Win ME won't boot

[jason Owen]

Help!  I accidentally deleted my registry file while trying to delete a virus.  I can't find my startup disc and when I boot in safe mode I get a blank gray screen with safe mode in each corner.  Am I not waiting long enough for the prompt?

I am running Windows ME and get the following error.

Registry file not found.  Registry services may be inoperative this session.  XMS cache problem.  Registry services may be inoperable this session.

If I can get a prompt can I restore with SCANREG/restore?

[Flame]

Am I not waiting long enough for the prompt?

That would depend on how long you are waiting... How long are you waiting? Also, if you can't find the startup disk, then let me ask you this... Do you have access to another computer? You can create a boot diskette online... (sigh) I hate Windows ME... (flame shakes head)  

[glb]Flame[/glb]

[pcdoc4christ]

Jason:

You may be able to beat this Argonaut with the Windows Me OEM boot disk from this site:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Hope that helps,
Doc

[Flame]

Argonaut

That's not an isult on me right? lol  (Just kidding)

[glb]Flame[/glb]

[jason owen]

I made the boot disk but now I get the error

NTLDR missing.  Press any key to retry.

Any words of wisdom.  I obviously know only enough to really be dangerous to my machine.

Thanks

[merlin_2]

Are you dual booting winme with winxp?  files errror is linked to win2k/winxp>>>>>>>>> the scanreg/restore type in the command prompt  should have sorted out winme........and folks that knock win9x......win95/98/winme should be aware without these o/s/s   win2k and winxp.......i feel sick now on the last o/s <fisher price>  pc users should be greatful of these o/s/s ......as files are still use by win9x systems...another con........

[jason owen]

No dual booting here.  I'm not that savy.  I can't get to a prompt at all to try scanreg/restore.  

[merlin_2]

What happens if you hold down the f8 key on boot.....options.... come up   to ........>>safe mode etc w the NTLDR missing  error>> are you trying to upgrade this pc to winxp......

[jason owen]

I'm not upgrading.  I deleted the registry files while trying to rid myself of greatsearch.biz hijacker.  When I try to boot to the hard drive I get the error that registry may be inoperable this session.  Then when I try to boot anyway it detects new hardware and asks for a driver which I can't seem to find.

If I select safe mode it goes to a blank gray screen with safe mode in each corner.  I let it sit this way all night last night and never made any progress.

I downloaded a boot disk from bootdisk.com and this is where the NTLDR error came into play.  The floppy was formatted on a machine running windows 2000 professional.  Could this be an issue?  I read on the MS knowledge base that 95/98/me would not format correctly for xp with the same problem.

thanks

[merlin_2]

do you have any disks.........besides the one formated on a win2k.....machine..........

[jason owen]

I made two more disks tonite from bootdisk.com.  I know that I used one on the win/me machine.  I'll try those when I get back home.  Obviously, I can't format the disks on that machine but its the best I can do.

[merlin_2]

are you running any anti-virus programs.....like mcfee/trend/norton...

[jason owen]

I will shamefully admit that the mcfee is expired, which may be partially to blame for my whole predictament in the first place.  

[merlin_2]

unplug winme from the net........now try safe mode......be patience.....options....should appear.......try cmd prompt again....do you have any other disks r/c.>>besides the .....download bootisks....have a look somewere ...is a boot floppy.....of winme........great system if it not upgraded.......??/#~if it aint broke......you know the rest of the saying....how true.

[jason owen]

I can't find my boot disk.  The only copy of Winme I have is on the restore disk that came with the machine and they auto format the hard drive.  The wife would kill me for sure as she has a couple months worth of work that is due in a week and a half.

I did read on techspot that a disk formatted on win2k will give the ntldr error when you try in winme.  I found an old disk that had only been used on my machine and downloaded the bootdisk onto it.  I will try tonite.  Hope it works as the gallows are up at home.  We'll find out in a half hour or so.

Thanks

[pcdoc4christ]

Flame:

LOL! Nope, U R not an Argonaut!  Maybe after you finish your 1st brush with the gods you may apply for the job!  



Jason:  

OK, the Windows Me boot disk will *not* work when you have Windows NT, 2000 or XP also installed.  Please answer a few questions to save time:

1. Which is the second operating system (OS)?

2. Is there a third OS?  If so, what is it?

3. How many partitions or logical drives do you have?  (i.e. when you used to open My Computer, did it show three drives--drive C: as Windows Me, drive D: as the other OS and drive E: as the CD or DVD drive?).

4. Do you have the installation CD for both OSes?

5. What was/were the name(s) of the registry file(s) you deleted? (e.g. SYSTEM.DAT? USER.DAT? SAM? System? SECURITY? Software?).  

6. And what were the names of any other files you may have deleted?  Let us know if you remember.

What you may have to do is a reinstallation of Windows Me, and then do a repair installation of the second OS.  When you are finished with this process, you may have to reinstall some of your programs and you may lose any files in the shared folder.

I'll check in to see your reply, or i'm sure Flame and Merlin will be able to tell you what to do next.

Regards,
Doc

[jason o]

I only have one partition.  I finally got a copy of XP to boot from the CD.  Since I was scared of my wife, I could not install in Windows directory and created another.  I know this is not preferred but I couldn't risk losing the work.  I was able to retrieve the files to save my neck, but now none of my software is accessible.  I have saved the wife's work and borrowed a replacement machine, but I would like to get my software going again.

The files I deleted were the system.dat and user.dat from the registry of winme.

How can I get to office, publisher etc from xp?

[Gustaaf]

Usually Windows ME does create backups of its registry file during startup. look for files called USER.* and SYSTEM.* and rename the most recent to *.DAT

A windows ME bootdisk is about the only diskette that would boot ME and view the disk. You can create a bootable ME diskette under XP by formatting a new diskette and selecting the option create a DOS diskette.

those system and user files should be in c:\windows folder itself. It could also be c:\windows\system

[merlin_2]

did this pc come with winme ......pre-install on it.......<you have restore disks..> use them to restore the system!!!.. or did it?? >>you must have used a partition manager  to have the nt error!>!where you try to dual boot..........two o/s system on the hard drive.....if you have powerquest......use the back up disks....