Need Help on Win2k Restoration

[phoon3]

Had my Win 2K running perfectly, on drive C, but dumb attempt to remove Java with rd commands from command prompt went wild and damaged op sys. "Kernal is corrupted" message on boot attempts.

Have had well maintained Win 2k running perfectly for 9 years; never had to reinstall. Reluctant to build a new machine just yet for Vista; want to await System Seven.

The good news: The night before, had done a complete and successful system state backup, about 250 MB, that is verified on drive D. In theory, if I can get the restore to replace all of these files, and repair the boot, believe getting this op sys working again is possible. All program files are in place and normal. Drive C is clean and readable/writable. Need help on procedural questions below.

A friend used my licensed SP4 CD to install a small WINNT2 version on drive C, where original op sys is, to help repair it. That installation is unstable, and crippled for some reason. No luck so far.

Examination of original WINNT op sys with windows file explorer from WINNT2 shows important folders of the op sys on WINNT missing, such as config, repair, registry backup, etc. Questions:

1) Could I just replace all the missing folders under WINNT, then attempt a system state restore? And then do a boot repair from installation CD sp4?

2) Should I try to install a smaller version of Win 2k on drive d, remove the WINNT2 on C, and then attempt WINNT op sys folder reconstruction from D? Am concerned that two op sys on drive C is a bad idea, since boot files on root C are needed, and specific to original op sys.

3) Have a licensed copy of Disk Jockey, favorite file manager that allows view of all sys and hidden files. Could put a "smaller" win 2k on drive D, install Disk Jockey there, and then go to work on re-constructing op sys folders under WINNT on C before attempting a system state restore "to original locations". This may be unrealistic, since drive D is limited to 1.6 GB, and already, 300 to 400 Mb is used up.

4) Have thought of getting into recovery console with 4 floppies, then getting into command prompt, and repairing and rebuilding the folders on WINNT. But recall of Dos like commands is weak. This is, however, an option with support here from you fellows.

Please comment on how you would approach the task of getting original op sys on C working again.

Any, and all suggestions/comments are welcomed, including the good, the bad and the ugly. May be involved in a futile dream here, but would like to give it my best shot with your help. Will follow your instructions and post results here. Thanks, Peter in Nederland, CO

 

[GrimR]

Have you tried booting from the CD and doing a recovery?
If the winnt folder is missing I believe some programs may not work and it may be better to reload to the d: and recover your data, format and reload c:

 

[phoon3]

Thanks RrimR for your help.

Am reluctant to reformat C and re-install Win2k just yet, but may eventually have to follow this advice. Want to try to rebuild my original WINNT installation on C, that has all my programs, favorites and email set up. Some programs I use cannot be reinstalled easily.

First a progress note and then several questions.

Here's what was done today to try to recover my original installation of WINNT on drive C.

At boot, am given a choice of booting into the now original unbootable WINNT on C or booting into WINNT2 on C (a repair installation). Was able to boot into WINNT2 and used file explorer to begin replacing folders under WINNT that got destroyed. There were quite a few of them, and I can list them in the next post if you need that information. Will finish re-creating the WINNT file structure tomorrow AM Mtn time (US).

1) Would it be better to first attempt a system state restore (from D hopefully into the newly replaced folders into WINNT on C) OR first try to do a repair of WINNT from my original SP4 CD?

2) Today, tried to set bios to read CDROM with bootable sp4 in place, but could not get to the recovery console. Could you give me procedural specifics for getting to the repair section of the recovery console? What bios sequence is needed?

3) Also, how do I tell my recovery console, once I have it, which installation on C (WINNT or WINNT2) to repair?

4) Currently am working toward the goal of getting the key files from a system state restore back into their respective rebuilt folders under WINNT on C. My idea is that if I can get a boot, almost any kind of a boot into my original WINNT installation on C, I can do a restore from my system state back up on D "to their original locations", and get WINNT working again. Then I would delete WINNT2, the repair installation, since I no longer need it. Do you think this is a reasonable road to travel, or am I deluding myself?

Thanks,

Peter

 

[wolluf]

You don't run a repair from recovery console - you need to follow this procedure:-

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;292175&Product=win2000

But it often doesn't work if there are 2 installations (doesn't find any to repair).

Am a bit confused as to how/what was damaged/removed on original installation and how you are 'recovering' lost/damaged parts. To effect a repair you definitely need all registry hives (Sam, security, software, system) to be present.

Assuming you manages to restore missing files, I'd then remove the second installation (bartpe CD? mount drive in another machine) and then try the repair as per link above.

If that's no good, then probably have to bite the bullet and start fresh.

btw - a backup utility like Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost would allow you to create an image of your current system (preferably to external hard drive) that can be used to create a complete restoration in a few minutes (depending on the amount of data of course). Just mentioning for future reference.

 

[LesNicholls]

For what it's worth I always partition drives so that drive C has the OS and the otehr partition has everythign I don't want to lose. In the event of a reinstal I never lose anything important and can format the C drive quite happily.

 

[phoon3]

Thanks to GrimR, Wolluf and LesNicholls.

The advice from you fellows has enabled SUCCESS! Will be able to keep Win2K running for another 18 to 24 months until sufficient money to build a new machine for System 7.

Believe it or not, this Win2k op sys is faster on an old 1998 machine, than vista runs on my wife's new Dell laptop running a dual core at 1.7 Gig, with 3 gigs of ram. That's even after two days of work to rebuild and tune up Vista for her.

Have been able to rebuild the missing folders and sub-folder structure under WINNT, then a System State Restore and then a repair following Wolluf's suggestion above. Then deleted the repair op sys WINN2. Boots are stable. First did an uninstall, then a re-install of NVidia display drivers, which worked. Did backup of registry, and created ERD.

LesNicholls thanks for the advice of keeping the op sys on C and everything else on another drive/partition. Will do that with System 7.

Remaining Issue

Most installed programs work OK, but the ones that don't, tell me I am missing various dlls, at WINNT\system32. For example, MAPI32.dll, HLVDD.dll, MFC70.dll. There are probably more that are missing.

Can you fellows give me suggestions on where and how I might "refresh and resupply" dlls that are supposed to be at Winnt\system32 ? Looked for the above on my Win2k SP4 "slipstreamed" CD, and they aren't there.

I note that my Winnt\Driver Cache\i386 is empty after all the op sys rebuilding.

Thanks for your support.

 

[GrimR]

As I mentioned some programs may not work.
MAPI32.dll is mail related e.g. Outlook / Outlook Express so reinstall may fix it or a regsrv may help if the file exists.
You may want to try this see if it helps

http://dll-repair-tools.com/ppc/index.php?t=mapi32&con=1299&gclid=CLTshd3IpZQCFQkNuwodcB_itA

DLL's can be downloaded from here:

http://www.dlldump.com/download-dll-files_new.php/dllfiles/M/mapi32.dll/1.0.2536.0/download.html

hlvdd seems to point to hardlock drivers

http://www.aladdin.com/support/hardlock/index.aspx

MFC is a MS file just google it and download used by programs in C++

 

[phoon3]

Thanks GrimR,

A question on sequence:

Do have System Suite 8, which includes an excellent registry fixer. It has found many invalid registry entries.

1) Should I first do a registry cleaning, that is, fix and eliminate all the invalid registry entries (and there are hundreds after the repair)?

2) Or, should I first download the missing dlls, to WINNT\System32, and then do a registry cleaning? I've used my file manager, Disk Jockey, and found that the dlls described above (and probably others) are nowhere on my computer. Several programs when started, complain that these dlls are missing.

It may turn out that the sequence doesn't matter, but would like to get your advice on this before I proceed.

Thanks,

Peter

 

[GrimR]

Cleaning the registry to my knowledge has never caused any major problems on machines I've worked on. [DO A BACKUP OF THE REGISTRY FIRST].
Although that been said I would most definitely not use Norton System works, it has a little known problem of corrupting profiles. Just note that only use a registry cleaner, some system cleaners will alter the registry so that in some cases you will not be able to run certain file types.

 

[wolluf]

IMO cleaning the registry for 2k/xp/vista is at best a waste of time and at worst dangerous - especially in your position. If you do go ahead, use option 2 (many registry cleaners scan your machine to determine if registry items should be present - so if you have many system files missing (which I find difficult to understand if you've done a repair reinstall), your cleaner may decide many registry entries which you do need aren't needed!). As GrimR says, backup registry first.

btw, do you know about sfc command? If you run sfc /scannow it checks system files - repairs broken ones and replaces missing ones (obviously this only for windows system files, not 3rd party apps system files)

 

[phoon3]

Once agian, want to thank Wolluf and GrimR for registry suggestions and Scannow. Believe running the Scannow did in fact replace some missing dlls.

Here's a progress report.

Did back up the registry and a number of other critical files (kernel and all its associated dlls plus other boot files) very carefully in more than one place(!)

Then did a registry clean, a couple of times. Got rid of over 3000 invalid entries.

Then, went to web sites and replaced several missing dlls.

Did other cleaning, including registry defrag, paging file defrag and drive defrag with System Suite 8 Professional (a wonderful product, no relationship with the company at all). This product enabled me to get Vista running really well on my wife's laptop (we have a three machine license).

The upshot is that all but one win2k program works perfectly. To my delight, got my old DOS window programs running fine, once missing dlls were replaced.

Had an intial bad install of the display GE Force 5200 driver, probably because a background process was running, but used system commander to stop a number of processes that I did not need. Found the display driver problem by using System Suite 8 PC diagnostics. Then a successful re-install of the display driver.

Now down to 17 or 18 running processes.

Now, here is the humorous/interesting part. I have only a 6 gig hard drive, but 57% or it is free. And Win2k on this 600 Mhz Pentium 3 (512 MB ram) has complete functionality and stability, and runs faster than it ever has before. It is considerably faster than Vista with dual 1.7 Gig processors with 3 gigs of ram, for internet, email, and opening almost any program.

Have one remaining issue, and would like suggestions below:

A licensed Radio Controlled Model Airplane Simulator, which is in the category of a "game", Realflight, which I use to "keep my flying skills sharp" before trips to visit my son in Florida, does not work. The only one that doesn't.

Thought of a complete uninstall, reinstall, but there is no uninstaller, and it is a two CD deal, because of an original CD and an upgrade CD.

Here is the error message when starting this program:

RealFlight.Tmpo entry point not found

The procedure entry point GetRawInputDeviceInfoW could not be located in the dynamic link library USER32.DLL.

Failed in startup code location AX, Code 5, thread handle is 00000080

USER32.dll was one of the dlls I had to replace.

The only solution path I can think of is to manually delete this program file, and then do a registry clean, to get out any entries associated with this program. Then do a complete reinstall of the original CD and then the upgrade CD.

Do you fellows have any other suggestions?

Thanks for the great support; I'm virtually home free with Win2k ready to go for another two or three years.

Peter
Nederland, Colorado

 

[GrimR]

This may help.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/142676

I would uninstall [and manually delete entries in the registry as you suggest]then reinstall.
I must say congratulations on recovering your system. Most of us IT people would have just backed up data mail etc format and reload, because as you can see most programs still need to be reloaded anyway.