Trying to repair Windows XP Pro with Knoppix 3.4

**Graham Nichols** · 05-23-2004, 11:48 AM

My Windows XP Pro won't boot due to a corrupt ntfs.sys file.

I have downloaded and created a Knoppix 3.4 CDROM which boots into Linux fine. However, I cannot delete the

\Windows\system32\drivers\ntfs.sys

file on /dev/hda1 in order to replace it with a fresh file from floppy.

Checking the /dev/hda1 permissions folder I unchecked the Read Only box in the permissions/device tab without success.

How can I delete the file successfuly and copy the new file across from the floppy please?

kind regards,

Graham

**nmcphillips** · 05-23-2004, 01:09 PM

Unless something has changed KNOPPIX can not safely write to a NTFS system.

**coindood** · 05-23-2004, 02:03 PM

On the live cd, go to the K menu, Knoppix, then Utilities. In the final menu is the Captive NTFS program, which after configuration lets you write to and modify NTFS partitions. Just follow the setup procedure, then mount the harddrive, and copy the file! Have Fun!

**bullgoose** · 05-23-2004, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Graham Nichols

My Windows XP Pro won't boot due to a corrupt ntfs.sys file.

I have downloaded and created a Knoppix 3.4 CDROM which boots into Linux fine. However, I cannot delete the

\Windows\system32\drivers\ntfs.sys

file on /dev/hda1 in order to replace it with a fresh file from floppy.

Checking the /dev/hda1 permissions folder I unchecked the Read Only box in the permissions/device tab without success.

How can I delete the file successfuly and copy the new file across from the floppy please?

kind regards,

Graham

Are you the guy from FC? Your problem sounds VERY familiar.

**Graham Nichols** · 05-23-2004, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by coindood

On the live cd, go to the K menu, Knoppix, then Utilities. In the final menu is the Captive NTFS program, which after configuration lets you write to and modify NTFS partitions. Just follow the setup procedure, then mount the harddrive, and copy the file! Have Fun!

Thanks for the suggestion but the Captive NTFS procedure just froze my machine

I re-tried with showing it a fresh ntfs.sys file on the floppy, rather than try and load the existing dodgy hard drive verson but no. Looks like I'm hosed.

**Graham Nichols** · 05-23-2004, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by bullgoose

Are you the guy from FC? Your problem sounds VERY familiar.

I don't know what FC stands for, but my initial posting was my first anywere. Looks like someone else is having the same fun as me. I hope they are doing better than I am right now.

**Durand Hicks** · 05-23-2004, 07:26 PM

The captive-ntfs driver uses the windows ntfs.sys driver to read/write to ntfs partitions. If that file was corrupted in the first place, then captive-ntfs would be using the same corrupted driver. If you have an XP cd lying around, I'd suggest you boot into that cd, and run the repair console to fix it. If the repair console won't allow you to access the system (it should, since it has its own drivers for accessing the ntfs filesystem), your option would most likely be to use any live cd with captive-ntfs built-in, and open a console as root and type:

Code:

captive-acquire

Somewhere in there is a link to download the service pack which contains an updated ntfs.sys driver so you can use that and replace the corrupted ntfs.sys file once captive is working. I normally don't use linux tools to repair windows systems, but there are alternatives out there, i.e..... xp repair console installed on another partition, bart's winpe (bootable live xp cd), and some others I can't think of at the moment. Bart's winpe won't help you now as you need a running xp system to build it in the first place.

HTH,

Durand

**Graham Nichols** · 05-23-2004, 09:15 PM

After a lot of sweating it turned out to be a flakey memory stick. Back to the store tomorrow for that bugger. Still, I found out a little about Knoppix and will learn more as it looks really good.

Many thanks to those who offered possible remedies. Much appreciated guys.

best, Graham