Windows 2000 Repair Problem

[ozrica]

I have a Windows 2000 machine that will not boot.

When trying to run the repair tool the installation gets to the point where it shows a message about finding keyboards and mouse plus other plug and play hardware. Your screen may flicker etc. and stops. I can move the mouse but the bar goes up the three quarters the way through and goes no further. I've left it for two hours so something is wrong.

I have taken all the cards out except the graphics card, reset the motherboard bios but still the machine stops at the same point.

Is there anything I can do?

I have copied the data off the disk but my friend really needs his contacts, favorites and cookies etc which I don't think I can recover without getting the installation to complete?

Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated.

[NooNoo]

Tried doing a parallel install?

[ozrica]

Sorry NooNoo.

How would I do I parallel install?

[confus-ed]

If its stalling with everything taken out/off you can .. try clearing cmos & try again - if thats no good - try acpi on/off .. (is the motherboard & vga on the hcl ?)

As far as recovering data now - you could slave it to another ntfs based system & try getting it out that way - lets see how we go recovering what we have ..

[NooNoo]

Sorry NooNoo.

How would I do I parallel install?

You install windows 2000 again, but specify a different directory or partition. That way you can access the files etc and work out whats going wrong.

Using ed's method is as efficient, but if you dont have a spare 2k/xp machine hanging around then the parallel install is the way to go.

[ozrica]

Can I recover favouites, email contacts or cookies using either of these ways?

[confus-ed]

You install windows 2000 again, but specify a different directory or partition. That way you can access the files etc and work out whats going wrong.

Hang on a mo ... if he's using the same kit & its a hardware problem its just gonna do the same ? & he'll have two 'busted' installs ?

[confus-ed]

Can I recover favouites, email contacts or cookies using either of these ways?

Oh man we are posting over each other

Best way for that is parallel install (which is why Noo said) ... but like I just said ...

[ozrica]

I have taken all the data off because lukily I have a spare PC.

So I have documents, emails and various other bits and pieces BUT is there any way to recover favourites, contacts etc?

[confus-ed]

I have taken all the data off because lukily I have a spare PC.

So I have documents, emails and various other bits and pieces BUT is there any way to recover favourites, contacts etc?

If you have enough space there you could now try a parallel install on that !?

[ozrica]

It's a Windows XP PRO machine with about 6GB free.

I don't think I can dual boot with Windows 2000 on XP can I?

Even if this works will a parallel install still allow me to get files I need back?

Thanks

I could wipe XP and install Windows 2000!

[confus-ed]

Its all getting complicated now ... which was I wanted to fix the first install

I'm not so sure what extra we can expect anyway ..surley favourites etc can't be so vital ?

[ozrica]

I have just spoken to my friend and told him I can't recover his favorites etc.

He's crying (I think!) but I can't see any simple thing I can do?

Thanks for you help and advice.

[NooNoo]

Ask him if he exported his favourites... can you get the docs and settings folder?

Ask him what sort of back up he will now use religiously