Re-Install XP on the same partition

[sftong]

Hello,

I have my 320GB drive partitioned into C, D and E, with C being Win XP and other programs. Recently, the XP would restart right after welcome screen, and I can only login into Safe Mode.

I have tried to boot XP from the disc and tried recovery and it said something like the drive contains unrecoverable error. I even downloaded the hard-drive dianogstic tool of Seagate (SeaToolDOS) and it found absolutely nothing wrong with the drive after the detailed Long Test.

So my only option is to try re-installing XP onto the same partition C:\ drive. However, I tried the Win XP installation disc and it just won't recognize my existing partitions, and it listed weird choices of partition.

Anyway, is there is a way to get the Win XP to just recognize the existing C: partition and re-install XP onto it? I don't want the new installation to see the whole drive as if it is a new and empty drive.

Thanks
Sean

 

[PhilFrisbie]

If you partitioned that drive using anything other that the XP volume manager then you might have created partitions that the XP install program does not know how to understand. If this is the case you will need to backup all your data and start over.