Disaster has struck !

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:06 am

HELP.

Switched on my computer this morning and was greeted with this message:-

'could not start because the following file is missing'

WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM attempt to repair by using SETUP CD ROM.

Problem....I haven't got the CD ROM....

I'm using a small laptop at the moment.... and dial up IP......it's a nightmare

Post by **spot** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:33 am

If you post all of the manufacturer and model information from the desktop case into the thread we can see what's available, Bez.

Wolverine · Post by **Wolverine** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:47 am

wow. sucks to be you.:wah:

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:55 am

Thanks Spot

PACKARD BELL - IMEDIA 1428

Serial number 049653620319

Model type UTOW - ORI

MSWHQL No ORI 1027077

PID 0496526

P/N PP34225301

Runs Windows XP

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:59 am

Wolverine;513772 wrote: wow. sucks to be you.:wah:

You are NOT kidding....lesson learnt is.... ALWAYS DO YOUR BACK UPS AND RECOVERY DISCS

I bought this 'Note pad' thingy months ago and put it in the cupboard when i couldn't get the wireless internet to work....today the Note pad rules...

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:08 am

Hamster;513783 wrote: Aah isn't it funny how hindsight is always in 20/20?? :wah:

I was in panic mode for a couple of hours.......big relief when I got the internet connected up on this 'lap top'. .....at least I can keep in touch here !

Post by **spot** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:09 am

http://support.packardbell.com/uk/item/ ... PB34225301

But you didn't "use your Master CD/DVD Creator at the earliest opportunity" so we're a bit stuck.

OK, Packard Bell but a recovery partition on your computer.

Read http://support.packardbell.com/uk/item/ ... r_sbs&ppn=#

If there are any files on your desktop hard drive that you have to rescue first, don't start this until you come back here to discuss it. Otherwise give it a shot.

Post by **spot** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:36 am

flopstock;513790 wrote: there may even be a backup folder that you can copy the file from on c:She can't get it up, floppy. No way to copy files into her operating system without a recovery package.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:11 am

KEITH....I looked at your link and it describes the problem exactly, but I don't know how to fix as I can't get passed the message.

SPOT....I can get the BIOS SETUP UTILITY....is this any use to me ?

The links to packard Bell didn't help as I can't get passed the dam message..

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:23 am

Bez I just went through this with someone at work has an HP it is a nightmare for sure. You can try the bios setp area and run the recovery portion from there but you will lose all your documents on your hard drive. Most of your software stays intack but your picture and document will be history sad but true unless you can find the Disc and even then it may not do the trick.

Do you know how to go into safe mode on a pc or laptop.

Reboot your pc while it is coming up keep hitting the F8 KEY it will bring up a screen that has all the safe mode options.

I think there are as follows:

1. safe mode with internet

2. safe mode without internet

3. restore back to the last know good boot system

Once in safe mode your pc look like it always does but with safe on all 4 corners of the screen. Now you can go in to my computer proporties device setting and see which piece of equipment is causing a problem, or which program is causing a problem. and you can ALSO BIG POINT HERE YOU CAN DO A SYSTEM RESTORE FROM A DATE BACK IN TIME and then it should work OK.

and several other you can keep going back to safe mode by rebooting and constantely hitting the F8 KEY AND TRY EACH OPTION A SEE IF IT HELPS.

THERE IS A RECOVER PARTITON ON ALL HP SYSTEMS CONTACT THEM OR PRINT WHAT IS NEEDED TO DO A SYSTEM RECOVERY, AND FOLLOW ALL THE INSTRUCTION TO GET TO THAT PARTITION IT IS USUALLY A DRIVE LIKE "D" it is specifically set aside for recovery HP is one of the few machine that has these partition anymore.

Give it a shot. I tried all of the above for her at work and was in contact with HP

who were no help at all. I finally just did the recover from that specific partition and then her system came back up and is now working fine.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:56 am

flopstock;513829 wrote: That's why I asked what her laptop was running. If it's XP she can create a dos boot disk.

Hi Floppy....I'm running XP on my laptop. The CD drive isn't recordable.

Could my son create a setup disc on his Computer or does it have to be specific to a certain computer ?

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:29 am

It shouldn't matter Bez if your both running window XP, but you never know with HP it is worth a shot.. and may just work for you. My mind is telling me it is a bit specific with HP machines.

[QUOTE]Hi Floppy....I'm running XP on my laptop. The CD drive isn't recordable.

Could my son create a setup disc on his Computer or does it have to be specific to a certain computer ?[/QUOTE]

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:36 am

In reality BEZ if your Machine is HP and all the software is legal then should be able to Dial into your machine and test if from there site. I do it all day long at work.

If one of my 4 satalite (sp) offices has a problem that I actually need to see there desktop to fix I go through a 3rd party vendor Citrix and log onto their machine.

You would think HP would be able to do that. Just a thought.????

Post by **spot** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:03 am

Bez;513818 wrote: SPOT....I can get the BIOS SETUP UTILITY....is this any use to me ?

The links to packard Bell didn't help as I can't get passed the dam message..

Bez, the link I posted starts "Software Recovery Process Step-by-Step

The recovery process can be started by pressing during the POST"

There's no way into Safe Mode, there's no way a bootable DOS disk is going to help, and ALL of the recovery files are already on the desktop hard drive.

What you haven't said yet is whether you have any files you need to rescue first, because everything is going to disappear when you run the recovery process. If you need to rescue files you need to tell us and give a hint as to what sort of files they are.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:43 am

OK I've got the recovery screen up.the system restore didn't work. so I'm going for the Recovery program. Will i lose all my BT Broadband programmes ?

koan · Post by **koan** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:47 am

Bez;513980 wrote: OK I've got the recovery screen up.the system restore didn't work. so I'm going for the Recovery program. Will i lose all my BT Broadband programmes ?

he says "yes, you will lose everything" you will have to reinstall whatever programmes you've added since you got it. BT should have given you a CD that will reinstall.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 10:59 am

koan;513992 wrote: he says "yes, you will lose everything" you will have to reinstall whatever programmes you've added since you got it. BT should have given you a CD that will reinstall.

Well I've hit the go button:-1

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:03 am

Yes you will lose everything and some of your special programs you installed after the original system.

You might get lucky and be able to see them in Documents and setting it may just my some stroke of luck kept them, but not likely. If your son is knowledgable he can go in the run: CMD promt once your back in windows and look at the drives for those files, but he has to know what he is looking for.

HP is a bugger when restoring from an error they have very little flexibilty in this area..

[QUOTE]Originally Posted by koan

he says "yes, you will lose everything" you will have to reinstall whatever programmes you've added since you got it. BT should have given you a CD that will reinstall.

Well I've hit the go button[/QUOTE]

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:19 pm

Well the deed is done and the 'PUTY' is back on it's feet.... just a bit lighter on files.

I got my priorities right and got the Broadband up and running, and I'll re-install my extra programmes tomorrow. Why does this kind of thing happen when you're giving up smoking.

Thanks everyone for your advice....it was REALLY appreciated :-4

koan · Post by **koan** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 5:54 pm

Bez;514448 wrote: Well the deed is done and the 'PUTY' is back on it's feet.... just a bit lighter on files.

I got my priorities right and got the Broadband up and running, and I'll re-install my extra programmes tomorrow. Why does this kind of thing happen when you're giving up smoking.

Thanks everyone for your advice....it was REALLY appreciated :-4

Oh. SNAP!!!

Mine had a meltdown a couple of months ago Bez, so I know what it's like to lose stuff. spot managed to recover most of the important stuff, like photos so I was lucky. But that's because he also had a spare hard drive lying around. Even then it took about 6 tries to get anything off my old one.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:06 pm

Cool I thought you might never speak to any of us again...:wah:

Now start doing backups to CD's or upload your pictures to a site for storage it will cost but worth it so you won't lose your pictures. I use WEBSHOTS There a tons of them out there.

I also email important documents to myself and save them at my ISP site for just this reason that way you will never lose them. Of course it depends on how much you can save there and how large of a file it can be. I can save 16mg total for each download thats alot so I attachs as many documents and email them to myself then create folders for keeping them at the site not on your PC.

Just simple things you can do to not have to recreate all your documents and rescan your pictures or download them again from your camera.

Glad your backup and running.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:14 am

Well I'm 99% back to normal. Luckily most of my photos were on discs and a few other word and excel files.

Some of my fave. programmes are re-installed and my Norton protection....all though there is one file that won't re-install from 'Live update' but I'm working on that....phew.....don't want to go through all that again...will look at the Master CD creator tomorrow.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:40 am

Glad to hear it is better, Bez!

chocoholic · Post by **chocoholic** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:33 am

Really glad to see that you have sorted most of the problem Bez, it's taught me an important lesson, I have now made back-up discs as my system kept reminding me to ( I had been ignoring it thinking I would not need them!)

Thanks again, sorry that you had to go through all the trauma though.