Repair Install can't find files.

M

Michael Jennings

When I try to do a Windows XP Repair Install after booting from a Windows XP
SP3 OEM CD, after it gets considerably into the repair installation, it
begins saying it cannot find files that are there. There are maybe 100 files
it says it can't find. There is no problem reading the files with the same
hardware and the same CD when booted from XP and accessing the files directly.

I've had no problems re-loading Windows XP on other computers, so possibly
this particular computer is infected with malware. Windows XP SP3 on this
computer works well. However, I am worried that it is infected, and want to
do a repair install.

Could this be a problem with file permissions or ownership? Registry entry
permissions?

The computer that is affected is important. It is not feasible at this time
to re-format the hard drive and re-install all the programs, so we want to do
a Repair Install.
 
1

1PW

When I try to do a Windows XP Repair Install after booting from a Windows XP
SP3 OEM CD, after it gets considerably into the repair installation, it
begins saying it cannot find files that are there. There are maybe 100 files
it says it can't find. There is no problem reading the files with the same
hardware and the same CD when booted from XP and accessing the files directly.

I've had no problems re-loading Windows XP on other computers, so possibly
this particular computer is infected with malware. Windows XP SP3 on this
computer works well. However, I am worried that it is infected, and want to
do a repair install.

If the computer is infected, the Windows Repair mode of course will not
resolve this.
Could this be a problem with file permissions or ownership? Registry entry
permissions?

The computer that is affected is important. It is not feasible at this time
to re-format the hard drive and re-install all the programs, so we want to do
a Repair Install.

Has this computer been using any antimalware protection?

Have any malware scans been attempted?

If you have the specific CD this system was built from, you can try
running a SFC /scannow.

Do recent full backups of this system exist? Does the computer have any
effective System Restore points available?

Pete
 
P

philo

Michael Jennings said:
When I try to do a Windows XP Repair Install after booting from a Windows
XP
SP3 OEM CD, after it gets considerably into the repair installation, it
begins saying it cannot find files that are there. There are maybe 100
files
it says it can't find. There is no problem reading the files with the same
hardware and the same CD when booted from XP and accessing the files
directly.

I've had no problems re-loading Windows XP on other computers, so possibly
this particular computer is infected with malware. Windows XP SP3 on this
computer works well. However, I am worried that it is infected, and want
to
do a repair install.

Could this be a problem with file permissions or ownership? Registry entry
permissions?

The computer that is affected is important. It is not feasible at this
time
to re-format the hard drive and re-install all the programs, so we want to
do
a Repair Install.


What seems to be happening is that those files should have been deleted,
then replaced...
when the repair install was initiated...

I have seen that very thing happen when a machine I was working on went into
a spontaneous reboot during a repair install.

Starting the repair install over did no good...even if taking the option to
start over from the beginning.

best you can do his take the option to skip trying to copy those files...it
will be a PITA as you will have to manually specify the copy operation for
each one.


If your system does not work after the repair procedure completes, then you
will have no option
other than to perform a fresh install.

The best procedure would be to install Windows on another partition...(or a
new HD entirely)
as you can al least access your data
 
M

Mark Adams

Michael Jennings said:
When I try to do a Windows XP Repair Install after booting from a Windows XP
SP3 OEM CD, after it gets considerably into the repair installation, it
begins saying it cannot find files that are there. There are maybe 100 files
it says it can't find. There is no problem reading the files with the same
hardware and the same CD when booted from XP and accessing the files directly.

I've had no problems re-loading Windows XP on other computers, so possibly
this particular computer is infected with malware. Windows XP SP3 on this
computer works well. However, I am worried that it is infected, and want to
do a repair install.

Could this be a problem with file permissions or ownership? Registry entry
permissions?

The computer that is affected is important. It is not feasible at this time
to re-format the hard drive and re-install all the programs, so we want to do
a Repair Install.

You have posted so many times on this same subject and have refused to
answer anyone's questions regarding what you are trying to do. It's no wonder
that nobody can help you. Try sticking to one thread.
 
L

lawnswlsby

I was trying to find instructions on how to uninstall and install Windows XP
operating system. Thanks in advance
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Michael said:
When I try to do a Windows XP Repair Install after booting from a Windows XP
SP3 OEM CD, after it gets considerably into the repair installation, it
begins saying it cannot find files that are there. There are maybe 100 files
it says it can't find. There is no problem reading the files with the same
hardware and the same CD when booted from XP and accessing the files directly.

I've had no problems re-loading Windows XP on other computers, so possibly
this particular computer is infected with malware. Windows XP SP3 on this
computer works well. However, I am worried that it is infected, and want to
do a repair install.


A repair installation will do *nothing* to remove any malware
infestation, it can only embed it more deeply. If you have malware, it
needs to be completely cleaned out *before* attempting a repair
installation.

Could this be a problem with file permissions or ownership? Registry entry
permissions?

Not likely.

The computer that is affected is important. It is not feasible at this time
to re-format the hard drive and re-install all the programs, so we want to do
a Repair Install.


Problems copying files or corrupted files during installation (even
a Repair installation) are most often caused by defective, incompatible,
or sub-standard hardware; in order of likelihood, either RAM, the hard
drive, or the motherboard. On very rare occasions the CD drive or
installation CD is the problem, but you seem to have eliminated this
possibility.

Start with testing the RAM. You might try MemTest86:
http://www.memtest86.com/ It's free. Then you can download and use the
hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility to test the hard drive. If
both RAM and hard drive test out clean, check with the motherboard
manufacturer for any diagnostic utilities.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 

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