Can I repair Windows 2000 with Windows 7?

MotzKopf · Jan 22, 2009

My wife has an old Dell laptop with Windows 2000 Pro, which has a corrupt system file (won't boot into windows). Can I just install Windows 7 to get it back up and running without loosing everything (though nothing really important on it)?

I was trying not to purchase a copy of W2K to get it back up.

Priv · Jan 22, 2009

Cant you download the .iso file? There must be a way to get a recovery disk. As far as I know it is not illegal to have a copy of a repair disk.

Regarding your windows 7 install. It is only possible if she made a seperate partition for her data. Installing a different windows requires a format on the targeted partition, losing all data. So if she did not make a partition you will have to borrow a repair disk from someone or download the bootable disk.

clocker2 · Jan 22, 2009

The only upgrade path for W7 starts with Vista so no, you can't upgrade from 2K to W7 and save all the files/data.

Have you tried just slaving the drive into another PC?

Grayfox · Jan 22, 2009

get a win2k pro disk & use chkdsk /r in the recovery console(dont know if 2k has it)

mbentley · Jan 22, 2009

another way you might want to look at this would be if you have a copy of windows xp you can use, you could do an upgrade to that. it should be light enough to be able to work on a laptop that has windows 2000. you might just want to turn off all of the eye candy and themes and then it looks practically identical to windows 2000.

if you just need the data off of it, you could try a ubuntu livecd to boot it up then you can copy the contents to another location. it doesn't really solve your non-booting problem but you could retrieve any data on the drive.

noxqzs · Jan 22, 2009

If you have another computer, get yourself an adapter much like ones for external drives to get all the data off the drive first. It will still require you to fix the booting issue with the drive, but at least your data will be safe and you can then install anything you want.

Something like THIS

redduc900 · Jan 22, 2009

What's the exact error message you're receiving during boot?

MotzKopf · Jan 22, 2009

redduc900 said:
What's the exact error message you're receiving during boot?

That the "system" file is corrupt. And I need to repair it with the install disc.

AtomicMonkey · Jan 22, 2009

Priv said:
Regarding your windows 7 install. It is only possible if she made a seperate partition for her data. Installing a different windows requires a format on the targeted partition

In case of Win7 it does not require a format (forget if that is even a case with 2k/XP, likely isn't). What it (Win7 setup) will do is copy previous system known/overwritten directories to *.old (or Windows.old\*). Obviously programs installed earlier will no longer work if they're install dependent (and most are) but you should not loose any data. Of course as a matter of disclaimer - you may indeed. Still, when I was installing Win7 on a partition which was in fact empty but it had "Program Files" folder created there prior to install (just for S&G). Win7 setup moved the folder to Windows.old\Program Files (I think that was the exact name). So it did not just delete it and in theory at least would have preserved content. I would assume same would be true for all other top level folder which would be duplicates.

MotzKopf · Jan 22, 2009

Priv said:
Cant you download the .iso file? There must be a way to get a recovery disk. As far as I know it is not illegal to have a copy of a repair disk.

Regarding your windows 7 install. It is only possible if she made a seperate partition for her data. Installing a different windows requires a format on the targeted partition, losing all data. So if she did not make a partition you will have to borrow a repair disk from someone or download the bootable disk.

I'll try the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset. I picked up a sealed copy of W2K off of eBay for piece of mind.

Oddly enough the first computer I'll probably be installing Windows 7 on will probably be my MacPro at work.

MotzKopf · Jan 22, 2009

Great! Ran the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset to repair system files, and now the laptop doesn't see it's hard drive. What gives?! :bang head

MotzKopf · Jan 22, 2009

Awg, I think I killed the hard drive, as I was holding the corner where the disk drive is, I turned it over to check the battery charge, and I heard what sounded like a sanding wheel! All for not and to destroy the drive in one fell swoop.

I can hear the drive spinning, but it doesn't show up in bios. I've removed it and put it back in. Reset the bios to defaults, and nothing.

Crappy Dell chassis not protecting the drive like that. Errrgg, my wife ain't gonna be none too pleased.

I'll have to buy an pata adapter and see if I can resurrect it.

DOH!

johnz · Jan 22, 2009

If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you killed the drive. I'm guessing it was on it's way out, and just happened to die while you were holding it.

MotzKopf · Jan 23, 2009

johnz said:
If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you killed the drive. I'm guessing it was on it's way out, and just happened to die while you were holding it.

I'll go with that, my wife said it was clicking. So bad at times that she would have to shut down.

Oh well, guess it's a good time to upgrade to 80 or 120GB.

hypertek · Jan 25, 2009

my buddy has XP, i loaned him my vista 32bit dvd to installl as upgrade*no key of course* he can just run it unactivated* , download SP1 for vista, than he can install Win 7.

That way he can keep his files *hes not very PC techie*. Should have no problems.

Can I repair Windows 2000 with Windows 7?

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