Windows won't start; + problem with DOS boot disk

[munky]

Right then, due to renaming an essential file on my hard drive, idechndr.sys or something like that (microsoft online crash analysis was saying it was the probably cause of a major crash I'd just had, and directed me to Intel site which said it had been superceded by the intel application accelerator, which I'd already installed), anyway nonetheless windows now won't start at all, and the laptop is stuck in a cycle of rebooting constantly. Had a DOS disk from years ago, when I had an ancient Tulip 8088 without a hard drive. Got the laptop to boot from it, but it says the C: drive is invalid, so I can't fix the file in DOS. Guessing that the PC doesn't know the C: drive is there, because my DOS disk was created on a PC without a C: drive.

Is there anything I can add in the autoexec.bat or config.sys to make it realise there's a C: drive? Then I could simply go in via DOS and rename the damn file.

Don't think I have a system CD although I'll have a look.

cheers!

writing this at work obviously

[aldi]

Your C drive is probalby NTFS, which won't be read under DOS without using NTFSDOS (google for it). I think you have to pay for the read/write version though so best bet is probably booting from an XP CD and using the recovery console to rename the file back.

[munky]

Yes, it was FAT until I changed it to NTFS about 6 months ago - doh.

[xiphias]

Have you got a windows cd or recovery cd? Use that and go into recovery mode.

[NickFRP]

boot in the cmd promt and run a check disc?

if its wont boot can you set it as a slave and attached it to another laptop/PC to get the stuff needed of it. then format and start all over again

[munky]

Haven't got the XP CD, looked all over for it last night. Come to think of it, I don't ever recall seeing one even when I bought the laptop. Got all the other software that came with, just not XP. Am hoping my girlfriend has one and can use that to boot, or create my own boot CD somehow, since I don't really want to go down the route of wiping the hard drive, even though the important stuff is backed up, because of one file that needs renaming.

Otherwise yes as Nick says I'll have to plug the laptop drive into another PC as a slave.. I'll have to buy an adaptor though, grr.

[Chimple]

There are a few options, NTFS4DOS is one.

Have a google for BartPE, Ultimate Boot CD, winbuilder for an XP live cd (still haven't managed to get that one working yet!) or a linux live CD. Don't try the ubuntu live cd because although it looks like a great OS, it isnt set up to read windows disks as default. So unless you know linux, I'd try a different one.

[munky]

The NTFS4DOS suggestion worked a treat! Thanks

Initially just renamed the files back, it still didn't work, so in a fit of annoyance I then deleted the idechndr files in c:windowssystem32 thinking maybe they're corrupted, but left the same ones in the intel app acclerator folder, rebooted and XP suddenly loaded

[lordgrover]

Chimple said:

Don't try the ubuntu live cd because although it looks like a great OS, it isnt set up to read windows disks as default. So unless you know linux, I'd try a different one.

I've used Ubuntu successfully 'out of the box' and it not only allowed me to read/edit files on my hard disk, but those on network drives too - I was even able to print via a network printer. I don't know whether it's et up to or not - but it just worked! Prolly magic...