Missing set up disk

Bohs Belgie

Bit of back ground first.
Have an old desktop at home, but hasn't been touched in about two years. Not much on it except for photos etc and a couple of programs like AutoCAD.
Decided its time to dump it, but obviously want to get the photos, in particular, off it.
When i turned it on, i got a message Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced startup options for Windows 2000, press F8

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows 2000
Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM

I restarted the computer and pressed F8 and went through the steps, but it returned to the above message.
Problem is, the start up CD has been misplaced/lost....Is there any way to get at the photos etc without a CD. Or is all lost and i need to bring it to an expert.....

Any advice and/or help is welcome

Terry

chin_grin

If you're just looking to get files off it the simplest way would be to download and burn the .iso file of Ubuntu and boot.

It's a linux distro (operating system) and will enable you to boot directly from the cd (not install). From there you can view your c drive and copy\burn anything you need off it.

Either that or get a hard drive caddy which involves taking the hard disk out of your old machine putting it in this and hooking it up via usb to another pc.

Bohs Belgie

I just looked at the site, for a moment, lets pretend i'm an absolute novice...
Where do i go and what actual .iso file do i look for...
Also, is it possible to download it onto a usb stick or a portable hard-drive?

Probably looking more of an idiot with each question, but probably best to ask "experts"

chin_grin

Not at all!

This is where you get it.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download

If you want to boot it from a memory key download xboot.

http://sites.google.com/site/shamurxboot/download

When you have the ubuntu iso saved to your pc open\run xboot. Just drag the iso file to the xboot window and specify your memory key drive letter and it does the rest. You'll be able to boot off your memory key then.

Bohs Belgie

Thanks for the help/advice.
I'll try it later/this weekend and let you know how it goes

T

Bohs Belgie

Hi all, sorry it has taken so long for an update....
busy with work etc...
I have tried the various options above and still have no luck....
I have contacted Dell about the problem and awaiting reply...
If anyone has any other suggestions, feel free to say so..
or its a case of going to a computer expert/shop

Terry

FSL

When trying to boot from the USB stick did you first repetitively press whatever key is necessary on your PC to enter the BIOS and set the first boot device to the USB stick?

If your machine is so old that booting from USB is not an option then you will need to burn the ISO to a CD.

I would suggest using Puppy linux rather than Ubuntu as it is smaller and all you want to do is access the hard drive and copy files.

Burning CD's can be problematic always burn at the slowest rate, the smaller the ISO the better chance of the CD being readable.

bonzodog2

Another option would be to remove the hard disk from the old PC and attach it as a slave drive to another PC, if you have access to one.

yoyo

Most old machines don't support booting from USB devices, this is a relatively new feature. If your CD ROM drive still works then burn the Ubuntu ISO to a blank CD-R using something like ImgBurn, then set the CD ROM to be the first boot device, then restart the machine with the burnt Ubuntu CD in it.

Nick

PapaQuebec

If you need a copy of Win2000 on CD (no serial provided) send me a PM!!

Cork24

Legal copy of Microsoft can only be handed out. If your dumping the pc just take the hard drive out and dump the computer when u buy your new computer or have a new computer just by an hard drive case and place the harddrive into it.and plug it in by usb.

Install Linux will not fix ur issue as win 2k runs ntfs mac unix Linux all run fat 32 can't read ntfs

FSL

Cork24 wrote: »

Install Linux will not fix ur issue as win 2k runs ntfs mac unix Linux all run fat 32 can't read ntfs

Since when? The latest Linux distros run ext4 and have been able to read ntfs for as almost long as ntfs has existed.

Cork24

FSL wrote: »

Cork24 wrote: »

Install Linux will not fix ur issue as win 2k runs ntfs mac unix Linux all run fat 32 can't read ntfs

Since when? The latest Linux distros run ext4 and have been able to read ntfs for as almost long as ntfs has existed.

Running red hat server can't read ntfs...


Either way the best thing for this guy is take the hard drive out and buy a hard drive case and put it into tat

yoyo

Cork24 wrote: »

Running red hat server can't read ntfs...


Either way the best thing for this guy is take the hard drive out and buy a hard drive case and put it into tat

Ubuntu can read NTFS fine... I think the cheapest option for OP is to use a live distro to backup the stuff then install another OS, maybe even Ubuntu? But he may be having hard disk issues, sometimes these errors are due to hard disk failure

Nick

Cork24

yoyo wrote: »

Ubuntu can read NTFS fine... I think the cheapest option for OP is to use a live distro to backup the stuff then install another OS, maybe even Ubuntu? But he may be having hard disk issues, sometimes these errors are due to hard disk failure

Nick

its an old computer the OP said he didnt use it for a while, wouldnt think it would be a disk failure.

if it is he could place the hard disk into the freezer over night. which 1 in 5 it works for a while enough time to get the files off, the easy thing for him is buy a hard drive case

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/3-5-USB-2-0-SATA-HDD-Hard-Disk-Drive-External-Case-/220877021897?pt=UK_Collectables_HardDriveEnclosures_RL&hash=item336d4be2c9