Need help recovering files from bad XP reinstallation

GEN3RIC

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Joined
4 Apr 2005
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634
Long story, its interesting though!

I began messing around with the OSx86 project, installing OSX on my PC. It went rather well, except for lack of driver support.

There was one thing I forgot: back up my MBR.

So my Windows C: drive is intact for the most part, but I can't boot into it. I was told that my MBR would be restored if I began WinXP installation (installing to a fake "WINDOWS_backup" dir) then when it reboots, boot into the old XP and not the setup again.

Well that didn't work - because I got an error in the Winstallation and now I cannot install XP, cannot repair, cannot fixmbr or anything in the Recovery Console and nothing works.

I got an "ultimate boot cd", it kind of works. Its really slow, but I havent been able to accomplish anything with it. Has a lot of tools but I couldn't even get any of the explorers to see my files. I figured I would copy & past them onto a partitioned drive and just say F that drive - format it.

I can NOT lose the files on that drive and I'd be seriously devastated if I lost them.

I asked for it though :dead:

Anybody know of any tools that I can use to fix my installation or at least copy some important files from one partition to another?
 
I have that. But it doesnt work well. It doesnt fully load the environment because my only installation I have to base it off of is my Dell D820 and they don't recommend that.

I use this

http://www.ubcd4win.com/
 
First off MBRTool can repair the MBR or if it's a WD drive they have an MBR recovery tool on their bootable CD.

Before messing with the MBR try Austrumi or Emergbootcd to get those files back. These are small, "light" tools and easy to use for beginners. They can also clear passwords.

Bart, Knoppix and others will allow the same but are much bulkier to download and use.
 
I have BartPE with Nero on it so if need be I just burn DVD's of all the files I want off the drive.
 
Ummm, I have a program that will help you out.....

Ever think about asking me since I live with you?

I will bring the CD home today......
 
Ummm, I have a program that will help you out.....

Ever think about asking me since I live with you?

I will bring the CD home today......
Well, I fixed it using the UBCDwin. That problem with it is that there are too many friggin tools on it and no documentation or clue as to what they do. I had to load up each and every one of them before I could find one that would do the trick. Unfortunately, doing that seemed to take an hour for each, all because of that damn boot disc taking so long to load something.

I am now running Vista, the final release, instead of XP, and I have all of my files. wewt.

Ummm, I have a program that will help you out.....

Ever think about asking me since I live with you?

I will bring the CD home today......
Oh, and I was telling you about this and after a few monotonous "Oh"s I realized you were zoning me out and I just stopped talking. Tool.:yowch:
 
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If you need to recover files use knoppix or helix , also i kinda had this problem but mines was worse the partition was deleted along with everything i had , lucky for me i came across a tool called "Techiez Tools" this bootable cd can do awsome things from data-recovery to undelete a partition that you might have accidently deleted. now from my understanding you have windows xp installed , try to install linux as a dual boot and it should automatically fix your mbr and give you a os selector , then you can just boot to windows and copy all the important files and not have to reinstall everything . and you can remove linux later on if you want.

Note: you can also backup your files via knoppix or anyother linux live cd to a external drive and/or usb flash. but in this case you might have to reinstall windows.
 
Well, I fixed it using the UBCDwin. That problem with it is that there are too many friggin tools on it and no documentation or clue as to what they do. I had to load up each and every one of them before I could find one that would do the trick. Unfortunately, doing that seemed to take an hour for each, all because of that damn boot disc taking so long to load something.

I am now running Vista, the final release, instead of XP, and I have all of my files. wewt.


Oh, and I was telling you about this and after a few monotonous "Oh"s I realized you were zoning me out and I just stopped talking. Tool.:yowch:

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

There..... :suprised:
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
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Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
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