# Server 2003 wont boot



## philharris433 (Apr 24, 2009)

Hi Im having a problem with our school dc server running 2003 os. It gets to the logo screen on boot up and then just goes black. You have to manually switch it off to start it up again. But it never gets past this part. I have tried running a checkdisk and also a repair off the windows cd but neither has solved the problem. I have now put another hard drive in and installed a fresh copy onto this which works fine. However I need to some how repair the other version of 2003 as all the settings are on this. Can anyone help? Once I boot up in the secondary install I can see all of the initial information on the other hard drive, but is their anything I can do to get it to boot?

Thanks in advance


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## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

Did you try last known good config? Also did you try safe mode?


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## philharris433 (Apr 24, 2009)

Hi, yes tried both of them and neither will load! Cant get into safe mode.


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## silverfroi (Apr 25, 2008)

You need to attached the hard drive to another working HDD and copy the SYSTEM,SOFTWARE,DEFAULT,SAM,SECURITY from the System Volume Information folder to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Config folder.


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## philharris433 (Apr 24, 2009)

Where is the System Volume Information folder? Is this to enable me to boot into safe mode?


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## philharris433 (Apr 24, 2009)

Ok found it but I cant see a any of the files you have mentioned


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## silverfroi (Apr 25, 2008)

OK. Here is the easier way. Under WINDOWS folder, you should see REPAIR folder, copy those files I mentioned to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Config folder.


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## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

I would also think about making a backup image of the HDD and then doing a repair install of Server 2003.

BTW this is a huge list but a nicely written artical on the options you have - alot of the top part can be ignored since you can't boot the OS.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325375


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## insightcomputing (Apr 29, 2009)

I hope you have your AD backed up.


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## srhoades (May 15, 2003)

silverfroi said:


> OK. Here is the easier way. Under WINDOWS folder, you should see REPAIR folder, copy those files I mentioned to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Config folder.


You only do that if there is no other option and you need the server to boot with the original registry when the system was installed. Any changes made since the original install will be lost. I would advise doing this as a last ditch effort only.


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