Reinstalling Windows XP Without reformating hard drive?

[Robert Rothwell]

My laptop is running Windows xp home edition. It is
freezing up at the blue start up screen with the windows
logo. I have tried the f8 method to try and recover the
last start up file. It did not work. Now the f8 key does
not even bring up the menu. I can reinstall the original
software, but it will format my hard drive. Is there any
where I can down load the start up files and get back into
windows without having to reformat my hard drive?

 

[Andrew E]

You need to boot to XP cd,recovery,try BOOTCFG /?
At the recovery screen,or type:HELP

 

[Alex Nichol]

My laptop is running Windows xp home edition. It is
freezing up at the blue start up screen with the windows
logo. I have tried the f8 method to try and recover the
last start up file. It did not work. Now the f8 key does
not even bring up the menu. I can reinstall the original
software, but it will format my hard drive. Is there any
where I can down load the start up files and get back into
windows without having to reformat my hard drive?

If you only have a system that came installed on the machine, with a
recovery CD then that format and start over is all you can do. With a
regular retail CD you can Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard disk, then
boot the XP CD, start Setup (do not take 'Repair' at this stage), then
after the license agreement take 'Repair Installation'. This will
retain your existing software installations and most settings.