Missing file %hs, cannot boot to safe mode even

[shipwreckman]

Hello, recently I had trouble with my PC freezing up (I left it for hours, often it was disk thrashing but inevitably I had to hit reset).

As a result it forced a chkdisk the next time I rebooted which found many inconsistencies and problems. However it then could not boot and would BSOD with message 'missing file %hs' (sorry I didn't note any error code).

It did the startup recovery, but that didn't work, so now I can't even boot to safe mode.

I currently have the drive in a caddy hooked up to my laptop, so I can access it fine.

I also have my system backed up to CrashPlan.

I looked for a Minidump (.dmp), but the newest one is from 7 months ago.


From what I've read here, it looks like one of my Windows files is corrupt/missing, but is there a way to find out which?


If I cannot find out which, I could download my Windows folder from CrashPlan (45GB) and copy it over, but this scares me a little (the last time I had to recover from a backup it was 2001 and I was using backup CDs and it didn't work properly at all due to 'read-only' attributes being left on every file I copied back). If I copy files back from CrashPlan, will they have correct attributes (eg permission attributes)?

CrashPlan say that they are not really meant for OS recovery, just your personal files... (they state this on a page where people are asking about it's process never quite completing).

EDIT: I tried a system restore (from yesterday's restore point) and it failed. Other restore points are quite old and prefer not to use them.

Thanks in advance

 

[BorisTheAnimal]

Hello shipwreckman and welcome to Sevenforums!

Have you tried pressing F8 upon booting and selecting the "Last known good configuration" option?

Cheers /Boris

 

[shipwreckman]

Thanks Boris, but it didn't help. I think things are worse than just messed up config, because today I tried to access my \users\jim\ folder from the drive (connected to my laptop) and it said there was nothing there.

I've ordered a replacement drive, and my intention is to clone the old drive on to it, then restore all system files and user files from crashplan to the drive, hopefully that'll put me back where I was before, without having to hunt down everything I've ever installed...

New drive will be here Friday.

Jim

 

[BorisTheAnimal]

Hi Jim.

Alright well just keep us updated and if you need help don't be afraid to ask for it.

/Boris