Reinstalling NT 4.0 over itself.

[Low_Level_Owl]

Will all the apps still work? Will security remain intact? Drivers....

I was installing SP6a on a bunch of machines and this one started popping up messages about corrupted or missing files....after a few hours it's still the same...I want to try an inplace reinstall.

Will it work?!?!?!

[silencio]

No. The only way to fix an install of NT is to repair it. A reinstall will create new sids.

[Low_Level_Owl]

I tried a repair. It only made it worse!!!!

[silencio]

Try a parallel install, remove the important data and reinstall clean.

If it's a PDC you have a problem.

[Low_Level_Owl]

If it was a PDC, I would of gone home crying to mommy!!!!

I tried a repair and it worked this time. I've been given the O.K. to wipe it out and install 2000.

Luckly for me he's fairly new so he's only got a few documents and not much else.

[amyb]

I had a similar problem..this was after I ran all the updates via the M$ site(after updating, got a ntoskernl.exe error). After reinstalling (repair made it worse), I now have a blinking cursor..ARGGGGGHHHHH.

[PeLiGrOsO]

2000 good, nt bad

[amyb]

I have never seen a blinking cursor occur after a supposedly without errors installation..Has anybody? Can't wait until Monday so I can experience the user's wrath.

[silencio]

Originally posted by amyb
I have never seen a blinking cursor occur after a supposedly without errors installation..Has anybody? Can't wait until Monday so I can experience the user's wrath.

I've seen it in association with the wrong (or corrupt) bootdd.sys or boot.ini reference. Also, a reinstall into an old directory mixes and matches files that simply won't work together. There is a way to lay a service pack onto an install without booting into NT... can't remember how but it's probably on technet or the MS knowledge base.

If you have a blinking curser try making a NT boot floppy (format in NT, copy boot.ini, ntdetect.com, and ntldr to the floppy), edit the boot.ini to match your current disk/os configuration and try booting from the floppy. It's easier than it sounds. Sometimes that doesn't work with the new raid controllers. In that event, change the arc path to SCSI (if it was MULTI before), copy the RAID controller driver to the floppy and rename it bootdd.sys. I've had to do this a couple times..

[amyb]

Thanks. I'll try that on Monday. It's just one of those days..ya know..where soap operas would be a welcome alternative.. Just kidding of course..

[amyb]

That didn't work, still have the blinking cursor..

[amyb]

We just decided to scrap NT and just update it to W2K then upgrade to XP. Since it was a lab machine we had to make sure that MassLynx would play nice with XP. It will. Very strange though about that cursor though even after trying to do a parallel install..Oh well.