XBMC4Xbox

Hello everyone!!! Thank you for reading my thread.

I will explain why I have made this thread and the background details. Hopefully someone with experience or related situation may have a contribution and resolve this issue!!

Windows Vista Home Premium
Gateway M6846 laptop
Phoenix Mobo/bios...?
Missing or corrupt PCI.sys file and cannot boot

The problem

In my days of configuring, "hacking", modifying and just messing around with windows based programs and apps (nothing too advanced)..... I came about to installing one too many changes on the operating system. In short, I am now left with an unbootable system that loops back to the same error screen which identifies the missing or corrupted file PCI.sys.

What do I want to do?

Well I clearly need the laptop to function again and recover the data ...or hopefully not have to lose anything. I don't mind losing the system functionality temporarily but my concern is the data. Eventually I need to fix the OS.

I DO NOT HAVE THE ORIGINAL DISCS. I want to use another method because I don't want to pay $$$ for a new cd installer. I would rather learn how to utilize other tools anyways and learnnnnn!!

Questions:

What is my best method of data recovery? Alternatives?

Which tools can transfer files and view them on NTFS or copy to USB drive simutaneously?

Are there any methods or software to replace the missing file PCI.sys or simply fix all boot up errors without the retail cd? ( there has to be...)

Thank you everyone in advance!!!

You just need a recovery disc, assuming you have another computer with vista on it and both have optical disc drives do this http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14182 ... -disc.html. It only costs the price of a blank CD/DVD

asbo wrote:You just need a recovery disc, assuming you have another computer with vista on it and both have optical disc drives do this http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14182 ... -disc.html. It only costs the price of a blank CD/DVD

What if the other computer is not the same brand. Like a sony.. And mine being gateway...?

That doesn't matter, as long they're both vista

Thank you! I'll try when I get a chance next couple days wish me luck.

Hi, you could try a Linux boot disc something like Ubuntu for instance. This would alow you to start the PC up from the CD/DVD and copy your data to an external hard drive or USB pen. Then when you have all your data backed up re-install windows.

I did this with my sisters laptop a while ago, the hard drive was corrupt and windows would not start. But using the Linux disc, enabled me to copy 90% of her photos to an external hard drive. It took a long time as reading the hard drive was very slow
Once done I replaced the hard drive with a new one, re-installed windows, then copied all her data back to the new drive.

As long as you have the product key, mosty likely on the bottom of the laptop or inside the battery compartment, re-installing windows should not be a problem.

Please be aware though it has to be like for like ie: windows vista home 64bit to windows vista home 64bit. What I mean is you could not install windows vista professional 32bit if your product key is windows vista home 64bit.

Great ideas and info.... But please keep in mind I have no way to resinstall OS since no disc for that.

Also, wouldn't a sata to USB cable work too??

I found the disc!!!!!! So will a data cable work to USB?? Because I'm not sure how to use Ubuntu to do that

Its quite easy to use ubuntu, if you burn the iso to a cd you can boot up from it straight away. Once in the OS is quite intuitive and if you plug in a USB stick or similar, it will get mounted automatically and show up just as it would in windows.

if you do find a installer disk what i would do is run "sfc / scannow" from command prompt in the recovery mode for a quick fix.

you basically open up a command prompt log onto the windows install with a user name and password if it has one and run "sfc / scannow" it will replace any corrupt windows files with fresh copies from installer cache or dvd.

I did a hp laplap the other day and it had a d2d recovery that was not data destructive it moved the data onto the root of c drive and reinstalled the os most oem computers come with a d2d recovery you could do that ?

you could try a d2d recovery if your laplap has this option and it is not data destructive ?

Thanks ! I'll try to do this later of I can figure it out