Repair HP Mini 110 using usb?

[sgarrand]

Ok, I had a friend drop off his HP Mini 110 with the error right away of:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

It has no CD-Rom drive and I don't have an external one. I know it'll boot from USB and I do have a 1 GB USB thumb drive ready to go but not sure where to start. Any ideas? Thanks!

Edit: It's running XP and I can see how Microsoft says to repair from an XP CD but I can't do that. I do have an XP Home SP2 CD as well as the one included in my Windows 7 Pro.

Scott

 

[DarDar]

You could use this to boot to BartPE and run a chkdsk from there. Or continue through the guide on how to get the xp install itself going

http://www.vandomburg.net/installing-windows-xp-from-usb/

 

[sgarrand]

Looks interesting but I'm not trying to install XP, it's already there. I just need to repair it through USB somehow. If I could somehow create a "boot disk" from a bootable USB thumb drive I'd be all set. It looks like a simple fix if I could get to the repair console.

Scott

 

[DarDar]

Ah but the repair install is done by going through the steps to install xp. After pressing enter to install, it will recognise that there is a windows install already present and will offer you the chance to do the repair install.

Could also try this:
http://wintoflash.com/home/en/

 

[Markus]

If it will boot from usb why not use a usb cdrom and then use a PE disk to restore the system hive from a restore point snapshot?

As I recall, you can put BartPE on a usb drive.

 

[coco3_man]

This little tool works wonders...

http://viceroy25.tripod.com/regreswiz.zip

It will repair the registry on the hard drive, just boot from a Bart cd with Registry Repair Wizard on a thumb drive and run it. Have used it to fix a few issues just as you describe.

Tom

 

[sgarrand]

I don't have an external CD-ROM drive. I've gone in with BartPE from USB and I can't even see the computer's actual hard drive to copy the needed files over. I see a Ram Disk, Bart Disk, etc but no actual XP install from within BartPE.

I may just tell this guy he needs an external CD drive and call it a day. I've been meaning to get one but I'm not going to spend $60 right now for just this job.

I was just trying to repair the Windows XP install but I'm having no luck. Oh well. I'm winding down my "side jobs" to focus more on college and my full time job. I'm glad I don't come across Netbooks much.

Scott

 

[Markus]

BartPE does not have SATA drivers built in, you will have to add them in order to see the drive on the laptop.

 

[iisjman07]

You could slave the drive and run Chkdsk, that way you wouldn't need to bother with adding the sata drivers

 

[tngreg]

Don't take this wrong, but if your going to work on these mini notebooks..now is the time to invest in an USB CD-ROM. There cheap and work great!

Don't over think it, just get yourself a USB CD-ROM.

 

[AtYourService]

or if you have an ide2usb or sata2usb converter you can hook up a regular cdrom to it

 

[computerpitstop]

why not try a usb external cd drive

Ok, I had a friend drop off his HP Mini 110 with the error right away of:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

It has no CD-Rom drive and I don't have an external one. I know it'll boot from USB and I do have a 1 GB USB thumb drive ready to go but not sure where to start. Any ideas? Thanks!

Edit: It's running XP and I can see how Microsoft says to repair from an XP CD but I can't do that. I do have an XP Home SP2 CD as well as the one included in my Windows 7 Pro.

Scott

a external cd drive will do the trick and will come in handy further the road