Reinstalling Windows XP

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

First of all, did this pc come with a full XP CD, or only a System Recovery CD?
Is this pc currently on XP Service Pack 2? Are you at least able to login to Windows? What can you get from HP?

Turn off "reboot on error" setting for Windows.

Go to My Computer icon, do a right-click, then select Properties. Select the "Advanced" TAB and in the Startup and Recovery section (3rd block, near bottom) click the "Settings" button.
At System Failure block, "Un-check" the "Automatically restart" line. Apply change, make clean exit.

This will prevent a "reboot on error", and will also show (when you have Windows exception) the error code and its description.

IF a STOP error occurs, write down its number and complete description and follow up on fixes.

If Normal mode of Windows is still "re-booting" itself, reboot pc & tap the F8 Function key to select SAFE Mode, then do steps above.

See Aumha.org's knowledge base on stop errors and keep it handy
http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.php


Next, take a look at the system's Event Log:
Select Start button/ select Run , then type in

eventvwr.msc<enter>
-- or Go to Control Panel / Performance and Maintenance/Administrative Tools >Event Viewer.

Review the sections and look for Errors or Warnings that match the time the event occurred. Double click---the information "may" give a clue.
--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----


"Eamonn" wrote
>I have had problems with Windows crashing. The last time this happened I was
> unable to restart my computer and had to take it to a tech. He couldn't start
> it either until he installed Windows over Windows.
>
> He advised that we clean the drive completely and reinstall Windows I didn't
> let him do that because some of the software I have on my computer are
> upgrades and oviously can't be reinstalled from the upgrade disks if nothing
> is on the hard drive except Windows. This computer was a floor model and the
> store told me that the software was preloaded and no disks were with the
> computer when they opened the box. Is there any way that I can accomplish
> what I want without having to purchase a bunch of software that I don't want.
> HP will sell me a copy of the original software disk for a reasonable price,
> but the MS disk I would have to get elswhere and I would need that to
> reinstall Office.
>
> There is a possibility that I have a disk from an older computer that ran
> Windows 95. Even if I can find the 95 disk, I'm not sure I can use it?
>
> I appreciate any information you can give me.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Eamonn

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

....Personally, I think whoever sold you that PC without a restore disc or a
full install of Windows did you no favor; they probably did what another
major computer retailer did to me a long time ago.. Re-sold an HP computer I
had returned to the store as a lemon, they re-sold it to someone else
without checking it out; that person called me and asked about
it...Nevertheless, the only stabile way to do this is to buy a retail OS of
XP and invest in another disc with Micrososft Office. This way you start
fresh and clean and will always be able to re-install if necessary, (without
these kinds of problems).. Just my opinion....
You could use Open Office Suite (non-Microsoft) its free online....
"Eamonn" <Eamonn@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:EE68A15B-21E7-4811-AD9D-B31DD51A043D@microsoft.com...
> I have had problems with Windows crashing. The last time this happened I
was
> unable to restart my computer and had to take it to a tech. He couldn't
start
> it either until he installed Windows over Windows.
>
> He advised that we clean the drive completely and reinstall Windows I
didn't
> let him do that because some of the software I have on my computer are
> upgrades and oviously can't be reinstalled from the upgrade disks if
nothing
> is on the hard drive except Windows. This computer was a floor model and
the
> store told me that the software was preloaded and no disks were with the
> computer when they opened the box. Is there any way that I can accomplish
> what I want without having to purchase a bunch of software that I don't
want.
> HP will sell me a copy of the original software disk for a reasonable
price,
> but the MS disk I would have to get elswhere and I would need that to
> reinstall Office.
>
> There is a possibility that I have a disk from an older computer that ran
> Windows 95. Even if I can find the 95 disk, I'm not sure I can use it?
>
> I appreciate any information you can give me.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Eamonn

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Don't count on your '95 disk to work with XP.
You had to know that when you bought your system, you were only really
getting hardware. Fortunately, HP can still provide you with recovery disks.
You have not exactly stated what condition your system is in after Windows
was "installed over Windows." It sounds like a repair install, but in that
case, I wonder how activation was handled.
In any case, do you have a working computer at this time, or not?
If you do, you are lucky, and if you ever do have to clean-install XP, at
that point you will have to kiss your MS applications goodby.

Eamonn wrote:
> I have had problems with Windows crashing. The last time this
> happened I was unable to restart my computer and had to take it to a
> tech. He couldn't start it either until he installed Windows over
> Windows.
>
> He advised that we clean the drive completely and reinstall Windows I
> didn't let him do that because some of the software I have on my
> computer are upgrades and oviously can't be reinstalled from the
> upgrade disks if nothing is on the hard drive except Windows. This
> computer was a floor model and the store told me that the software
> was preloaded and no disks were with the computer when they opened
> the box. Is there any way that I can accomplish what I want without
> having to purchase a bunch of software that I don't want. HP will
> sell me a copy of the original software disk for a reasonable price,
> but the MS disk I would have to get elswhere and I would need that to
> reinstall Office.
>
> There is a possibility that I have a disk from an older computer that
> ran Windows 95. Even if I can find the 95 disk, I'm not sure I can
> use it?
>
> I appreciate any information you can give me.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Eamonn

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

He already stated he has no disc of any kind....
"Maurice N ~ MVP" <maurice@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:e$awZQnWFHA.712@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
First of all, did this pc come with a full XP CD, or only a System Recovery
CD?
Is this pc currently on XP Service Pack 2? Are you at least able to login
to Windows? What can you get from HP?

Turn off "reboot on error" setting for Windows.

Go to My Computer icon, do a right-click, then select Properties. Select the
"Advanced" TAB and in the Startup and Recovery section (3rd block, near
bottom) click the "Settings" button.
At System Failure block, "Un-check" the "Automatically restart" line. Apply
change, make clean exit.

This will prevent a "reboot on error", and will also show (when you have
Windows exception) the error code and its description.

IF a STOP error occurs, write down its number and complete description and
follow up on fixes.

If Normal mode of Windows is still "re-booting" itself, reboot pc & tap the
F8 Function key to select SAFE Mode, then do steps above.

See Aumha.org's knowledge base on stop errors and keep it handy
http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.php


Next, take a look at the system's Event Log:
Select Start button/ select Run , then type in

eventvwr.msc<enter>
-- or Go to Control Panel / Performance and Maintenance/Administrative
Tools >Event Viewer.

Review the sections and look for Errors or Warnings that match the time
the event occurred. Double click---the information "may" give a clue.
--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----


"Eamonn" wrote
>I have had problems with Windows crashing. The last time this happened I
was
> unable to restart my computer and had to take it to a tech. He couldn't
start
> it either until he installed Windows over Windows.
>
> He advised that we clean the drive completely and reinstall Windows I
didn't
> let him do that because some of the software I have on my computer are
> upgrades and oviously can't be reinstalled from the upgrade disks if
nothing
> is on the hard drive except Windows. This computer was a floor model and
the
> store told me that the software was preloaded and no disks were with the
> computer when they opened the box. Is there any way that I can accomplish
> what I want without having to purchase a bunch of software that I don't
want.
> HP will sell me a copy of the original software disk for a reasonable
price,
> but the MS disk I would have to get elswhere and I would need that to
> reinstall Office.
>
> There is a possibility that I have a disk from an older computer that ran
> Windows 95. Even if I can find the 95 disk, I'm not sure I can use it?
>
> I appreciate any information you can give me.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Eamonn