yiotta Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 So, here is the scenario, I purchased a new DVD burner from an online vendor so I could back up my 5 years worth of digital photos onto DVDs. Well, I did not get any burner software with it, so I went onto Download.com and downloaded/installed "DVD Power Burner 2.7.1.13" because the CNET Editors reviews were 5 stars, I didn't bother to read the user reviews. Well, I didn't like it, so after about a half hour I used windows to remove the program. Upon reboot I knew I was screwed, it would not even boot windows in safe mode. I switched my 2 HDDs' master/slave configuration and booted under my other HDD. I checked my other drive and all my data/etc is still there, whew. I then went back to Download.com and read the user reviews, wish I would have done this first, here is what I read: Cons: Website has NO support, faqs, forums, or anything. Installed it on our company server so users could evaluate it and it could not see any of our "top of the line" DVD drives so I uninstalled it. It destroyed the registery, corrupted MANY system files, and flagged as a Virus. Server was trashed. 3 days later after a complete rebuild by our IT dept. we were back in business at a loss of Thousands of dollars in lost business. The choice is yours if you want to download this "Bomb"! Cons: Did they ever test uninstall?? After 3weeks of trials(limited use), I tried to uninstall(via cntrol panel->add/remove programs). It progressed and asked me restrat. I clicked 'yes' - big mistake! It corrupted registry, system files...big mess..system never came up. weeks wasted. I had to reinstall the OS. Luckily I could retrieve my data. Stay away. If you must use it, dont try uninstall!(Let it lie). Cons: At first everything seemed fine, but I got an alert from my anti-virus about 2 weeks after downloading the software. It says "Trojan horse BackDoor.Agent.PL" in dvdpowerburner.exe. So, I really FUBAR'd that one, first time I have ever got a bad program from Download.com, and I have used them on and off for the past 10 years... got lazy and didn't bother to scan the program before I installed it... stupid stupid stupid. Anyway, enough self abuse.... now what? Is there a way to repair that windows xp install on the "temporarily" slave HDD? I did try to boot up on the WinXP CD and was able to get there, but after I chose "repair" it asked for my admin password, I have no idea what that is and tried a few of my passwords with no luck. I don't ever remember giving XP a password when I installed it. So, that failed.... Should I manually remove windows from the HDD and then try a fresh install or is there an easier faster way to get this fixed? Thanks gang, you have always been helpful and I hope you can help out here. Sincerely, Stupid Stupid Stupid in Seattle..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BionicSniper Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 after you put in the xp cd. get to the part where it asks if you want to repair the install or format Im thinking you went into the repair console which i can never get to work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkster Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 Are you sure you didn't try to use the recovery console?? Repairing Windows installation DOES NOT require a password. Boot from the CD one more time and make sure you don't press R in the beginning for the "Recovery Console". Good luck with this and I'm sorry for the lost (Damm Windows) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yiotta Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 (edited) Are you sure you didn't try to use the recovery console?? Repairing Windows installation DOES NOT require a password. Boot from the CD one more time and make sure you don't press R in the beginning for the "Recovery Console". Thanks for the replies, yes I did press "R", I thought that was the prompt for repair... what should I have done? Edited January 3, 2006 by yiotta Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
godmode117 Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 if that stuff doesnt work just try and hit enter when promted for a password. idk im just taking a shot in the dark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yiotta Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 if that stuff doesnt work just try and hit enter when promted for a password. LOL, well, I had tried that initially and it didn't work... HELP PLEASE!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 when it boots to the cd, just let it go then it will say Repair windows. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flareback Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 wow, that sucks man. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkster Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 (edited) Ok, keep clicking next, next (F8 for EULA).. Pretend you're going to install windows again.. On the partitioning part, it's going to to DETECT a Windows Installation, regardless if it's corrupted it's going to detect it. You're then going to see an option "If you would like to repair the installation, press R" Before we go ANY further, Can I ask what comes up when you first boot WITHOUT the cd??? NTLDR missing??? Invalid System Disk?? Please answer that for me ASAP. I can assist you step by step. Edited January 3, 2006 by silkster Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire_storm Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 Man that sucks. Try installing windows on another hard drive and then just take the picture off the old hard drive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yiotta Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 Ok, keep clicking next, next (F8 for EULA).. Pretend you're going to install windows again.. On the partitioning part, it's going to to DETECT a Windows Installation, regardless if it's corrupted it's going to detect it. You're then going to see an option "If you would like to repair the installation, press R" Thanks, when I get to this point it finds 2 installations of Windows XP, one on each HDD, at that point I selected "1" to choose the installation on the affected HDD. I then typed "R" for repair and it asked for my admin password, which I don't know. Before we go ANY further, Can I ask what comes up when you first boot WITHOUT the cd??? NTLDR missing??? Invalid System Disk?? Please answer that for me ASAP. Well, that computer is at home and I am at my office, and I don't remember what it said, but it basically got itself to the "start in safe mode" screen and would just keep retrying if I left it alone.... I tried to choose safe mode, same problem, tried to select last working configuration, same problem.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sYstEmATiC Posted January 3, 2006 Posted January 3, 2006 (edited) EDIT* nm, firefox messed up and didnt show 5 post that happened over an hour ago. Edited January 3, 2006 by sYstEmATiC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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