Installing Windows from an ISO file

[lunatic59]

Normally you'd roll back to a previous restore point to replace the current registry file with an older copy from within Windows, but like I said, I don't remember how it's done manually.

 

[argedion]

Have you run check disk? I wouldnt' worry about the registry error as it could be part of the corrupt files if indeed you have a bad disk. Which it sounds like if Windows is having Trouble Accessing the Registry. If you can't get Windows Recovery to let you use check disk. My advice is to take the disk out of that computer and hook it up to another computer you can temporarily remove the CD and let windows on that Computer boot up after it has booted an found the disk then you will want to make note of the disk letter (D) is the usual but it could be different. So then click Start>Run and Type CMD press ok

chkdsk d: /f /r <- replace d with actual drive letter

It may tell you it has found things and needs to make changes to the disk just let it do what it needs to. After a successful run you can get what ever you need to off of the drive. Anything corrupted will have been moved or marked bad.

If you don't have access to another computer then you need to just get a new hard drive hook it up to your current computer and install windows after the installation and updates you should be able to follow the steps above to help with the disk.

 

[bylerj1]

Hey guys thanks for all your help so far. I will put the HD into another computer when I get off work and run chkdsk. When I run chkdsk, this will fix any fixable errors in the disc, and the files it can't fix are to garbled to be usable anyways. Correct?

 

[lunatic59]

Yep. Good Luck!

 

[bylerj1]

Well I just plugged my HD into another computer, and it detected the other drive and is running chkdsk on it as I type this. I really hope this helps solve the problem.

 

[bylerj1]

Hooray for chkdsk! I am currently coping "My Documents" to my external hard drive! I am really glad that this is finally working, I think that when I copy all of my files to the external drive, I will wipe the Hard Drive and re-install Windows to get a fresh start.

 

[lunatic59]

With the cost of drives being so low, you might want to just replace it with something newer and bigger. If a drive starts to have problems, it will fail inevitably.

 

[argedion]

Glad you were able to get things going If you continue to use that disk my suggestion is to use it as a "System Only" Disk. Keep all your personal files on external Hard drive. Thanks for keeping us informed and +1 to Lunatic for the replacement suggestion I agree.

 

[scythefwd]

Theres no such thing. A live cd or live usb means you can boot and use the OS from the media without installation. Windows doesn't do this. All you can do is make bootable installation cd or usb.

That's dead easy. Using Nero or other cd cloning technology, use "burn ISO to disk" or comparable option.

For usb, there is a tool that unpacks the setup files and builds a bootable install. Forget the name but works well.

WinPE and BartPE both can give you a bootable live CD windows environment. They are very limted, you aren't going to be running openoffice off the CD most likely, but the tools are out there. We run norton ghost off of a WinPE at work.

To back up you're registry.. (this is going to take a very long while mind you), you can run regedt32, right click on a hive, and click export.

To restore that file, you can either
1. double click those .reg files
2. go into regedt32 and click on file - import - and select that .reg file
3. type regsvr32 whateveryoucalledit.reg at the command line as an administrator.

That said, the registry can be HUGE and this can take a considerable length of time. If there was something jacked up in your registry when you backed it up.. but you hadn't encountered it... you just put that jacked up back in.

 

[argedion]

WinPE and BartPE both can give you a bootable live CD windows environment. They are very limted, you aren't going to be running openoffice off the CD most likely, but the tools are out there. We run norton ghost off of a WinPE at work.

To back up you're registry.. (this is going to take a very long while mind you), you can run regedt32, right click on a hive, and click export.

To restore that file, you can either
1. double click those .reg files
2. go into regedt32 and click on file - import - and select that .reg file
3. type regsvr32 whateveryoucalledit.reg at the command line as an administrator.

That said, the registry can be HUGE and this can take a considerable length of time. If there was something jacked up in your registry when you backed it up.. but you hadn't encountered it... you just put that jacked up back in.

Correct there's a lot of tools out there that can help in situation like the op's problem the big issue with most tools is the knowledge of knowing how to use them. In the middle of a problem is really not the appropriate time without the proper knowledge one can end up doing a lot more damage then good. The registry is an area you should definitely be well knowledgable in.

 

[scythefwd]

Correct there's a lot of tools out there that can help in situation like the op's problem the big issue with most tools is the knowledge of knowing how to use them. In the middle of a problem is really not the appropriate time without the proper knowledge one can end up doing a lot more damage then good. The registry is an area you should definitely be well knowledgable in.

argedion - If I could thank you twice, I would.


So true. I'm actually more weary about giving someone advice on how to use the recovery console (which should work well it sounds like), or to blow out their installed hardware in safemode (to exclude the HAL) than I am on backing up restoring the registry. ALL recovery methods come with risks, and if you are taking advice from anonymous people on the net.. take their advice with a grain of salt. To hell with a grain, better get a salt lick.

I haven't seen anything dead wrong in this thread, but that don't mean any of them are fool proof or even "safe" in the hands of an inexperienced user.

My real-world advice, from someone who has done everything from Tier 1 helpdesk to Network Engineering and Systems Engineering professionally.. go buy a 6 pack of beer, good stuff.. nothing even in the realms of steel reserve, and find a friend who does know what they are doing. If you are asking these questions, even after the links posted in this thread.. you probably don't have the background knowledge or experience to be dicking with your PC at the system level. Hate to say it, but thats the harsh reality.

 

[lunatic59]

.. go buy a 6 pack of beer, good stuff.. nothing even in the realms of steel reserve, and find a friend who does know what they are doing.

Bad, BAD advice! Because I am usually that friend (and I am sure you are to). I end up following best practices for data integrity and spend the next 4 to 6 hours recovering their computer for them. $10 worth of beer is hardly a compensation. Now a bottle of 18 year old single malt or a box of Cubans ...

If you are asking these questions, even after the links posted in this thread.. you probably don't have the background knowledge or experience to be dicking with your PC at the system level. Hate to say it, but thats the harsh reality.

While I generally agree, I would say that if you are turning to the internet for technical support, you are looking for a cheap (or free) solution that you can do yourself. What the op was asking was a low risk proposition in that savable data is easily recovered and corrupted data is already gone. The rest of the recovery is just a pain in the arse and lot of elbow grease.

 

[SUroot]

Now a bottle of 18 year old single malt or a box of Cubans ...

Yes and yes!!!

 

[argedion]

I am usually that friend. My biggest issue isn't going and doing 6 to 8 hours of data recovery as much as it is a pain to try to explain to someone for the same amount of time of what to do especially when the person doesn't know what a browser is. Now that's fun. Not