Right, back from my tea as well, and I see my audience has grown!
Ok, the situation as it stands. Bootit sees the hidden partition, but all the options are ghosted out. I don't think it's just a case of needing a password, I suspect the actual decryption/unpacking software that you need to expand from the hidden partition is on the unobtainable CD. B*gg*r.
Ok, the situation as it stands. Bootit sees the hidden partition, but all the options are ghosted out. I don't think it's just a case of needing a password, I suspect the actual decryption/unpacking software that you need to expand from the hidden partition is on the unobtainable CD. B*gg*r.
Al,
If you want to re-install XP, you could do a low level format in the BIOS, or move the drive to another machine running XP or Win2000 and delete the partitions/reformat the disk using the administrative tools. If you need help, give me a shout, I've go two PCs to play with and a few different versions of XP Pro which could be installed.
Graeme
If you want to re-install XP, you could do a low level format in the BIOS, or move the drive to another machine running XP or Win2000 and delete the partitions/reformat the disk using the administrative tools. If you need help, give me a shout, I've go two PCs to play with and a few different versions of XP Pro which could be installed.
Graeme
BooIt is quite low level and fairly OS independent.
What exactly does it read? The 23/7h: Hidden HPFS/NTFS?
You still might want to try this:
Click View MBR and make sure the Active partition is on top of the next screen.
Click Std MBR and Apply.
Click Clear Sig and Apply.
Return to Properties and look if you can unhide the partition.
If not, I'm clueless at the moment.
/Hugo
What exactly does it read? The 23/7h: Hidden HPFS/NTFS?
You still might want to try this:
Click View MBR and make sure the Active partition is on top of the next screen.
Click Std MBR and Apply.
Click Clear Sig and Apply.
Return to Properties and look if you can unhide the partition.
If not, I'm clueless at the moment.
/Hugo
anatech said:
Tell me about it! Tiny had just about the worst customer service record ever...
Netlist said:
Won't let me. Blah
Graeme, I assume I can use my serial number with your install discs?. Otherwise it gets complicated doesn't it? I may well take you up on your offer, are you still in tomorrow night, and what's a good time?
There are some drivers listed for Tiny on the driverguide.com website.
If you are trying to rebuild the OS from the hidden partition that has the restore disk info on it, you most likely will need their boot disk to properly access it. Common with most Windoz vendors on Dell, HP and so on.
If you don't care about any of the data on the hard drive, then just format the disk and install from any XP disk after you find the drivers from driverguide.com. Some ordinary hardware on the computer is likely to function just fine with the drivers on the XP disk.
Another track is remove the hard drive and attach it as a slave on another computer running Windoz 2000 Pro or XP.
Now you will be able to see everything on the Tiny hard drive.
Good idea to have the latest virus definitions on this computer.
Now you can scan the Tiny computer drive for the virus problems and fix them.
If the Tiny computer doesn't want to boot properly later, there is a folder where the repair files required to start up are located.
C:/WINNT/repair
Inside you will find at least the following files:
ntuser.dat
sam
secsetup.inf
security
setup.log
software
system
These files will have some old date stamps. These are from the original system build. Copy everything in the repair folder to a safe location somewhere other than the Tiny hard drive before messing with anything. You can use them to restore the system to its original boot state. Maybe. Depends on how much is fubared by the virus problem.
Anyway, after fixing the Tiny hard drive virus problems on a second computer, put the drive back in its original case and try to boot it up.
If all works well, ignore everything else. If it hangs and won't boot, then replace the files in the C:/WINNT/repair folder with the ones you saved before. It should now start properly, but with old info. So some installed programs may have to be re installed.
I am at work about 8:30 AM Pacific time in California. If you still have troubles, post up a notice here. We have a pair of international T1 888.xxx.xxxx phone lines for our business where you can call me.
Regards
If you are trying to rebuild the OS from the hidden partition that has the restore disk info on it, you most likely will need their boot disk to properly access it. Common with most Windoz vendors on Dell, HP and so on.
If you don't care about any of the data on the hard drive, then just format the disk and install from any XP disk after you find the drivers from driverguide.com. Some ordinary hardware on the computer is likely to function just fine with the drivers on the XP disk.
Another track is remove the hard drive and attach it as a slave on another computer running Windoz 2000 Pro or XP.
Now you will be able to see everything on the Tiny hard drive.
Good idea to have the latest virus definitions on this computer.
Now you can scan the Tiny computer drive for the virus problems and fix them.
If the Tiny computer doesn't want to boot properly later, there is a folder where the repair files required to start up are located.
C:/WINNT/repair
Inside you will find at least the following files:
ntuser.dat
sam
secsetup.inf
security
setup.log
software
system
These files will have some old date stamps. These are from the original system build. Copy everything in the repair folder to a safe location somewhere other than the Tiny hard drive before messing with anything. You can use them to restore the system to its original boot state. Maybe. Depends on how much is fubared by the virus problem.
Anyway, after fixing the Tiny hard drive virus problems on a second computer, put the drive back in its original case and try to boot it up.
If all works well, ignore everything else. If it hangs and won't boot, then replace the files in the C:/WINNT/repair folder with the ones you saved before. It should now start properly, but with old info. So some installed programs may have to be re installed.
I am at work about 8:30 AM Pacific time in California. If you still have troubles, post up a notice here. We have a pair of international T1 888.xxx.xxxx phone lines for our business where you can call me.
Regards
The hidden partition may not have been attacked by a virus.
The main difficulty has to do with the restore cd that costs so much. Very likely the hidden partition OS restore only has half of what is needed. The other half is on the stinkin' cd.
If the virus problems can be fixed, the computer can come back to life.
Then the only thing remaining is to fix the Registry. Not my idea of a pleasant week end.
The main difficulty has to do with the restore cd that costs so much. Very likely the hidden partition OS restore only has half of what is needed. The other half is on the stinkin' cd.
If the virus problems can be fixed, the computer can come back to life.
Then the only thing remaining is to fix the Registry. Not my idea of a pleasant week end.
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