Here is my timeline:

I uninstall a wireless driver. (May not be important)

Later, I realize that my box can't find my sound driver

I do a force shutdown (Why yes, I am an idiot)

Boot up with GRUB on a Linux cd so that I can boot my windows drive (Yes I do have a corrupted MBR, because I installed grub and Windows tries to fix it and ends up corrupting it in the end, but I have always been able to boot in this manner).

I get an error about not being able to boot because of pci.sys in drivers folder is corrupt, missing etc.

I boot from WINXP install/recovery cd and extract pci.sy_ to create it. Reboot.

I get an error about not being able to boot because of isapnp.sys corrupt, missing etc.

I boot from WINXP install/recovery cd and extract isapnp.sy_ to create it. Reboot.

I get an error about not being able to boot because of ntfs.sys corrupt, missing etc.

I boot from WINXP install/recovery cd, but i can't extract ntfs.sy_, so I copy ntfs.sys. And I overwrite. Reboot.

I get an error about not being able to boot because of ntfs.sys corrupt, missing ect. again.


I know that I need to reinstall my windows again, and I was trying to get around to it before this happened. I just don't want to do it now because I have programs that I don't have the serials to any more (No they are not pirated.)

Here is what I have thought about doing:

1. DD the entire hd to my external. Reinstall and mount the dd as a drive and move everything over. (Doesn't help with serials)

2. DD the hd, reinstall, copy the drivers folder. Rewrite the original hd (file.img) to the hd (hda1). (Serials ok)

I know that I need to reinstall if my sound drivers are gone, but I just need to access xp to recover the serials.

My details:

Windows XP Tablet Edition

Toshiba R15-S829

Dual booted with Linux. (hda2 is /boot, hda3 is /, hda4 is swap)

80GB HD

I have the recovery DVD that came with my box that has all the drivers, but it seems as if it only does a reinstall, not a recover, and I’m not willing to proceed past the overwrite warning yet.

I have a WINXP Professional SP2 install/repair cd.

And no, I did not install the recovery console to my comp.

What are you suggestions? I plan on writing an email to Toshiba to see what they think.

Thank you in advance.