Non-destructive install

[Guest]

I'm having some difficulty with win xp on a drive that had a new motherboard
installed. I'm getting the NTLDR is missing warning and nothing seems to fix
it. I'm thinking I need to do a re-install to fix the problem. The winxp disk
that was with the pc is not bootable and recovery console was not installed
on the drive. I've made the 6 disk boot set, but get an error with 'cannot
run bios.inf' or something like that.
Is there a way to do an install from dos that won't overwrite the existing
user settings? I also have an SP2 slipstreamed disk that boots. If I install
from this, will it overwrite or save the settings? Also, if I use this disk,
will it just write windows and leave the rest of the installed apps alone?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Boot with the slipstreamed disk. Run setup, agree to the license (hit F8).
It should then detect the existing installation and offer to repair it.
Choose this option, as it should preserve your user accounts, settings, and
files. You will need your Product Key for the slipstreamed version, so have
it handy.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 08:31:04 -0800, "Phil"

I'm having some difficulty with win xp on a drive that had a new motherboard
installed. I'm getting the NTLDR is missing warning and nothing seems to fix it.

I'd start by imaging and file-scraping that HD's contents to safety.
There are two big Qs that spring to mind:

1) What was the reason to replace the motherboard?

Months of rampant crashes, errors and bad exits due to bad RAM or
othjer hardware flakiness may have bit-rotted the system into the
ground - especially if someone tried to "just" re-install Windows as a
fix, before someone with clue realised the hardware was bad.

2) How different is the motherboard?

Specifically, how different is the hardware through which the HD is
accessed? Different HD CHS geometry assumptions? Different HD
controller, e.g. from IDE to SCSI or change in RAID status? Did you
then, or do you now, need to press the magic function key early in the
OS install to add special drivers needed to boot the OS?

I'm thinking I need to do a re-install to fix the problem. The winxp disk
that was with the pc is not bootable and recovery console was not installed
on the drive.

Sounds like OEM scumbagism, where the OEM delivers a worse product
than the local warez bunny, and MS doesn't care because they're paid.

Vote with your feet there.

Is there a way to do an install from dos that won't overwrite the existing
user settings?

Yes, I routinely do so - but that does require a custom-installable OS
CD. If you bought a "brand name" PC, this is one of many places where
the knife gets twisted. OTOH, we still don't know why this is
failing, thus whether writing huge wads to an ?at-risk HD is likely to
fix the problem or make things considerably worse.

Hence the advice to hedge your bets, by preserving data at both file
and partition image levels, *first*.

I also have an SP2 slipstreamed disk that boots. If I install
from this, will it overwrite or save the settings? Also, if I use this disk,
will it just write windows and leave the rest of the installed apps alone?

It's supposed to "preserve settings" and thus apps, if installed into
the same dir. But - see sig, as well as this link:

http://cquirke.mvps.org/reinst.htm

--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -

Never turn your back on an installer program

 

[Ron Martell]

I'm having some difficulty with win xp on a drive that had a new motherboard
installed. I'm getting the NTLDR is missing warning and nothing seems to fix
it. I'm thinking I need to do a re-install to fix the problem. The winxp disk
that was with the pc is not bootable and recovery console was not installed
on the drive. I've made the 6 disk boot set, but get an error with 'cannot
run bios.inf' or something like that.
Is there a way to do an install from dos that won't overwrite the existing
user settings? I also have an SP2 slipstreamed disk that boots. If I install
from this, will it overwrite or save the settings? Also, if I use this disk,
will it just write windows and leave the rest of the installed apps alone?
Thanks in advance.

What was the reason for replacing the motherboard? Did it fail and
was replaced under warranty? If not then you may be in difficulty,
depending on the type of Windows XP that you have.

If you have a BIOS locked OEM version of Windows then recent changes
to the product activation procedures by Microsoft means that you
cannot change the motherboard to a different make/model unless that is
what was provided to you by the original manufacturer as a warranty
replacement.

BIOS locked OEM versions of Windows XP are supplied on certain major
brand computers. You can identify these BIOS locked OEM versions by
checking two things on your computer:

1. Open Control Panel - System - General and look at the Product I.D.
code which is the last item listed in the "Registered to" (middle)
section. If this code has the letters OEM as second segment of the
code then yours is an OEM version. Note that this Product I.D. is
not the same value as the Product Key that is entered when installing
Windows. Also note that not all OEM versions are BIOS locked. Many
are not, especially those from smaller computer manufacturers.

2. Look on the Start Menu under All Programs - Accessories - System
Tools for an item that reads "Activate Windows". If this is not
present and if your product i.d. does contain OEM then you have a BIOS
Locked OEM version and you should not replace the motherboard unless
it fails, and then only with an identical model or with one that is
provided under warranty by the computer manufacturer.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm