Repairing Windows ME Help!

Shadow_419 · 03-02-2006, 12:53 PM

A friend of mine has a computer at his store running windows me. It got infected by trojans which completely wrecked his windows. He decided to upgrade but he needs one of his apps from the old system. The problem is he lost the install disk. Any way to repair the win me install? I've never worked with win me so I'm a little lost. I cant boot to safe mode, all I can do succesfully is get a command prompt. Please help if you can thanks

**pointreyes** · 03-02-2006, 03:21 PM

Well since the ME disc is missing, about the only legal way to do it would be to starting bidding:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...d&cate gory0=

**specmike** · 03-02-2006, 07:07 PM

In all honesty, and IMO, the best way to repair ME is to remove it from the planet and abolish all memory of it.

Since your buddy is using his puter for business, I would suggest installing WIN XP as a clean install. If you need to preserve data on the infected drive you can do a backup of the current drive and then install XP. Or, you could even buy a new HD, install XP, then use the computer to clean the infected drive. After it's clean, you can use it as a data drive.

There are lots of options but, you will spend more time, money, effort, and Tylenol trying to clean up an infected ME OS. If he is not networked, XP Home will do and is only about $90. Pro is usually about $130.

Good luck, Mike.

Shadow_419 · 03-02-2006, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pointreyes

Well since the ME disc is missing, about the only legal way to do it would be to starting bidding:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...d&cate gory0=

Sorry about the mixup, he has the windows me cd, he doesn't have the install disc for the application he needs. All of his inventory and point of sale transactions run off the application. If I could get his windows me to at least boot into safe mode I could rescue the app.

3 of 7 · 03-02-2006, 08:16 PM

boot the machine with Bart PE and suck the data off it that way?

Tapir · 03-02-2006, 09:54 PM

Or plug it in as a spare drive on another pc and remove data. Not sure if you will be able to remove a usable copy of application itself.

John64 · 03-02-2006, 10:17 PM

The only way to fix ME is to format the drive and put a real copy of windows on the computer

3 of 7 · 03-02-2006, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tapir

Or plug it in as a spare drive on another pc and remove data. Not sure if you will be able to remove a usable copy of application itself.

If it's an older stand alone program it might be doable....

sandman55 · 03-03-2006, 01:35 AM

I would do as Tapir suggests first to salvage what data you can and then repair your master boot record its quite easy you do need a boot disk and with ME being similar to win98 I would say a win98 boot disk would do the trick:

Edit: the following is with the hard drive back in its home computer.

Your bios has to be set to boot from floppy first
(If you dont know how try the next step and if you get there your ok if not post back for help)

insert the boot disk and when you get to the A: prompt type
fdisk /mbr (note the space between the k and / )

EDIT: I'm going to have to proof read my posts where I said Insert the boot disk I mean insert it and then boot up with it in.

this will copy a good Master Boot Record from the floppy to your computer hopefully you will be able to boot after this if not post back you will need to do a repair install.

once you can boot again you may still have some corrupt files so if you then hit start run then type sfc hit enter then system file checker will run you will need your win ME disk and follow what it asks ( it will ask if you want to backup whats there which is a good Idea though Ive never had to retrieve any of these backups and when it finds corrupt files it will replace them from the ME disk)

Good luck you can never be 100% sure of a computer that has been corrupted with a virus post back if you dont have a boot disk they are easy to make from a win98 or winME computer you can even get them from the net though Ive never used one from the net.

Monkey Hanger · 03-03-2006, 04:11 AM

Well, here's what I did recently to recover a 98 system.

I took the hard drive out and slaved it onto an XP machine.
Copied eveything to a folder on the XP machine.
Ran Spybot, AdAware and a virus checker against the slave and cleaned it up.
Put the drive back into the machine.
Installed the OS "over the top".
Booted and then installed a good virus checker and firewall.
Downloaded & installed all OS updates etc!

And it all worked OK!

Then deleted the copy on the XP machine.

Mind you, for a guy that has mission critcal software on a machine without adequate security and data backups AND has "lost" software issue disks, he really oughta get himself someone computer savvy!

Shadow_419 · 03-03-2006, 06:47 AM

Thanks for al the suggestions. I'll try to work on it this weekend.

surfandcross · 03-03-2006, 08:50 AM

Unlike Windows 98 and 98 SE and like Windows 95 OSR2, the Windows Me Setup copies the cab files to the hard disk drive (C:\windows\options\install) and installs Windows from there. Windows will no longer be asking for the Windows CD when you are on the road with your laptop while the CD remains behind in a desk drawer in your office (most annoying). make an win98 boot disk (if possible) and try to repair your install from there.....

Monkey Hanger · 03-03-2006, 12:14 PM

Boot disks are still available from www.bootdisk.com!

Shadow_419 · 03-05-2006, 03:41 PM

Well I gave up trying to repair windows me. A little frustrating to say the least. My friend bit the bullet and decided to order the newest version of the software he uses in his shop. Hopfully I'll be able to import the data with his inventory and customer list to the new version. He's running win xp pro from now on. I think he learned his lesson. It was about time he upgraded his system to something built this century

Thanks for trying to help everyone

**specmike** · 03-05-2006, 04:17 PM

At a bare minimum he should go to a HD backup if not a RAID-1 or better setup. No telling how much money and headache he could potentially save himself. Have fun with the new gear.

Mike.

03-02-2006, 12:53 PM	#1
Shadow_419 Sumtin Stnks ! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: South Coast Mass Posts: 1,270	Repairing Windows ME Help! A friend of mine has a computer at his store running windows me. It got infected by trojans which completely wrecked his windows. He decided to upgrade but he needs one of his apps from the old system. The problem is he lost the install disk. Any way to repair the win me install? I've never worked with win me so I'm a little lost. I cant boot to safe mode, all I can do succesfully is get a command prompt. Please help if you can thanks __________________ DFI NF4 Ultra-D Opty 165 @ 2.95 Ghz : Scythe Mine w/ 120mm Yate Loon 2 x 1GB G.Skill DDR500 : Evga 7900GS WD 250 GB sata : Lite-On Dvd-Rw sata Enermax Liberty
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03-02-2006, 03:21 PM	#2
pointreyes The race for quality has no finish line- so technically, it's more like a death march. Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 18,159	Well since the ME disc is missing, about the only legal way to do it would be to starting bidding: http://search.ebay.com/search/search...d&cate gory0= __________________
(Offline)

03-02-2006, 07:07 PM	#3
specmike Yes, Yellowbeard Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Metro Atlanta, GA. Posts: 2,626	In all honesty, and IMO, the best way to repair ME is to remove it from the planet and abolish all memory of it. Since your buddy is using his puter for business, I would suggest installing WIN XP as a clean install. If you need to preserve data on the infected drive you can do a backup of the current drive and then install XP. Or, you could even buy a new HD, install XP, then use the computer to clean the infected drive. After it's clean, you can use it as a data drive. There are lots of options but, you will spend more time, money, effort, and Tylenol trying to clean up an infected ME OS. If he is not networked, XP Home will do and is only about $90. Pro is usually about $130. Good luck, Mike. __________________ CORSAIR TECH SUPPORT
(Offline)

03-02-2006, 08:16 PM	#5
3 of 7 You can run..... Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 4,660	boot the machine with Bart PE and suck the data off it that way? __________________
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03-02-2006, 09:54 PM	#6
Tapir Wisdom Will Always Linger Join Date: May 2004 Location: Belize, The Jewel Posts: 3,016	Or plug it in as a spare drive on another pc and remove data. Not sure if you will be able to remove a usable copy of application itself. __________________ ***************************************************************************************** Knowledge: Either you have it or know where to get it! *************************************************************************************** You need to have the right question to get the right answer. *************************************************************************************** The greatest right any nation can afford its people is the right to be left alone. *************************************************************************************** BIOSTAR - P4M80-M4, P4-2.8E HT, MSI NX6200AX-TD256 DDR, 2X512 PC3200 MICRON DDR 400, HITACHI 80G & SAMSUNG 40G, LITEON 20XDVDR, MOTOROLA SB5100 CABLE MODEM, 56K V92 AGERE FAX MODEM, X TECH OPTICAL MOUSE, AIR COOLED - 5 FANS, UBUNTU HARDY HERON (8.04) *****************************************************************************************
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03-02-2006, 10:17 PM	#7
John64 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 4,449	The only way to fix ME is to format the drive and put a real copy of windows on the computer __________________
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03-03-2006, 01:35 AM	#9
sandman55 Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,016	I would do as Tapir suggests first to salvage what data you can and then repair your master boot record its quite easy you do need a boot disk and with ME being similar to win98 I would say a win98 boot disk would do the trick: Edit: the following is with the hard drive back in its home computer. Your bios has to be set to boot from floppy first (If you dont know how try the next step and if you get there your ok if not post back for help) insert the boot disk and when you get to the A: prompt type fdisk /mbr (note the space between the k and / ) EDIT: I'm going to have to proof read my posts where I said Insert the boot disk I mean insert it and then boot up with it in. this will copy a good Master Boot Record from the floppy to your computer hopefully you will be able to boot after this if not post back you will need to do a repair install. once you can boot again you may still have some corrupt files so if you then hit start run then type sfc hit enter then system file checker will run you will need your win ME disk and follow what it asks ( it will ask if you want to backup whats there which is a good Idea though Ive never had to retrieve any of these backups and when it finds corrupt files it will replace them from the ME disk) Good luck you can never be 100% sure of a computer that has been corrupted with a virus post back if you dont have a boot disk they are easy to make from a win98 or winME computer you can even get them from the net though Ive never used one from the net. __________________ Last edited by sandman55 : 03-03-2006 at 06:59 PM.
(Offline)

03-03-2006, 04:11 AM	#10
Monkey Hanger Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 10,590	Well, here's what I did recently to recover a 98 system. I took the hard drive out and slaved it onto an XP machine. Copied eveything to a folder on the XP machine. Ran Spybot, AdAware and a virus checker against the slave and cleaned it up. Put the drive back into the machine. Installed the OS "over the top". Booted and then installed a good virus checker and firewall. Downloaded & installed all OS updates etc! And it all worked OK! Then deleted the copy on the XP machine. Mind you, for a guy that has mission critcal software on a machine without adequate security and data backups AND has "lost" software issue disks, he really oughta get himself someone computer savvy!
(Offline)

03-03-2006, 06:47 AM	#11
Shadow_419 Sumtin Stnks ! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: South Coast Mass Posts: 1,270	Thanks for al the suggestions. I'll try to work on it this weekend. __________________ DFI NF4 Ultra-D Opty 165 @ 2.95 Ghz : Scythe Mine w/ 120mm Yate Loon 2 x 1GB G.Skill DDR500 : Evga 7900GS WD 250 GB sata : Lite-On Dvd-Rw sata Enermax Liberty
(Offline)

03-03-2006, 08:50 AM	#12
surfandcross Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Planet of the Apes Posts: 478	Unlike Windows 98 and 98 SE and like Windows 95 OSR2, the Windows Me Setup copies the cab files to the hard disk drive (C:\windows\options\install) and installs Windows from there. Windows will no longer be asking for the Windows CD when you are on the road with your laptop while the CD remains behind in a desk drawer in your office (most annoying). make an win98 boot disk (if possible) and try to repair your install from there.....
(Offline)

03-03-2006, 12:14 PM	#13
Monkey Hanger Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 10,590	Boot disks are still available from www.bootdisk.com!
(Offline)

03-05-2006, 03:41 PM	#14
Shadow_419 Sumtin Stnks ! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: South Coast Mass Posts: 1,270	Well I gave up trying to repair windows me. A little frustrating to say the least. My friend bit the bullet and decided to order the newest version of the software he uses in his shop. Hopfully I'll be able to import the data with his inventory and customer list to the new version. He's running win xp pro from now on. I think he learned his lesson. It was about time he upgraded his system to something built this century Thanks for trying to help everyone __________________ DFI NF4 Ultra-D Opty 165 @ 2.95 Ghz : Scythe Mine w/ 120mm Yate Loon 2 x 1GB G.Skill DDR500 : Evga 7900GS WD 250 GB sata : Lite-On Dvd-Rw sata Enermax Liberty
(Offline)

03-05-2006, 04:17 PM	#15
specmike Yes, Yellowbeard Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Metro Atlanta, GA. Posts: 2,626	At a bare minimum he should go to a HD backup if not a RAID-1 or better setup. No telling how much money and headache he could potentially save himself. Have fun with the new gear. Mike. __________________ CORSAIR TECH SUPPORT
(Offline)

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