Can't access C drive outside of Windows?

The other day I decided to change the boot-up logo in Windows XP to one I downloaded.. it required overwriting a file in my c:\windows\system32 directory. I restarted and see the new logo pop up...which it did, but when the next screen tried to come up (where you select who you're logging in under) the computer would reboot.. and do this endlesly. I couldn't even go in under safe mode.

I thought to myself, "ok, I backed up that file before I overwrote it, I'll just put the original one back when in DOS mode".. but I couldn't access my drive (which I recently changed to NTFS) from DOS using a boot disc. I ended up reinstalling windows completely. Does anyone know why I couldn't "see" my drive to make these simple changes?

Heh, you made one of most common mistakes you can make with Windows XP - DOS can't read NTFS!

Next time try booting in safe mode, or boot from your XP disc and access the recovery console.

Or, you could use what every tech should have in his toolbox - NTFS DOS. http://www.sysinternals.com/ has a version out that will allow you to read NTFS partitions from MSDOS, but you'll have to pay for write support. I remember there being a freeware NTFS DOS that had both read and write support, but I can't find it now.

Thanks, I thought that was a likely cause to my problem since I had used DOS before reformating to NTFS.

I'll look around for a free read/write ntfs dos.. will post again if I find something.

Never change your boot screens (or now some PCs allow you to change your BIOS screen) in any way. You'll have problems. I don't know why but I've never seen it go smoothly. It's pointless anyway.