AHH! Help me!

[cybermagellan]

I have a computer that I need to get into this is the deal...
It is a Dell Latitude and wont accept the Linux disc. I am trying a Windows98 Boot disc and it is comming back NTLDR missing. I need to get in this computer and I am the only tech on shift. Any sugestions?

[d313t3d]

I don't understand the question. . .what system is it running in the first place. . .why can't you just boot it. . .if you can't boot it, why do you need to get into it??

[delstar]

Why would it need NTLDR? Did you try installing Windows NT or 2000 at any point?

[syrix01]

Well it sounds like you are running into the fact that the os is burned onto the hard drive. I would think that if you were fealing risky that you would just use delpart and load windows 98 on it. After you did that you could just load linux on it and their you go, YOU HAVE A DUAL BOOT.

[cybermagellan]

NVM I think I know how to fix it...still any sugestions would be apreciated

[Tedob1]

http://www.sysinternals.com

[d313t3d]

Sorry if I seem a bit rude, but. . .suggestions on what!?!?!? If your just tryin' to get into the comp., and your trying to do an upgrade w/ a windows disk to 'reset' everything the NTLDR problems not a big thing, boot w/ yer 98 boot disk and . . .
hit sys C: at the command prompt
if that cuts it kewl. . .if not change to the window dir. . .
hit cd \windows, cd command . . .u'll get an error(prolly). . .
hit md command, cd ebd . . .prolly another error. . .
hit md ebd, cd ebd, attrib -s -h -r c:\io.sys, copy c:\io.sys winboot.sys
hit a:\ , sys c:\ . . . restart and reload yer WinX system

. . .if it's a newer system you can hop into recovery console and
do a 'fixboot' and reload the OS. . .

Thanks fer the link T~

[cybermagellan]

Sorry all I was too vauge...what I wound up doing is dualbooting so I had Windows 2000 on both partitions. Then with the one I could load into I moved the SAM file over from the config folder to the system32 folder then I rebooted into the partition that I couldn't get into...since it created another SAM file I just deleted the old one and tada I am in. Thanks for the help sorry I was so vauge just I was in a hurry....

[d313t3d]

Hrmph. . .I still don't get the original predicament, but if that worked. . .uh, I don't understand though. . .you loaded 2000 on another partition, and used that SAM file to replace the one in the other install of 2000??? That worked?? Imma gunna haf ta play / that there. . .so (originally) where you getting to the logon screen at 2000???

[cybermagellan]

OK let me clarify maybe someone will learn something besides me. The situation is as follows

1. I had a Dell running Windows 2000 that couldn't be reformated (the information was worth millions literaly)
2. I tried using a Linux chntpw disk...however those don't work with Dells, so I had used a Windows 98 boot disk to try to access the hard drive. Couldn't seeing it was formated NTFS not FAT.
3. So I installed another copy of 2K beside the original. Then went into c:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\Config and cut the SAM file out and moved it to c:\WINNT\SYSTEM32
4. I then rebooted and the computer thought it was booting for the first time so it created another SAM in the SYSTEM32 folder therefore reseting the password to nothing.
5. So I deleted the old SAM and the OTHER Win2K installation and had complete access.

Kinda lengthy and I was really vauge (sorry about that) but the computer couldn't be formated, the information is worth millions literally (I'm military and this is a contracting computer)Sorry for beating around the bush.