[chels15]

I’m running a Dell Dimension 3100 desktop pc (512 RAM I think) with Windows XP and on start up I am receiving a black screen and the following message:

Windows could not start because the following is missing or corrupt:

system32\drivers\nfts.sys

You can attempt to repair this file by starting windows setup using the original cd-rom.

Select 'r' at first screen to start repair.

Prior to this happening I was using my pc as normal with a few different programs running and surfing the internet using Firefox, out of the blue 3 separate pop ups appeared stating that a Trojan had been removed. Then I noticed that there were no program tabs showing at the bottom of my screen, I closed all programs and was able to save changes to documents. Once left with the desktop showing only, there were no desktop icons, start button etc showing so I had to just switch the pc off without going through the shutdown process.

I don’t know if the Trojans are a coincidence or related to the problem I am now experiencing but it seems a bit suspect. In addition I believe I am in a serious need of a RAM upgrade as my pc has been running sluggish with some freezing issues and blue screen errors at times but I have been delaying getting this sorted as I’m a bit nervous of doing this and messing something up although my understanding is upgrading the memory should be quite straightforward.

I don’t have a Windows XP setup cd but my parents are sending their cd to me (hopefully it is the right one). If their cd turns out not to be the correct one, I’ve found Windows XP repair software on eBay, would this normally be regarded as trustworthy and worth trying?

Thankfully I also have a laptop which I’m using now but this is running on Windows Vista otherwise maybe I could have made up a setup cd to use on my desktop although I’m not sure that would’ve been possible anyway. My desktop pc and laptop are networked for sharing my internet connection but not set up to share files etc, I assume there is no way to access the files on my desktop pc while its in its sick state?

Is there anything I can do prior to trying the Windows XP setup cd when it arrives or am I best waiting for the cd and trying that first and then take it from there? Sorry that this has turned into rather a lengthy post but any help or ideas would be gratefully received.

[Saga Lout]

Any XP CD will carry out the task you want. At the first Repair option, select R and then tell the system which installation you want to repair - usually number 1 and hit Enter. Pray there isn't an Administrator password in your system and if you get past that stage to a Command Prompt, type chkdsk /r (including the space) and hit Enter. That should cause a disk check of five stages which may take some time but which may also fix the errors in the file system - as in New Technology File System or NTFS.

[chels15]

Thanks for the info.

Am I best waiting for the XP cd to arrive and try that before anything else?

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by chels15

Thanks for the info.

Am I best waiting for the XP cd to arrive and try that before anything else?

There's nothing I can post here that will work without booting the system into life and you may as well wait for the legitimate XP CD to arrive.

[chels15]

Originally Posted by Saga Lout

There's nothing I can post here that will work without booting the system into life and you may as well wait for the legitimate XP CD to arrive.

Ok thanks, i'm hoping the cd arrives by tomorrow and then i'll pray for some luck!

[chels15]

Well the cd has just arrived but its not a Windows XP cd but something entirely different (bless my Dad he was trying to help!).

So i'm back to square one, I don't know who else to get one from easily so i'm now thinking about getting a recovery/repair disc from ebay that supposedly fix 99%+ of errors, does anyone have any advice about buying this type of product?

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by chels15

Well the cd has just arrived but its not a Windows XP cd but something entirely different (bless my Dad he was trying to help!).

So i'm back to square one, I don't know who else to get one from easily so i'm now thinking about getting a recovery/repair disc from ebay that supposedly fix 99%+ of errors, does anyone have any advice about buying this type of product?

I can only advise against buying it. I'm sorry but these "too good to be true" fixers usually are just that. Do you not know anyone who can lend you their XP CD on the grounds you only need it for the Repair functions and have no intention of trying to install it? There is an alternative but Forum Rules prevent me mentioning it because parts of the disk are unlicenced and therefore considered unacceptable piracy. If you PM me asking for it, I'll have found out by then if I'm allowed to reply.

[chels15]

Originally Posted by Saga Lout

I can only advise against buying it. I'm sorry but these "too good to be true" fixers usually are just that. Do you not know anyone who can lend you their XP CD on the grounds you only need it for the Repair functions and have no intention of trying to install it? There is an alternative but Forum Rules prevent me mentioning it because parts of the disk are unlicenced and therefore considered unacceptable piracy. If you PM me asking for it, I'll have found out by then if I'm allowed to reply.

Thanks for the advice.

Unfortunately people I can think of that may have the cd don't live anywhere near me but have just texted someone who may have it and if so once again it will probably be a case of waiting for it to arrive in the post again but i'll see what he comes back to me with.

[chels15]

If I don't manage to get hold of an XP cd, which seems to be quite likely as I have tried a few people but nobody has got one, however my sister has an XP laptop so I could make a boot cd from that. Is it relatively easy to make an XP boot cd from a pc?

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by chels15

If I don't manage to get hold of an XP cd, which seems to be quite likely as I have tried a few people but nobody has got one, however my sister has an XP laptop so I could make a boot cd from that. Is it relatively easy to make an XP boot cd from a pc?

I'm afraid it isn't. Instead of one of those Magic Fix CDs you thought about, have a look on e-Bay for an XP CD. There's usually a con-merchant on there with a disk for sale they tell you will install and activate which, of course, it won't, but it will do the trick for your Repair option purposes. I have a couple in my office which are no more than coasters because the systems are in use elsewhere and there must be thousands lying around somewhere. Call your local PC Fixer and make it clear you know what you're doing and just want to borrow a disk for this purpose only - can he help? They are usually a helpful bunch of kind, intelligent people who do what they can to assist.

[chels15]

Originally Posted by Saga Lout

I'm afraid it isn't. Instead of one of those Magic Fix CDs you thought about, have a look on e-Bay for an XP CD. There's usually a con-merchant on there with a disk for sale they tell you will install and activate which, of course, it won't, but it will do the trick for your Repair option purposes. I have a couple in my office which are no more than coasters because the systems are in use elsewhere and there must be thousands lying around somewhere. Call your local PC Fixer and make it clear you know what you're doing and just want to borrow a disk for this purpose only - can he help? They are usually a helpful bunch of kind, intelligent people who do what they can to assist.

Oh dear this is turning into a bit of a nightmare just to get hold of the XP cd to even get me to the trying to fix it stage! Its what I was searching for initially on ebay but only returned the 'fixer' type products but I will look again. Still hoping the friend I contacted yesterday might come up with the goods although I won't hold my breath! Contacting a local 'PC Fixer' seems to be the way to go if I don't manage to get the cd from anyone else. Thanks for your help.

[chels15]

I'm back again ! There is an XP disc for sale on ebay (well i've found loads but i'm trying to buy one as cheap as poss), the description says its only for Acer pcs but am I right in thinking that I should still be able to use this to run the repair on my Dell?

[Saga Lout]

I can't be sure on that one but I used a Dell one yesterday and it wasn't a recovery disk, merely a Dell badged "proper" XP CD which I used to reinstall on to a completely clean hard disk. It had no drivers for the hardware and didn't pause to ask for a Product Key. Seems it's all right for some companies to hack their own Windows OS disks but not for others. I suspect money may have changed hands. Is there not a Dell disk on there somewhere?

[chels15]

As I had read many times on various forums suggesting borrowing an XP cd and that any XP cd will do and that hopefully it will only be a case of me copying the missing/corrupt file rather than fully reinstalling the software, i'd assumed that any branded cd would do the job but maybe that's not the case. Maybe i'll not risk it then, it's just that it looks like I would have been able to get the Acer cd cheaper than the others that are being sold on ebay which end up at around £30.00+ which is alot of money to me at the moment, oh well it looks like I will have to pay around that amount and if it sorts my desktop pc out and brings it back to life again it will be worth it!