How can I reinstall XP without erasing files? (Windows won't load)

[Guest]

currently when I start up my PC I get a warning:
1720 S.M.A.R.T. hard drive detects imminent failure
it asks me to back up hard drive and run HDD test in setup

I can also reinstll from the CD but the problem is I don't have my drive
partitioned and I don't want to lose the files on my hard drive.

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

If you are getting that error message from S.M.A.R.T. - you need to backup
all the data files you need and then go and purchase a new hard drive and
install it.

--

Will Denny

MS-MVP
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Will Denny]

Ooops - try backing the files up via Safe Mode if Windows 'normal' mode
won't boot.

--

Will Denny

MS-MVP
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Guest]

Actually, it won't even boot up in safe mode so I have no way to back it up.
And it's a laptop, so it's not as simple as getting a new hard drive.

Any idea what the next step should be?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Actually, it won't even boot up in safe mode so I have no way to
back it up.

Untrue. You could try using a boot CD/diskette and imaging (Ghost,
TrueImage, BootItNG, etc) and then using the utility that should come witht
he imaging application of your choice to read fromthe image... Or you could
use a BartPE CD to boot and read the contents of the drive directly...
However - that all depends on the drive actually being a working drive in
ANY way - spinning, etc.

And it's a laptop, so it's not as simple as getting a
new hard drive.

It *can be* as simple as getting a new hard drive and putting it in.
(Or having it put in.)

It's just a smaller (physically) hard drive with smaller connections.

Any idea what the next step should be?

Try to back it up in any way possible (imaging, reading from a boot media
and copying the files manually, etc..) and then get a new drive installed
(you do it, have someone else do it, etc) and install Windows, your programs
and then copy your data back to it.

 

[Bob Harris]

You have two problems:

1. XP is not booting
2. The hard drive may be dying.

Repairing/reinstalling XP is **NOT** the solution !

You need a new hard drive. If you do not feel comfortable replacing it, go
to any PC shop for help.

Note that a PC shop should also be able to transfer the contents of the
current hard drive (if readable) to (a) CDs or DVDs, (b) a USB hard drive,
(3) a partition on a new hard drive. Or, read below how to save files
yourself.

As for saving your personal files, assuming that the hard drive is still
somewhat working, boot the PC from a CD, instead of from the hard drive,
then copy files form the PC, such as to an external USB hard drive.

Bootable CDs to perform this sort of "rescue" are fairly common and mostly
free. See the following list for many possibilities:

http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php

My favorite is KNOPPIX, which is LINUX operating system and several
applicaiton programs. It comes as a CD image and as a DVD image. The DVD
image contains more applications. Both are ISO-type file that must be
burned to CD/DVD with programs like Easy CD Creator or Nero, which support
"burn from image". The CD image is about 700 Meg; the DVD image is much
larger. By defualt KNOPPIX does NOT install on the hard drive. It can read
NTFS partitions, such as those commonly used by XP. It also reads FAT
partitions (useed by win95,98,ME), as well as LINUX-type partitions.

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

Info, help files, how-tos, etc for KNOPPIX are at:
http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Main_Page

 

[Guest]

Or hook the hard drive up as a slave drive to another computer if you have
the resources, then grab your files off of it.

In this case you will need a new drive, but for future reference, it's
always a good idea to partition your drive(s) and keep personal files on a
separate partition from the OS. Then when you need to reformat you've got
very little data to backup first. I also have a separate physical hard drive
that I backup all my personal files to every other night just in case one
crashes. Seems kind of silly...until you lose all your files once or twice.