System file error, I LOST EVERYTHING... HELP ME RECOVER IT please :(

[AaronP]

Please, I came home to a computer that told me "Missing file that has been deleted or corrupted c:\windows/system32/system or whatever. I tried using every method i could before going onto microsoft's support website. I found the error then I followed the steps which included a bunch of command prompt commands. After I was done, I boot up windows to find out that the registry was cleared, all my programs still there, but wont start because of parameters. I lost access to my 160gb drive which has information on it which I don't know how to recover, plus I have documents that are on my c: drive which has all my important documents which I need recovered. Following that I used my windows xp disk, and used the repair option, it reverted back to service pack one, and I can see my documents in the documents and settings but im getting this stupid bloody "Access Denied" crap on the folders I try to open, how do I recover them? For damn sure im not paying microsoft to tell me why their software is screwy and wasting a good chunk of my own cash. There must be a way, I followed their trouble shooting to the letter and nothing. Please i'm in dire need of any help please.

 

[Superjed]

Taking out the HD, and finding someone at school/work and get the files off using their comp. Ive had to do things similar to this before.

 

[tenchi86]

FOr accsess denid, go into safe mode go into admin account and right clikc the folder. Its like 1 tab over. It shouldnt be hard to find its there somewheres. As for recovering files use another HDD to view them, or maybe a system restore might help.

 

[Rbreb13]

To see your files you need to take ownership back.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

 

[Westline]

Ok to fix this problem you need to enter the windows Recovery mode. The Dos prompt one.

At the prompt type ::

md tmp
copy c:\Windows\System32\config\system C:\Windows\tmp\system.bak
delete c:\Windows\System32\config\system
copy c:\Windows\repair\system c:\Windows\System32\config\system


I assume you did that. By doing that you lost any drivers etc. I would recommend reinstalling all your drivers and then try the harddrive again.

 

[MRD]

Boot up using a Linux Live CD (like Knoppix). Mount the drive, and mount the drive you want to copy the files to, and just copy the important documents over. Linux won't care about any Windows file restrictions.

 

[ThePerfectCore]

On your way home tomorrow stop at the Best Buy and pick yourself up a nice CD burner and a 50 pack of CD-Rs so this won't happen in the future.

 

[MRD]

It would take 358 CD-R's to backup a 250 GB drive (less with compression of course). Now, imagine just how long it would take to actually burn all those. Bleh. I'll take my chances. =p

 

[Superjed]

It would take 358 CD-R's to backup a 250 GB drive (less with compression of course). Now, imagine just how long it would take to actually burn all those. Bleh. I'll take my chances. =p

Thats what servers are for. I just back my stuff up once every so often. BTW, you use all 250GB with stuff you'd backup?

 

[AaronP]

s

how do I recover the files on another computer? The drive is detected, but doesn't appear on the my computer screen. If I install it using the software, the drive will be formatted, and I don't want that happening.

 

[redwraith94]

Is the second computer that your running using an ntfs file system, cause if it's windows 98, it won't recognize an xp ntfs (5.1 I think) drive. You could try putting the troublesome hdd back in the old computer then networking the two and transfering the files over the network. I'm not particularly clear though, on one thing. On the old computer, could you see the files, but still get access denied, did you get access denied for the whole drive, or was the drive just not detected, period? I need more specifics.

 

[AaronP]

Oh I got access, I put them on another hard drive, but now im having trouble getting to them because of well... its actually documented in my "Recovering Files.." post in Storage, if u could help me out with that one too, it'd be great.

 

[ThePerfectCore]

It would take 358 CD-R's to backup a 250 GB drive (less with compression of course). Now, imagine just how long it would take to actually burn all those. Bleh. I'll take my chances. =p

I don't believe I was talking to you.

But, in any case, DVD-Rs would be more economical.

 

[CrystalMethod]

I don't believe I was talking to you.

But, in any case, DVD-Rs would be more economical.

Not to mention you're just trying to back up data, not installed programs or windows itself. That's a ton of data if you need more than a few cd's/dvd's.