Re-installing Windows

[Walter Wu]

Recently, I had problem with the Mobo bios and had to flash the bios as it
had problem with CD/DVD drives with exclamation mark at bios level setup.

Now, the bios is alright. Boot from DOS will recognise the CD/DVD drives.

WindowXP still cannot recognise the drives. I suspect the WindowsXP update
on HighMAT may have corrupted the installed WindowsXP.

Question: Is there a fast and clean way to re-install WindowsXP without
re-format or how do I remove ALL instances of new, old and current CD
drivers?

Walter Wu

 

[Bob Knowlden]

You may have something wrong in the Registry. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320553

"CD-ROM Drive or DVD-ROM Drive Missing After You Install Windows XP"

(There are other ways of generating the same bad Registry keys.)

One automated fix:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_cd_dvd_fix.htm

If that fails, you may have to resort to a repair install of XP:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

"How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP"

In brief: change the BIOS settings to boot from the CD drive. Boot from the
XP CD. (This will work even if your present XP installation can't use the CD
drive, as you're booting from the CD.) Choose to install rather than going
to the repair console. Under install, choose repair rather than a new
installation. (You'll keep most settings and installed applications. You
will lose everything installed via Windows Update, though. You will need
your XP product key, and you'll probably have to activate XP again.)

Good luck.

Address altered to avoid spam. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[Walter Wu]

You may have something wrong in the Registry. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320553

Thanks Bob!

The above solved the problem.

Regards
Walter Wu

 

[Walter Wu]

Thanks Bob!

The drive is now detected and installed by WindowsXP and working under
normal CD drive instead of CD-RW even though WindowsXP reports it's a CD-RW.

However, the Roxio's DirectCD that was, previously, loaded at startup no
longer loads. When running DirectCD application, the SELECT CD DRVE
drop-down list shows a blank.

Tried the automated fix with same result.

Haven't had time to try writing to a CDR yet. Will try this evening.

Regards
Walter Wu

 

[Walter Wu]

Thanks Bob!

You may have something wrong in the Registry. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320553

"CD-ROM Drive or DVD-ROM Drive Missing After You Install Windows XP"

The CD-RW and DVD+RW drive is now working under WindowsXP.

However, all existing application cannot recognise the drive and had to be
re-install individually. Had to re-install Roxio's DirectCD (which nows
works) and need to re-install Iomega's HotBurn and Pinnacle's Studio 8, etc.

Is there a better way to do that?

Regards
Walter Wu