Here's a challenge for you! I disabled all the video card drivers.

Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer shop, and they
haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start at the beginning.
PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4 3.0GHz, internal
Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox Millenium G450 dual
head video card, 1GB RAM.

Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel to remove programs,
I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went to 640x480 res. I
reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine. Opened the Matrox
software installer and cancelled installation halfway through. (oops!!)
Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced section, and saw that the
only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA default". Also, the
four fields in the column on the left side said something like <unavailable>.
So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots, Windows XP startup shows
and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting normally though from HD
activity light.

I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I did find the
Microsoft article here
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in listsvc and the next
line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a password for
Administrator.

At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine Windows XP CD with a
date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours later I call and
the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my CD is different from
the original windows installed on it. I think this is correct.

At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC boot all the way,
normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the Windows Display control
panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call before he closed, so I
don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can I do??? My last
backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me figure something
out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about 40 hours of stuff!

Thank you so much in advance!
Kind regards,
Leafgreen

"Leafgreen" <Leafgreen@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8E4D13FF-5F52-4964-8CE5-C106D1298903@microsoft.com...
> Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer shop, and they
> haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start at the beginning.
> PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4 3.0GHz, internal
> Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox Millenium G450
dual
> head video card, 1GB RAM.
>
> Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel to remove
programs,
> I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went to 640x480 res. I
> reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine. Opened the Matrox
> software installer and cancelled installation halfway through. (oops!!)
> Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced section, and saw that
the
> only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA default". Also,
the
> four fields in the column on the left side said something like
<unavailable>.
> So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots, Windows XP startup
shows
> and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting normally though from
HD
> activity light.
>
> I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I did find the
> Microsoft article here
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
> Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in listsvc and the next
> line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a password for
> Administrator.
>
> At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine Windows XP CD with
a
> date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours later I call and
> the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my CD is different
from
> the original windows installed on it. I think this is correct.
>
> At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC boot all the way,
> normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the Windows Display control
> panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call before he closed, so
I
> don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can I do??? My last
> backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me figure
something
> out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about 40 hours of
stuff!
>
> Thank you so much in advance!
> Kind regards,
> Leafgreen

You can try the blind typing stuff. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't.
Getting into the Control Panel is easy but enabling the video driver
could be much harder. Here is a safe way to get into the Control Panel:

1. Log on and let things settle down.
2. Click Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch the Task Manager.
3. Click Alt+F (File), N (New), control {Enter}.
You are now in the Control Panel.

There are two issues about your data:
a) Just because you can't boot Windows does not mean that you
have lost your data. Ask your computer store to install your
disk as a slave disk in one of their own WinXP/2000 PCs, then
to copy your data to an old spare disk.
b) It is a business decision to determine the interval between
backups. The interval is governed by the cost of backing up
files, and by how much data the business can afford to lose.
In your case there appears to be a discrepancy between the two
criteria. External 2.5" USB disks are cheap, have lots of
capacity and are very easy to use as a backup/restore medium.
Time to put on the thinking cap.

And as a suffix: Please don't multipost. It wastes everyone's time. Use
crossposting to increase your exposure, by putting several newsgroup
names into the address field, separated by semi-colons.


"Leafgreen" <Leafgreen@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8E4D13FF-5F52-4964-8CE5-C106D1298903@microsoft.com...
> Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer shop, and they
> haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start at the beginning.
> PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4 3.0GHz, internal
> Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox Millenium G450
dual
> head video card, 1GB RAM.
>
> Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel to remove
programs,
> I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went to 640x480 res. I
> reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine. Opened the Matrox
> software installer and cancelled installation halfway through. (oops!!)
> Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced section, and saw that
the
> only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA default". Also,
the
> four fields in the column on the left side said something like
<unavailable>.
> So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots, Windows XP startup
shows
> and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting normally though from
HD
> activity light.
>
> I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I did find the
> Microsoft article here
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
> Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in listsvc and the next
> line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a password for
> Administrator.
>
> At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine Windows XP CD with
a
> date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours later I call and
> the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my CD is different
from
> the original windows installed on it. I think this is correct.
>
> At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC boot all the way,
> normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the Windows Display control
> panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call before he closed, so
I
> don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can I do??? My last
> backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me figure
something
> out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about 40 hours of
stuff!
>
> Thank you so much in advance!
> Kind regards,
> Leafgreen

"Leafgreen" <Leafgreen@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8E4D13FF-5F52-4964-8CE5-C106D1298903@microsoft.com...
> Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer shop, and they
> haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start at the beginning.
> PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4 3.0GHz, internal
> Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox Millenium G450
> dual
> head video card, 1GB RAM.
>
> Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel to remove
> programs,
> I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went to 640x480 res. I
> reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine. Opened the Matrox
> software installer and cancelled installation halfway through. (oops!!)
> Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced section, and saw that
> the
> only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA default". Also,
> the
> four fields in the column on the left side said something like
> <unavailable>.
> So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots, Windows XP startup
> shows
> and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting normally though from
> HD
> activity light.
>
> I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I did find the
> Microsoft article here
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
> Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in listsvc and the next
> line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a password for
> Administrator.
>
> At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine Windows XP CD with
> a
> date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours later I call and
> the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my CD is different
> from
> the original windows installed on it. I think this is correct.
>
> At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC boot all the way,
> normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the Windows Display control
> panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call before he closed, so
> I
> don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can I do??? My last
> backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me figure
> something
> out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about 40 hours of
> stuff!


If the tech was trying to use System Restore, forget it. He/she should've
been trying to perform a Repair (i.e., in-place upgrade). If that was
he/she was trying then it sounds like you gave him the wrong Windows
install/restore CD. Some bastardized OEM versions are brand and model
specific so you can only use them on that brand and model of computer (i.e.,
they are BIOS-locked to that computer). That means you can't use a Gateway
restore CD on a Dell and visa versa (I don't buy pre-built computers so I
really don't know if Gateway or Dell use BIOS-locked OEM versions of
Windows). Go find the right Windows CD for the tech.

Some "install" CDs for Windows are nothing more than an image. Restoring
the image wipes the contents of the partition into which it is copied, and
that means losing your data. How much data you can afford to lose depends
on your choice of how often to do backups. You could put in another hard
drive, install a new instance of Windows over there, and (as an admin in
that new Windows instance), take ownership of the files on the old hard
drive and move them to your new hard drive. This can also be done by
resizing the partition on the old drive to make space for another partition
into which you install a second instance of Windows.

"" wrote:
> Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer shop,
> and they
> haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start at
> the beginning.
> PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4
> 3.0GHz, internal
> Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox
> Millenium G450 dual
> head video card, 1GB RAM.
>
> Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel to
> remove programs,
> I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went to
> 640x480 res. I
> reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine. Opened
> the Matrox
> software installer and cancelled installation halfway through.
> (oops!!)
> Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced section,
> and saw that the
> only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA
> default". Also, the
> four fields in the column on the left side said something like
> <unavailable>.
> So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots, Windows XP
> startup shows
> and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting normally
> though from HD
> activity light.
>
> I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I did
> find the
> Microsoft article here
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
> Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in listsvc
> and the next
> line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a password
> for
> Administrator.
>
> At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine
> Windows XP CD with a
> date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours
> later I call and
> the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my CD is
> different from
> the original windows installed on it. I think this is correct.
>
> At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC boot
> all the way,
> normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the Windows
> Display control
> panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call before
> he closed, so I
> don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can I
> do??? My last
> backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me
> figure something
> out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about 40
> hours of stuff!
>
> Thank you so much in advance!
> Kind regards,
> Leafgreen

I would say you should have installed some remote contole software
that could have been enabled remotly in case of monitor failur or, in
your case, general foolishness.

--
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Articles individually checked for conformance to usenet standards
Topic URL: http://www.windowsforumz.com/challen...ict446015.html
Visit Topic URL to contact author (reg. req'd). Report abuse: http://www.windowsforumz.com/eform.php?p=1509338

"Sparda" <UseLinkToEmail@www.windowsforumz.com> wrote in message
news:1509338_f25212b2c054f5bbd0ca3091faa22b39@wind owsforumz.com...
> "" wrote:
> > Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer shop,
> > and they
> > haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start at
> > the beginning.
> > PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4
> > 3.0GHz, internal
> > Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox
> > Millenium G450 dual
> > head video card, 1GB RAM.
> >
> > Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel to
> > remove programs,
> > I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went to
> > 640x480 res. I
> > reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine. Opened
> > the Matrox
> > software installer and cancelled installation halfway through.
> > (oops!!)
> > Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced section,
> > and saw that the
> > only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA
> > default". Also, the
> > four fields in the column on the left side said something like
> > <unavailable>.
> > So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots, Windows XP
> > startup shows
> > and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting normally
> > though from HD
> > activity light.
> >
> > I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I did
> > find the
> > Microsoft article here
> > http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
> > Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in listsvc
> > and the next
> > line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a password
> > for
> > Administrator.
> >
> > At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine
> > Windows XP CD with a
> > date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours
> > later I call and
> > the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my CD is
> > different from
> > the original windows installed on it. I think this is correct.
> >
> > At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC boot
> > all the way,
> > normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the Windows
> > Display control
> > panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call before
> > he closed, so I
> > don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can I
> > do??? My last
> > backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me
> > figure something
> > out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about 40
> > hours of stuff!
> >
> > Thank you so much in advance!
> > Kind regards,
> > Leafgreen
>
> I would say you should have installed some remote contole software
> that could have been enabled remotly in case of monitor failur or, in
> your case, general foolishness.

We all know that the OP made a mistake, and so does he. Your
contribution does not really assist him in recovering from it.
P.S. What do you mean with "contole", "remotly" or "failur"?
Have you considered using a spelling checker?

"" wrote:
> "Sparda" <UseLinkToEmail@www.windowsforumz.com> wrote in
> message
> news:1509338_f25212b2c054f5bbd0ca3091faa22b39@wind owsforumz.com...
> > "" wrote:
> > > Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer
> shop,
> > > and they
> > > haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start
> at
> > > the beginning.
> > > PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4
> > > 3.0GHz, internal
> > > Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox
> > > Millenium G450 dual
> > > head video card, 1GB RAM.
> > >
> > > Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel
> to
> > > remove programs,
> > > I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went
> to
> > > 640x480 res. I
> > > reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine.
> Opened
> > > the Matrox
> > > software installer and cancelled installation halfway
> through.
> > > (oops!!)
> > > Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced
> section,
> > > and saw that the
> > > only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA
> > > default". Also, the
> > > four fields in the column on the left side said something
> like
> > > <unavailable>.
> > > So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots,
> Windows XP
> > > startup shows
> > > and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting
> normally
> > > though from HD
> > > activity light.
> > >
> > > I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I
> did
> > > find the
> > > Microsoft article here
> > > http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
> > > Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in
> listsvc
> > > and the next
> > > line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a
> password
> > > for
> > > Administrator.
> > >
> > > At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine
> > > Windows XP CD with a
> > > date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours
> > > later I call and
> > > the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my
> CD is
> > > different from
> > > the original windows installed on it. I think this is
> correct.
> > >
> > > At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC
> boot
> > > all the way,
> > > normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the
> Windows
> > > Display control
> > > panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call
> before
> > > he closed, so I
> > > don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can
> I
> > > do??? My last
> > > backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help
> me
> > > figure something
> > > out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about
> 40
> > > hours of stuff!
> > >
> > > Thank you so much in advance!
> > > Kind regards,
> > > Leafgreen
> >
> > I would say you should have installed some remote contole
> software
> > that could have been enabled remotly in case of monitor
> failur or, in
> > your case, general foolishness.
>
> We all know that the OP made a mistake, and so does he. Your
> contribution does not really assist him in recovering from it.
> P.S. What do you mean with "contole", "remotly" or "failur"?
> Have you considered using a spelling checker?

I did consider it, but then i said to my self "I carn’t be
bothered".

First, dump your computer shop and go somewhere else in the future. Then
pull out your cmos battery for 5 minutes and put it back in. That should
reset all the bios settings to default. Then put your "valid" or
"legitimate" windows cd in the main cd drive and start the comp. Go into
bios before you try to boot and make sure you have the cd drive set to boot
up. Reinstall windows from scratch being sure to delete the previous
partition and reformatting during the reinstillation.


"Sparda" <DoNotEmail@www.windowsforumz.com> wrote in message
news:1511316_ce3409c257c126b026c7c149a85d8950@wind owsforumz.com...
> "" wrote:
> > "Sparda" <UseLinkToEmail@www.windowsforumz.com> wrote in
> > message
> > news:1509338_f25212b2c054f5bbd0ca3091faa22b39@wind owsforumz.com...
> > > "" wrote:
> > > > Hi there. I hope you can help. The PC is at the computer
> > shop,
> > > > and they
> > > > haven't been able to restore from Windows! Ok I'll start
> > at
> > > > the beginning.
> > > > PC environment: XP Home SP2 with latest patches. Intel P4
> > > > 3.0GHz, internal
> > > > Maxtor 240GB ATA drive, internal NEC DVD-RW drive, Matrox
> > > > Millenium G450 dual
> > > > head video card, 1GB RAM.
> > > >
> > > > Everything is fine and then using Windows control panel
> > to
> > > > remove programs,
> > > > I removed Matrox display software and rebooted. XP went
> > to
> > > > 640x480 res. I
> > > > reset to 1280x1024. Restarted PC. Everything was fine.
> > Opened
> > > > the Matrox
> > > > software installer and cancelled installation halfway
> > through.
> > > > (oops!!)
> > > > Opened the Windows Display control panel, advanced
> > section,
> > > > and saw that the
> > > > only driver in the pull-down list was something like "VGA
> > > > default". Also, the
> > > > four fields in the column on the left side said something
> > like
> > > > <unavailable>.
> > > > So I ***disabled*** this driver. Restart. PC boots,
> > Windows XP
> > > > startup shows
> > > > and then goes black. I can tell PC is still booting
> > normally
> > > > though from HD
> > > > activity light.
> > > >
> > > > I try to boot with safe mode. PC hangs at agp440.sys. I
> > did
> > > > find the
> > > > Microsoft article here
> > > > http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324764
> > > > Once in the Recovery Console at the C:>, I typed in
> > listsvc
> > > > and the next
> > > > line would be C:> and nothing else. I do not have a
> > password
> > > > for
> > > > Administrator.
> > > >
> > > > At this point I bring the PC with the original, genuine
> > > > Windows XP CD with a
> > > > date of 2002 to the computer shop and leave it. Two hours
> > > > later I call and
> > > > the tech says that Windows restore is failing because my
> > CD is
> > > > different from
> > > > the original windows installed on it. I think this is
> > correct.
> > > >
> > > > At that point I had a flash of inspiration. Let the PC
> > boot
> > > > all the way,
> > > > normally. Then use keyboard commands to access the
> > Windows
> > > > Display control
> > > > panel and re-enable the video driver. I couldn't call
> > before
> > > > he closed, so I
> > > > don't know if that will work. But if it doesn't, what can
> > I
> > > > do??? My last
> > > > backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help
> > me
> > > > figure something
> > > > out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well, about
> > 40
> > > > hours of stuff!
> > > >
> > > > Thank you so much in advance!
> > > > Kind regards,
> > > > Leafgreen
> > >
> > > I would say you should have installed some remote contole
> > software
> > > that could have been enabled remotly in case of monitor
> > failur or, in
> > > your case, general foolishness.
> >
> > We all know that the OP made a mistake, and so does he. Your
> > contribution does not really assist him in recovering from it.
> > P.S. What do you mean with "contole", "remotly" or "failur"?
> > Have you considered using a spelling checker?
>
> I did consider it, but then i said to my self "I carnâ?Tt be
> bothered".

"MixMasterJ" <tata@fake.com> wrote in
news:yIltf.1333$3I3.693@bignews5.bellsouth.net:

> First, dump your computer shop and go somewhere else in the
> future. Then pull out your cmos battery for 5 minutes and put it
> back in. That should reset all the bios settings to default.
> Then put your "valid" or "legitimate" windows cd in the main cd
> drive and start the comp. Go into bios before you try to boot
> and make sure you have the cd drive set to boot up. Reinstall
> windows from scratch being sure to delete the previous partition
> and reformatting during the reinstillation.
>
That doesn't quite meet the requirement stated in the OP, does it?:
"My last backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me
figure something out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well,
about 40 hours of stuff!"

"Frazer Jolly Goodfellow" <no-spam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> That doesn't quite meet the requirement stated in the OP, does it?:
> "My last backup is from a week ago, and I really hope you can help me
> figure something out so I don't lose a week of work, which is, well,
> about 40 hours of stuff!"
>


That doesn't quite meet the requirement stated in the OP, does it?