Please help! no option to repair in XP cd

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

So my computer quit working last week. Technician told me it was due to
leaking capacitors, and promptly replaced _all_ the machine's gutts
(motherboard, CPU, memory, power supply!).

So I'm left with a nice machine that won't boot my hard disk (reboots
in loops, whether I choose safe boot, last good configuration...). I
got XP Pro/SP2 installed in there, and a lots of time went in the
configuration of the OS/programs.

I wisely thought of doing a repair install, but my XP installation CD
doesn't offer me this option: you know, I can erase the partitions, or
reinstall XP.

So, if I reinstall XP on another hard disk, I know I will (probably) be
able to recover the data from my first drive.

BUT (please please please) is there a way to IMPORT my old XP
configuration? Ideally, I would like to import everything: data,
programs and their configuration (registry?), OS configuration (system
files, file associations, drivers...)

Please tell me it's possible! from my layman's chair, it seems like a
simple "copy everything from D: to C:" would do the trick, but this
sounds too simple... and some files would be protected anyways...

Any help?
 
G

Guest

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

Thank you for your quick answer!

My CD is not an OEM or recovery CD (well... I really don't think so).
It's a full version, but I suspect it has been hacked or tweaked
(slipstreamed with SP2, at least).

On the screen where my partitions are shown, there is an option to
install Windows XP on the highlighted partition (ENTER). Other options
are to create/delete partitions.

When I press enter, the next screen is a warning telling me that folder
"\WINDOWS" already exists, and that I might loose everything. Options
are "S" to use the folder anyways, or "ESC" to use another folder. No
mention of a recovery console. Should I go on with "ESC"?

Or... any possibility to import my old XP "configuration" (as described
above) to a fresh installation?
 
G

Guest

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

It seems to me the "technician" should have gone further and insured that your Windows XP was running again.

The change in motherboard & CPU calls for a repair install of XP.

Look closely at your XP CD. Is it a retail CD or an OEM CD or a manufacturer's "Recovery CD"?

To do a Repair Install of XP:

Only if you have a "full" XP CD and NOT a Recovery CD----
The object of this exercise is to do an in-place upgrade or an in-place installation for purposes of "repair".
It needs to go to the same partition as before , and the same directory as before.

Usually for example XP is on C drive and is on folder/directory \Windows or \WINNT.

Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. You do that from the pc BIOS setup screen. You specify CDROM as the first drive to boot from.

Insert your Windows XP CD into your CD-ROM drive, and then restart your pc.

When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your
screen, press a key to boot pc from the XP CD.

When you see the following message displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen,
press ENTER:
To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is displayed. Do NOT select this option.

On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 function key to agree to it.

Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP (in your case, the one you wish to repair) is selected in the box, and then press the R key to repair XP.

Follow the instructions on the screen.

--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----

JSeb wrote:
> So my computer quit working last week. Technician told me it was due
> to leaking capacitors, and promptly replaced _all_ the machine's gutts
> (motherboard, CPU, memory, power supply!).
>
> So I'm left with a nice machine that won't boot my hard disk (reboots
> in loops, whether I choose safe boot, last good configuration...). I
> got XP Pro/SP2 installed in there, and a lots of time went in the
> configuration of the OS/programs.
>
> I wisely thought of doing a repair install, but my XP installation CD
> doesn't offer me this option: you know, I can erase the partitions, or
> reinstall XP.
>
> So, if I reinstall XP on another hard disk, I know I will (probably)
> be able to recover the data from my first drive.
>
> BUT (please please please) is there a way to IMPORT my old XP
> configuration? Ideally, I would like to import everything: data,
> programs and their configuration (registry?), OS configuration (system
> files, file associations, drivers...)
>
> Please tell me it's possible! from my layman's chair, it seems like a
> simple "copy everything from D: to C:" would do the trick, but this
> sounds too simple... and some files would be protected anyways...
>
> Any help?
 
G

Guest

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

Okay, now I know I did my homework right: there is NO option to repair
anywhere. So my CD does not have the repair capability, and that's too
bad :^(

Am I right in guessing there is no third-party software that would do
the job of repairing?

In your suggestion of using my original HD as a secondary drive (with a
clean installation on the primary drive), I know I could recover my
critical files & documents. What I pray for is a possibility to recover
*everything* with minimal effort, where *everything* means:
- Programs and their configuration (I don't want to download,
reinstall & reconfigure 50+ programs!)
- OS configuration (file associations, still-relevant drivers,
tweaks...)

Is it even possible? If so, what should I copy? (program folders,
registry files, system files???)

Thank you!
 
G

Guest

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

If you have another pc with a working XP, you can put your 'problem' HD in there, as a secondary drive, and use the good pc to copy your critical files & documents. Of course, having off-line backup media would have helped here.

On the repair install, be very careful. Do not use that ESC option.
You want the repair install to be on the same folder as before. Yours (allegedly) is \Windows.

You should be seeing the following (if you chose the correct options and your CD has the capability):

o To repair the selected Windows XP installation, press R.

o To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing, press ESC.


Warning: If you do NOT see the "R" repair option (and it should also be at bottom of screen), then halt & use the F3 Quit option.

--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----


JSeb wrote:
> Thank you for your quick answer!
>
> My CD is not an OEM or recovery CD (well... I really don't think so).
> It's a full version, but I suspect it has been hacked or tweaked
> (slipstreamed with SP2, at least).
>
> On the screen where my partitions are shown, there is an option to
> install Windows XP on the highlighted partition (ENTER). Other options
> are to create/delete partitions.
>
> When I press enter, the next screen is a warning telling me that
> folder "\WINDOWS" already exists, and that I might loose everything.
> Options are "S" to use the folder anyways, or "ESC" to use another
> folder. No mention of a recovery console. Should I go on with "ESC"?
>
> Or... any possibility to import my old XP "configuration" (as
> described above) to a fresh installation?
 
G

Guest

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

What is the Title on your XP CD? The retail MS CD is silver with holograms.

I'm unaware of any 3rd-party software that can repair Win XP.

By putting your HD as a secondary drive, you can do lots of copying and saving, and copy your user & program folders elsewhere.

But.... given you had a change in motherboard & processor, a repair is mandatory for this XP ever to work again and save your prior programs. ( A clean install is another matter).
And.... you could not pass the old registry files to a new setup because of the change in hardware.
The Windows registry keeps critical entries in it dealing with hardware.

--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----


JSeb wrote:
> Okay, now I know I did my homework right: there is NO option to repair
> anywhere. So my CD does not have the repair capability, and that's too
> bad :^(
>
> Am I right in guessing there is no third-party software that would do
> the job of repairing?
>
> In your suggestion of using my original HD as a secondary drive (with
> a clean installation on the primary drive), I know I could recover my
> critical files & documents. What I pray for is a possibility to
> recover *everything* with minimal effort, where *everything* means:
> - Programs and their configuration (I don't want to download,
> reinstall & reconfigure 50+ programs!)
> - OS configuration (file associations, still-relevant drivers,
> tweaks...)
>
> Is it even possible? If so, what should I copy? (program folders,
> registry files, system files???)
>
> Thank you!
 
G

Guest

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

Hi and thanks again for the information!

Hmm... that seems to leave me with no choice but a clean installation
on a new HD.

Unless...

If my XP was installed with an installation cd "A", can it be repaired
with an installation cd "B"?

Or even -- let's be totally crazy here -- can I use an XP HOME
installation cd to repair and XP PRO installation?

Thanks again!
 
G

Guest

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

As I asked before, * What is the Title on your XP CD? * What do you have exactly in terms of a operating system CD for XP ?

Not advisable to repair using another different edition of XP.

If you bought XP at retail, and your XP CD is lost or damaged, you can contact MS for a replacement CD.
If you bought it OEM or from a manufacturer, check with them about getting an XP CD.

HTH
--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----

JSeb wrote:
> Hi and thanks again for the information!
>
> Hmm... that seems to leave me with no choice but a clean installation
> on a new HD.
>
> Unless...
>
> If my XP was installed with an installation cd "A", can it be
> repaired with an installation cd "B"?
>
> Or even -- let's be totally crazy here -- can I use an XP HOME
> installation cd to repair and XP PRO installation?
>
> Thanks again!
 
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