 OEM, which has a recovery option in the boot menu. I was able to recover all the HDD data onto an external HDD and reinstall windows. Hope this helps...

Thanks Tom....I'll try almost anything rather than reinstall !! My current w/s is setup with a lot of tools and utils. I have all the install source (on another drive) but it would take quite a while to get it back to where it is (read: "was" !!).

I'll let you know if the acl script helps.

Cheers,

-joe-



Thanks Tom...

I will try that. I had an XCacls script somewhere I used a long time back to do something similar, but was unable to find it. Thanks for the script and pointer to SubInACL.

I got the replies mixed up a minute ago, I replied to LittlBUGer and said "thanks Tom"..!!

Sorry about that....not thinking straight yet. I just finished 2½ hrs of blowing snow, and there's more on the way. Winter...Bleh...!!

Cheers, and thanks...

-joe-

You can restore your computer to its virgin state, to the configuration it had when you did the install.
Use the SAM, SYSTEM, DEFAULT, SECURITY and SOFTWARE files found in root:\windows\repair folder
After that it will be possible for you to start your computer. All settings will be set back as they were after your original installation. No need to reformat !!

Read this:
http://www.aade.com/XPhint/XPrecovery.htm

I manually did a system restore (to 2 days prior) yesterday, before I asked (here) and found out that UBCD4win has a registry recovery wizard. My manual attempt failed to boot, as did the one following the Reg Wiz. I'm pretty certain my problem is file permissions.

Thanks,

-joe-

You do not have to use System Restore, that´s the point. Copy and paste the files from the Repair folder and paste them into the config folder. Then restart your computer. Go to the c:\System Volume Information\_restore.....\ choose any of the folders named RP2 or similar, choose files from a day or two before you "messed up" your system , do not use RP0 or RP1)\snapshot\ copy the files
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
to a temp folder

start the ubcd4win cd

rename the files
SAM
SECURITY
SOFTWARE
SYSTEM
DEFAULT
in the config folder to something else, SAM.bak or whatever
copy the files
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
from the temp folder and paste them into the config folder and rename them to
SAM
SECURITY
SOFTWARE
SYSTEM
DEFAULT
restart your computer

Thanks Bengt....that's exactly what I did before I was informed of the UBCD registry tool. From the Recovery Console I manually copied/renamed the hive files from \RPxxx from 3 days prior and restarted. It didn't work. I got as far as the HP wallpaper...same as before.

-joe-

.....another problem.

I tried to install SubInACL while running UBCD4win...it refused to run and install the .MSI file. It wants to associate it with notepad.

I went out and got a fresh copy of Windows Installer.....that's an MSI file also.

This is beginning to look like..... Loop = see Loop !!!

Anyone know how to run/install an MSI under the UBCD4win environment..??

Thanks...

-joe-

The msi file just extracts the exe so install it on another system while running XP then copy the exe to the system running UBCD4WIN.

Duhhh....!! I installed SubInACL on another maching and simply copied the executable to the problem box. The script seemed to run fine. I'll know shortly....

Thanks,

-joe-

Hey Tom....

We're getting somewhere !! I loaded the registry and ran the script. It finished successfully but the PC seemed to be frozen or locked up. There were 2 explorer windows open, 2 cmd prompts and the UBCD registry tool. I was unable to close the registry tool, or anything else for that matter. Task manager wouldn't even open.

I left it for over an hour...same thing, so I gave it the button. On restart, I got a logon dialogue...first time since she crapped out...!!! I'm going to re-run UBCD4win and run the script again, with nothing but the registry tool open. If I can exit normally and save the registry hives, who knows....might just get logged on.

Thanks...

-joe-

Good! I hope it works for you, please let us know!

Thanks,

I had hoped this time would be successful...I haven't rebooted yet, but don't have the warm and fuzzies.

After running the script with only 'that' cmd promt open and the PE Regeditor, I closed the cmd window then tried to close the registry editor. The first MsgBox is still on the screen....40 minutes later.

...it says,

-----------------------------------------------
| Unloading |
| HKEY_Local_Machine\_Remote_SAM... |
------------------------------------------------

The PC appears to be locked solid. I can move the mouse but that's about it.
Can't even open the start menu, nothing...

Is this normal..???

My workstation is a 3gHz (Intel) Compaq dc7100 with a gig of ram. It's not normally suffering for want of horsepower.

Thanks,

-joe-


PS: News Flash !!!!! I just checked the console and after close to an hour, it is now unloading the

HKEY_Local_Machine\_REMOTE_SECURITY hive

Maybe this process is simply a very slow one..??? It it works, I'll be a very happy camper !!

      Round for the house....        

I'm almost afraid to say it but....I appear to be back in business..!! It took the registry tool almost 3 hours to finish saving the registry hives and user profiles I selected to load. After a reboot I got a logon screen, looked normal enough, thought I was going to get in...then...a MsgBox from dear Uncle M$ !! Something to do with Windows Activation. Bleh !! Several reboots and various login attampts (domain and local) all failed similarly.

I plopped in the XPwithSP2 CD and did an in place upgrade (Repair). After the Prod key was entered all went fine...or so I thought. When the machine rebooted I tried to login with my domain account that doesn't run a logon script. This account is also a Local Admin on the workstation. I got in alright, but only 3 or 4 of my installed Apps were available. Damn, I was doomed to reinstall.

I ran System Restore...low and behold "NO restore points" !!!! The whole folder contents were torched, other than the two default entries RP1 and RP2. This was suddenly not feeling very good. Hindsight told me in no uncertain terms...I should have copied this folder also. I copied the Documents and setting folder to another drive.... c:\System Volume Information\_Restore\. should have been copied elsewhere also.

Anyhow...to make an already very long story a tad shorter......I rebooted and logged in with my normal Domain account (runs the domain logon scripts), and which is also a local administrator on the PC. I logged in like there was never a problem...my entire Desktop was there, my QuickLaunch was fully populated and intact, and nothing looked didfferent..!!!

Needless to say, the profile for my AdminJoeD account has probably been hosed. I'm considering copying the contents of my JoeD domain account (profile folder) into it.....both accounts had full access to everything.

Has anyone had any experience with NTBackup as a means of disaster recovery for a workstation..??
Anything else come to mind that would be as good or better..???
Ideas..??

...lastly, any ideas or suggestions before I blow myself up again !!! (smiling!!)

and finally, many thanks to you guys.

Much to my surprise and pleasure, this is more than just a UBCD4win FanClub.

Cheers to you all.....

Rgds,

-joe-