Reinstalling XP

[Guest]

I have completely messed up my computer. Be because of a virus or because I
deleted something I shouldn't have (I did remove a few things not to long
ago), I have malfunctioned both cd-rom drives and my external highspeed
modem. Only my internal dial-up modem works but barely. My computer is very
slow. In trying to solve the problem, I accidentally deleted part of my
Registry. System Restore doesn't work anymore; it won't restore my computer
to a prior setting. After spending a couple of hours talking to Dell
technical support and AOL technical support trying to solve the problems to
no avail, it was recommended that I just reinstall XP and start all over
again.

Because my cd-rom doesn't work, I can't use my XP Restoration CD so I have
to use a floppy disk boot. I am in the process of downloading them but I
don't know which version to reinstall. My computer originally came with XP
Home Edition w/o any of the Service Packs but I subsequently updated with SP1
and SP2. Does reinstallation need to start with basic XP Home again or can
I reinstall with any of the SP already added?

I know by reinstalling a clean version of XP I will wipe out all of my saved
data. I am fine with clearing out everything and starting over since so much
of my computer has been corrupted. I am copying all of my important
documents to an online data storage service to retrieve later. I am
wondering if there anything else I need to do to prepare for my reinstall?

Also by reinstalling XP will it automatically erased all of the programs or
do I have to do that manually beforehand?

Sorry my post is so long but I am so confused.
Niki

 

[BEM]

if your computer will not boot from a cd then there is an issue that is
not related to xp. You have an issue that is either related to hardware
or firmware, above and beyond any issue you have with xp.
As for loosing your data on a reinstall you should be fine. The xp
install gives you the option to leave the file system intact and to
change the default install directory. I suggest installing it into
c:\winxp as your orinigal install is in c:\windows. Read carefully and
make decisions when you are sure you are doing the right thing.
when you reinstall windows it will not i repeat will not overwrite
folders in the documents and settings directories. However since you
have installed windows to a new location your user will effectively be
a different user eventhough it might have the same name. So some of the
folders in documents and settings will gain extensions.
So anyway make sure your bios is set to boot from a CD and try it
again. if it wont boot from the windows xp cd then there is an issue
you need to resolve before you try to reinstall.
I would bet that you just dont have boot from cd as the first boot
device in your bios settings.
Good Luck

 

[Guest]

Niki,

You CAN install xp with service packs even if when you got xp it didn't have
them. When you format and reinstall then you erase EVERYTHING on your hard
disk so your programs will be gone. Also there might be a chance that your
cd drive works and it is just a windows problem because viruses can not kill
cd-rom drives. I would try booting from your cd-roms first before trying the
floppy's. Once you get it all reinstalled you will need to install drivers
as well so be ready for your display to be wrong and your sound to not work.
Call Dell and have them talk you through how to install the drivers when you
get to that stage. You may not be able to boot from cd because the bios is
not set to boot from cd-rom before hard drive. You would need to boot into
the bios usually del key on startup another question you might ask dell.
Good luck.

Joe

Kemco IT Professional

 

[Bob]

Simple suggestion if you already haven't tried it. Boot up the system into
Safe Mode (keep tapping the F5 key while booting). That just may be what
you need to get things back in order. Obviously there are other things to do
but if you've spent hours on the phone, I'm sure they tried the simple
things first - right....hmmmm?

Bob S.

 

[Michael Stevens]

In

I have completely messed up my computer. Be because of a virus or
because I deleted something I shouldn't have (I did remove a few
things not to long ago), I have malfunctioned both cd-rom drives and
my external highspeed modem. Only my internal dial-up modem works
but barely. My computer is very slow. In trying to solve the
problem, I accidentally deleted part of my Registry. System Restore
doesn't work anymore; it won't restore my computer to a prior
setting. After spending a couple of hours talking to Dell technical
support and AOL technical support trying to solve the problems to no
avail, it was recommended that I just reinstall XP and start all
over again.

Because my cd-rom doesn't work, I can't use my XP Restoration CD so I
have to use a floppy disk boot. I am in the process of downloading
them but I don't know which version to reinstall. My computer
originally came with XP Home Edition w/o any of the Service Packs but
I subsequently updated with SP1 and SP2. Does reinstallation need
to start with basic XP Home again or can I reinstall with any of the
SP already added?

I know by reinstalling a clean version of XP I will wipe out all of
my saved data. I am fine with clearing out everything and starting
over since so much of my computer has been corrupted. I am copying
all of my important documents to an online data storage service to
retrieve later. I am wondering if there anything else I need to do
to prepare for my reinstall?

Also by reinstalling XP will it automatically erased all of the
programs or do I have to do that manually beforehand?

Sorry my post is so long but I am so confused.

Boot from the XP CD and do a repair install.
You will need to set the bios to boot from CD before hard drive.
See the step by step in link below.
Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Bob I]

make that "tapping the F8 key"

Simple suggestion if you already haven't tried it. Boot up the system into
Safe Mode (keep tapping the F5 key while booting). That just may be what
you need to get things back in order. Obviously there are other things to do
but if you've spent hours on the phone, I'm sure they tried the simple
things first - right....hmmmm?

Bob S.

 

[Guest]

Hey thanks guys for your responses. You are wonderful!! I will print them
out and use them as guidelines. Clearly I can't be trusted to operate a
computer without some guidance.

I should clarify my CD Rom problem. When I put in a CD (data or music)
nothing happens. Neither drives are listed on MY Computer. Dell had me do a
Device search and they appear with exclamation points next to them and a
prompt that says "no hardware device detected. Code 41 Error". I Googled
Code 41 errors and came up with a solution that involved deleting something
from the Registry. Well I didn't read the directions close enough and I
accidentally deleted too much of my registry. That is when I tried to do a
System Restore and it wouldn't budge. Now, I am stuck on stupid.

Dell was pretty thorough in trying to diagnose the problem. We really were
on the phone for over an hour-bless his heart. We did try Safe mode and
that didn't work. He had me restart my computer using F2, F8, and F12 to
access some DOS looking screens (is this BIOS?) to do some stuff but nothing
worked. Dell tech concluded that it was a software problem and that I
probably had a virus. I don't think it is a virus. I think it has something
to do with me deleting something I shouldn't have from my start-up processes
(a Target sales clerk suggested as I picked his brain). I tried to go back
to a system restore point before I deleted them but once again my computer is
being mean and won't allow me to restore.

So it seems that everyone thinks that I still might be able to reinstall
using the CD even though my CD Rom won't work, eh? I am not sure I fully
understand, but I will definitely try it. I just assumed that I couldn't use
it since my rom isn't working now.

Thanks,
Niki

 

[Guest]

Hi Joe,

Okay I will call Dell to clarify if I am able to boot from cd. I think I
might be able to because I seem to remember that option when Dell had me
insert my Drivers and Device Resource CD and run it from that BIOS screen.
Oh duh, I guess this means that my cd-rom can still read a CD. I guess this
what everyone is talking about.

Thanks,
Niki

 

[Guest]

BEM,

I am not sure I understand. I thought reinstalling Windows wiped out
everything, no? So it only removes programs but not files? But I think I
want to rewrite Settings since I am sure this is part of what I messed up.

I will change the directory where I reload Windows as you suggest.

And I have definitely learned my lesson with my computer. After I get
through this I have no intention on touching another thing.

Thanks,
Niki

 

[Guest]

Hi Michael,

So will a repair install restore my registry as well as my cd-rom? I am
just worried that I have done so much damage that I need a new copy of
everything.

Thank you for the link I will try a repair install first.

Gosh you guys really are great.

Niki

Thank you Michael.

 

[Guest]

Hi Bob,

Yes we tried Safe Mode and probably every other mode out there. Much to his
credit the tech was tenacious in trying to fix it for me. Perhaps he heard
the desperation in my voice.

Thanks for the suggestion.
Niki