Hello all, first time on this forum.
I am a desktop support tech, and it doesn't happen often at my job (and when it does, it's usually easier to slave the HDD and just back the data up), but sometimes we get a PC that can't boot because a system file is either corrupt or has been deleted. We've often tried instructions from the internet about using the OS disk to copy the files, etc, but it hardly ever works out.
I've found a lot of utilities that if your computer doesn't boot, you can use the utility as a boot disk to recover data from the unbootable HDD and move it to another drive (like an external HDD, etc.). But I haven't seen one that specializes in recovering/restoring system files. Do you know of such a utility? Even better, is there one that recovers data and can recover/restore system files so the PC can boot?
The reason that this has become an issue is because more of the high level users in my firm are working from home more and are requesting us to fix their home PCs. Since it's not the firm's computer, slaving the drive, backing the data and reimaging the computer (or replacing with a standby computer) isn't an option. And traveling with a desktop so we can slave the bad drive is difficult if we have to travel by subway cause the user wants us out there now. Also, a lot of the time, the user has already thrown away their OEM OS disk and the firm doesn't want to have to pay for an additional OS license. To sum it up, it would be best for everybody involved if we are able to travel light, CDs, external storage device, etc., get to our destination, get the PC to boot, run some virus/malware scans, degrag all of that good stuff and walk away.
If you know of such a utility or have any advice on best ways to deal with this problem, it would be greatly appreciated it. Recovery console from XP works for us maybe 20% of the time, but a lot of the users have older OS for their home computers.
Thanks.
I am a desktop support tech, and it doesn't happen often at my job (and when it does, it's usually easier to slave the HDD and just back the data up), but sometimes we get a PC that can't boot because a system file is either corrupt or has been deleted. We've often tried instructions from the internet about using the OS disk to copy the files, etc, but it hardly ever works out.
I've found a lot of utilities that if your computer doesn't boot, you can use the utility as a boot disk to recover data from the unbootable HDD and move it to another drive (like an external HDD, etc.). But I haven't seen one that specializes in recovering/restoring system files. Do you know of such a utility? Even better, is there one that recovers data and can recover/restore system files so the PC can boot?
The reason that this has become an issue is because more of the high level users in my firm are working from home more and are requesting us to fix their home PCs. Since it's not the firm's computer, slaving the drive, backing the data and reimaging the computer (or replacing with a standby computer) isn't an option. And traveling with a desktop so we can slave the bad drive is difficult if we have to travel by subway cause the user wants us out there now. Also, a lot of the time, the user has already thrown away their OEM OS disk and the firm doesn't want to have to pay for an additional OS license. To sum it up, it would be best for everybody involved if we are able to travel light, CDs, external storage device, etc., get to our destination, get the PC to boot, run some virus/malware scans, degrag all of that good stuff and walk away.
If you know of such a utility or have any advice on best ways to deal with this problem, it would be greatly appreciated it. Recovery console from XP works for us maybe 20% of the time, but a lot of the users have older OS for their home computers.
Thanks.