Any way to get prev settings after accidental xp pro reinstall?

[kamweb]

Dell Dimension 3000

Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.0GHz

512 ram

80 gig hd

Windows xp pro

Workstation on windows small business server network

Last Thurs I was working on my computer, and it suddenly rebooted itself. Upon reboot I got the following message:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt windows\system32\config\system

I could not boot up windows, I could not boot up in safe mode, and I could not boot to the C: promt.

I put in my win xp pro cd (non-oem) went into recovery console.

I tried scandsk /r

I tried fixboot

Tried a repair on install – no luck.

Tried to do a repair again. Unfortuantely hit enter after getting a message that repair had already tried to repair. Then it started to do a reinstall. I had no way to stop it, so I shut off the computer. I then pulled the hardrive and copied files from:

Documents & Setting

Windows

I put the harddrive back in the computer, and the only thing it would allow me to do was finish the reinstall.

Now, of course, I have lost all my settings. I can’t log onto my network. Many program like ms office won’t work, internet explorer is locked onto some setting that won’t let me change settings, I have lost my outlook express stuff, etc etc.

Is there any chance I could still get back to my original settings before the reinstall. When I scan the saved files, I see many files with a date and time prior to the crash and the reinstall. Is it possible there are some restore point files I could still have on my saved files? Are there other files I might be able to reinsert to get my computer back? I have seen reference to ntuser.dat files. Would the 1 kb ones that popped up throughtout the day be of any assistance?

I feel like a newbie computer fool for letting the reinstall take place. I knew to not let that happen, and quick fingers screwed me. Any help to get my computer back to pre-crash and pre-reinstall would be greatly appreciated.

[Raddy]

The only way I can think of to get previous settings back is to roll back the system, but I'm not sure that Windows preserves those back-up points after a re-install. For future reference, if you get "the following file is missing or corrupt windows\system32\config\system" you can just follow these steps to correct the problem:

To fix the system error, you have to put in the Windows Installation CD and boot up into the recovery console. After you get there, you have to enter the following commands:

md tmp

copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system

delete c:\windows\system32\config\software

delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam

delete c:\windows\system32\config\security

delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system

copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software

copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam

copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security

copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

And then restart. That should fix the boot problem without reinstalling Windows. You can go here for more information:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

[-pops-]

Something to bear in mind for the future is to have a backup of your system so that when something like this happens again, you can be up and running again within an hour with all your files intact.

I'm always nagging about backups - have a search around the forum and look at previous posts on the subject. Also check on the "Acronis" tab at the top of the page where you can get this excellent software at a discounted price by subscribing to Windows Forum.

[cozofdeath]

That particular file is a registry file. You probably already know but it the entire registry can be backed up by exporting it with regedit.exe, Raddy's method of copying the files, creating a restore point or by using the Windows backup tool in your accessories.

[jason.b.c]

accidental xp pro reinstall

How do you "accidently" re-install Windows XP...?

That's like placing your hand over your mouth and nose when you sneeze , and "accidently" blowing Snot into your hand....

[dadyassa]

accidental xp pro reinstall

How do you "accidently" re-install Windows XP...?

That's like placing your hand over your mouth and nose when you sneeze , and "accidently" blowing Snot into your hand....

[andsome]

accidental xp pro reinstall

How do you "accidently" re-install Windows XP...?

That's like placing your hand over your mouth and nose when you sneeze , and "accidently" blowing Snot into your hand....

YUCK!!. :D

[kamweb]

accidental xp pro reinstall

How do you "accidently" re-install Windows XP...?

That's like placing your hand over your mouth and nose when you sneeze , and "accidently" blowing Snot into your hand....

I thought is was attempting to do a repair again. I did not realize it would not attempt a repair for a 2nd time, and would only go on for a reinstall. Thanks for making me feel better, though.