Computer Help

[Trevlac]

If WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM is missing then you are screwed.  That file, along with the WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSAM file will allow someone to use something like SamInside to create a password hash file that Cain and Abel can brute force or dictionary attack.

If you were playing Diablo II, what happened is that someone did something to you, no joke.  Because that "system" file is in CONSTANT use by Windows.  Windows would never let a program on your machine try to delete it.  But someone else with Linux or maybe a script kiddie with Windows could have done it.  They possible booted to Linux and got on your hard drive then did:

bkhive /mnt/hda1/WINDOWS/system32/config/system key.txt

samdump2 /mnt/hda1/WINDOWS/system32/config/SAM key.txt > pass.txt

touch hash.md5

md5sum pass.txt > hash.md5

md5sum -c hash.md5

rm /mnt/hda1/WINDOWS/system32/config/system
rm /mnt/hda1/WINDOWS/system32/config/SAM

REBOOT in Windows
open Cain
add pass.txt to the "cracker" list
run a dictinary or bute-force against it
remotely log in to your administrator account on your computer

What that would do is, take the hash from every password  on your machine (windows uses md5 encryption) and he'd be able to break it (eventually) and basicly hack you to peices.

I had to do this at Oklahoma State University yesterday.  The Cyber Security Invitational (CSI) was a state competition for Cyber Security and Forensics.  In the forensics, we had to do get in to the admin account on a machine with only a linux live boot.  After the whole competition, I won 1st place.  I need to take a pic of my medal...

NOW, to protect against this, ONLY play games like D2 where everyone in a wnnabe hacker os a script kiddie, you have to MAKE SURE you have a firewall, and I seriously reccomend getting a Netgear or Linksys router.

[charaman]

Originally posted by Trevlac
n the forensics, we had to do get in to the admin account on a machine with only a linux live boot.  After the whole competition, I won 1st place.  I need to take a pic of my medal...

I wish you were at my house a week ago. I atempted to do it, but failed. Lost a lot of info because I needed to reformat.

[~*Sweet Ichifo*~]

Good thing the only game I play on my computer is Pac-Man..O_o.

[DragonBlaze]

Originally posted by ~*Sweet Ichifo*~
Good thing the only game I play on my computer is Pac-Man..O_o.

Pac-Man   Thats the worst of all, if you lose, those damn ghosts get into your system and start eating all your files.

[X_marks_the_ed]

...and I was thinking of buying diablo II...

I guess I won't now, knowing players can do that kind of stuff.

*Holds 3 hours of ripped kirby sprites up close.*

Off-topic: 900th post, w00t!!

[Robotam]

Razor is screwed, huh?  I wish I could see his face when he sees this.

[X_marks_the_ed]

I don't think he is. A similar problem happened to me and I got out fine. But, I have windows 98, so...  I'm not sure.

[Robotam]

In any case... Please, Trevlac.. change the thread description to "Razor , you're screwed.". `XD

[Osmose]

According to this and   this , you are not, as Trevlac says, screwed.

It's okay, Trevlac. We still think you're cool. We'd just appreciate it if you didn't try to brag without checking the facts. Just because you've used Linux doesn't mean you're a god.

[Razor]

Well, too late.
I've gone and reinstalled XP over the old one

I'm going to have all my old stuff, however I will have to reinstall everything if I want to use it, and may have to reinstall my drivers too.

Setup will complete in approximately: 34 minutes.

Woo!

[charaman]

Originally posted by Osmose
According to this and   this , you are not, as Trevlac says, screwed.

It's okay, Trevlac. We still think you're cool. We'd just appreciate it if you didn't try to brag without checking the facts. Just because you've used Linux doesn't mean you're a god.

some cordiality never hurt anyone.

[Almeidaboo]

Originally posted by Razor
Well, too late.
I've gone and reinstalled XP over the old one

I'm going to have all my old stuff, however I will have to reinstall everything if I want to use it, and may have to reinstall my drivers too.

Setup will complete in approximately: 34 minutes.

Woo!

Make a backup man...MAKE A BACKUP!!!

[Big_Duke]

Originally posted by DragonBlaze

quote:

Originally posted by ~*Sweet Ichifo*~ Good thing the only game I play on my computer is Pac-Man..O_o.

Pac-Man   Thats the worst of all, if you lose, those damn ghosts get into your system and start eating all your files.

MAYBE EVEN PAC-MAN HIMSELF!

[Trevlac]

Originally posted by Osmose
According to this and   this , you are not, as Trevlac says, screwed.

It's okay, Trevlac. We still think you're cool. We'd just appreciate it if you didn't try to brag without checking the facts. Just because you've used Linux doesn't mean you're a god.

That article just states the obvious.  If someone doesn't have a backup, and doesn't boot from a backup, then yeah, they really ARE screwed.  I wouldn't assume Razor is a dumbass enough not to think of that.

[Osmose]

 

The first time you see the option to "Repair" XP, it's through the "Recovery Console", which is an advanced "command line" function. Skip that, continue to install XP as you normally would with a fresh install, you will get the "Repair" option again, this is the time to choose "Repair".

It will install XP over top of itself, re-writing all the XP/Windoze files, but leave your games/files/programs intact.

It takes as long as a regular install of XP, but you don't lose all your programs/files/etal.

this problem occurs when you try to update drivers in the computer..sometimes windows XP cannot update the driver and that corrupts system.ini file as it has a lot of bad entries..Due to this you will get this error mesage..No its not due to virus.its due to an attempt to change system.ini file

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM

That means the System Registry Hive has become corrupted.

There are two ways to get back up and running. The easy way which doesn't always work, and then there is the hard way.

Easy Way --- Note that this doesn't always work.
When you are booting your system, press the F8 key during the start of the bootup sequence, meaning after it does the Power On Self Test.

Once you press the F8 key, you will be taken to a Menu. Select "Boot Using Last Known Good Configuration".

It will now attempt to load Windows XP using a past set of configuration files.

If that doesn't work, there is the next step....the hard way.

Hard Way
Boot your system with the Windows XP Install CD, let the system boot into the Setup. Once in the Setup, choose to run the Recovery Console.

You will now be presented with a screen similar to good old DOS.

First, we will recover the System Hive.

Now, type in the following commands with pressing Enter after each line.

md tmp
copy C:windowssystem32configsystem C:windowstmpsystem.bak
delete C:windowssystem32configsystem
copy C:windowsrepairsystem C:windowssystem32configsystem

Be very careful when you are typing in these commands, one wrong move, and you have, broken Windows XP.

Also, change the C in the commands to whatever your Windows XP drive letter is.

Attempt to boot the system, if it doesn't boot, get back into the Recovery Console and do the following commands.

md tmp
copy C:windowssystem32configsoftware C:windowstmpsoftware.bak
delete C:windowssystem32configsoftware
copy C:windowsrepairsoftware C:windowssystem32configsoftware

Did you even READ these "articles"? They're forum threads, for one. And you can still fix it without a backup that you made yourself because windows does it automatically.

I'd still love to see the picture of your medal, though.