Re-Install or Repair

[Dreadlord_20]

Anyone know of a way i could re-install WinXP or even run a repair without
the cd?

I've recently come into problems with my cd drives and I have come to the
conclusion that its a corrupt file or something in my Windows.

So if anyone knows of a way to do either of those it would be much
appreciated

 

[Leonard Grey]

If your computer came with a recovery partition you can use that to
erase your hard disk and re-install the software that was on the
computer when it left the factory. AFAIK that's the only thing you can
do with a recovery partition, but check with the computer manufacturer
to be sure.

Otherwise, you need a CD (legally obtained, of course.)

IMO you are wasting your time by trying to fix a problem with your CD
drive by reinstalling Windows. How do you know Windows is causing the
problem?

 

[Dreadlord_20]

Opening My Computer it shows my Cd Drives, working properly, Top is a DVD rom
and bottom is a Cd/DVD Burner.

When I try to play a game or even an audio cd in that window it reads them
as blank cds. Yet manually starting my game or opening media player for an
audio cd it reads them just fine. I can copy and burn cd/dvd's with no
problems using nero.
The only thing my roms read without problem are dvds, I've tried everything
I can think and most of my friends >.>

 

[Dreadlord_20]

And yes i own a legal copy of windows but my drives wont read it thats why i
asked >.<

 

[Gerry]

Please post copies of all Error and Warning Reports appearing in the
System and Application logs in Event Viewer for when the most
recenterrors occur. No Information Reports or Duplicates please.
Indicate which also appear in a previous boot.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Dreadlord_20]

Dude....
I dont get any error messages with my rom drives they just stopped working >.>
Like i posted underneath, they only want to run dvds, other than that it
just tells me everything i put in my cd drives are blank...

 

[Bob Harris]

You do realize that reading the XP CD itself, such as for a repair or a
clean install, should NOT require XP to be installed, let alone fully
functional.

The XP CD is bootable, and that means it can be read using the PC's BIOS, at
least far enough to transfer control to the CD. Consider, if you had a
blank hard drive, that CD should be able to boot the PC and install XP. A
repair is just a different type of install.

If your PC can not do that, then problem is NOT the XP installation on the
hard drive.

Look into BIOS settings, and be sure that booting from CD is before booting
from hard drive.

If the BIOS is set to boot from CD first, but does not boot with a real XP
CD inserted, then the CD drive itself is probably defective. Replace it.

But, let's be clear about the jargon, an XP CD is not the same as
restoration CD, often provided by PC makers. The XP CD comes in a green or
blue paper box with Microsoft logos all over. Inside the box is a paper
folder containing a CD that has a holographic top, and says Microsoft
windows XP. On the back of the folder is the product key. If you are using
an OEM CD, it might have less fluff, but it will still say Microsoft windows
XP. If the CD says anything other than Microsoft (e.g., Dell, Gateway),
then contact their support group for help.

 

[Dreadlord_20]

But why would 2 perfectly fine cd drives do the same thing?
I have dug thru some old tech gear and found a regular cd drive i replaced
long ago that still works as i tried it in another pc. Upon installing it
into my pc it does the same thing my other 2 cd drives do.
Sorry i've just convinced myself that somehow i or something i installed or
uninstalled corrupted xp somehow to cause this problem >.>

 

[Dreadlord_20]

And another thing that leads me to believe they aren't defective is that Nero
will read from both drives error free and allow me to burn and copy as well
with no problems. So to me it seems that XP has a corrupted process maybe?
or something conflicting with it to stop it from reading cd's in my drives.

 

[Grand_Poobah]

I seem to remember a post like this about a year ago. It had to do with
Registry entries under a key (which I cannot remember) and used the
words "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters". Sorry I can't be of more help,
but maybe this will jog somebody's memory.

Another thought: Have you tried deleting them using the Hardware
Manager and re-booting? This could reload everything necessary to make
them run.

GP

--->

 

[Dreadlord_20]

Yes i have tried to un-install and reboot, and it continues to do the same
thing >.<
I'll do a search for those and maybe find something

 

[Dreadlord_20]

Hmmm i found the upperfilter and lowerfilter things, but it tell me i cannot
edit their values. I've been trying to boot up in safe mode but pushing F8
doesn't do anything and it just boots as normal.

 

[Leonard Grey]

AFAIK most problems with optical drives have nothing to do with Windows.
They are caused either by the hardware or by the third-party burning
software.

 

[Grand_Poobah]

After all the things you have tried - both software and hardware, I have
to go along with Leonard. It's gotta be something that got installed
with the drives (or something internal to the drives). Have you tried
uninstalling Nero and see what that does?

GP

--->

 

[Grand_Poobah]

Keep in mind that there LOTS of 'upperfilter' and 'lowerfilter' that DO
NOT have anything to do with CD drives. If you change them, BE SURE
they relate to CD's before you do.

Safe mode can sometimes be hard to get into - especially if you have a
fast computer. the BIOS just zips along and hardly gives you a chance.
I usually start pressing the F8 key right after the initial flicker of
the screen on a re-boot.

GP

--->

 

[Dreadlord_20]

Yes i just did and i still have the same probelm except now i cant burn cds
or dvds because i can't re-install it
This only started happening recently and the drives were fine for so long.

 

[Leonard Grey]

I keep tapping on the F8 key until my computer is so annoyed with me
that it goes to the startup options menu just to get me to quit that
damn tapping.

 

[Dreadlord_20]

Could a USB Keyboard be the reason?

I've restarted 4-5 times and began tapping F8 before it even loaded and
tapped it until it got to the windows xp logo screen.

 

[Dreadlord_20]

Yea i made sure because it says CdRom"name" and in the options has cd rom
written in a few of the values.
When i try to delete them its says...
Cannot Edit Uppfilters: Error Writing The Value's New Content

 

[Grand_Poobah]

A USB keyboard is probably the reason. The drivers for USB don't get
loaded until after you are past the point the F8 will be picked up. Try
plugging in a standard keyboard and try again.

GP

--->