is missing or corrupt. This is my aunts computer, & I have searching the boards for hours. I have seen the comments pointing to this page...http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307545 I have tried this, & I got this message: c:\md temp access is denied. I then typed dir & it says...An error occurred during directory enumeration. ?? Ok, the "deal" is...she did a Norton Live Update, came back to the comp, & it was saying Windows is shutting down to avoid further damage or something? Is this a boot sector virus??? The other major problem is... she has no XP cd. The place she got the computer from (IBM) has an option to press F11 to enter their screen & you have ONLY the option to have it reformat & reset everything to factory settings, or do diagnostics. She has lots of info (pics) that are not backed up that she doesn't want to lose. Is reformatting the only option here, & if so, what's the best data recovery software that someone can suggest? Sorry this is so long, I am exasperated. I have no real info on this computer besides the OS because I can't even load it into safe mode. :'( Someone? Anyone...? Please? Thx!! J.

Well... Without the XP CD, there isn't a whole lot you can do in this case, unfortunately. Best backup program...that depends really. Does the computer have a CD-RW drive? Also, how much data (spacewise) needs to be backed up? -=Bryan=-

Just to clarify...by saying "Without the XP CD, there isn't a whole lot you can do in this case, unfortunately." ... I meant it's looks like your going to have to do the format/system restore, more than likely. -=Bryan=-

If the hard drive is loaded with fat32, you can start in dos, and try coping the files. Im not sure about the directory problem, but one method might be to zip or rar the problem folder, then peice it back out from the rar or zip. (Im guessing, to many files in the directory ??) If the drive is loaded as NTFS,, well,, Im not exactly sure Just trying to help

Yes there is a cdrw drive...The funny (not really) thing is, I've never really seen this computer until now, so I've never seen where anything is on it, I'm not even sure whether or not she knows where all her stuff is enough for me to try & get it in Dos...plus I'm a Dos idiot! : ) I think I'm gonna go with the f11 thing, & try & get the stuff back with a restorer program. Just waiting for her to call back. I'm just thinking that the whole no software thing is really ridiculous. She said she called just after she got the computer, & they said "everything you need is on the computer!" Yeah, everything she needed THEN...blah. Anyway, thanks guys! Any other idea, just let me know she'll be back in about an hour.