Repair Installation

[Guest]

I've got a client's computer that has taken a huge dump. Can I perform a
repair installation without losing any of the clients documents? I have
never used repair install before, so I am curious. Any advice you have would
be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Anna]

I've got a client's computer that has taken a huge dump. Can I perform a
repair installation without losing any of the clients documents? I have
never used repair install before, so I am curious. Any advice you have
would
be greatly appreciated!!

Matthew:
We'll assume that a Repair install of the XP OS will be the fix for that
"huge dump".

Assuming you need to undertake a Repair install of the OS, the process is
relatively straightforward. It would be roughly akin to making a fresh
install of the OS, but in nearly every case your existing programs &
user-created data would be retained. Notice I said "nearly". While it would
be a rather rare situation where data would be lost or corrupted as a result
of the Repair install, and as unlikely as it may be, it *could* happen.

Since you mention that this is a client's machine and we must assume that
the data on that machine is precious to him or her, then I would strongly
suggest that before undertaking the Repair install you first
either make a clone of the existing HDD (using a disk imaging program) or
use some other means to copy whatever data you want to some other media.

While I really don't want to overemphasize the possible negatives in this
situation because in the overwhelming amount of cases where a Repair install
is undertaken there's no problem with loss or corruption of data occurring.

There are a number of websites that contain step-by-step instructions for
undertaking a Repair install. It's not a difficult process nor terribly
time-consuming and as I've indicated, it's roughly akin to performing a
fresh install of the OS. If you do a Google search on "XP repair install",
you'll be pointed to many of these sites. Here are a few...
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=138

Assuming the Repair install is successful, you should use an A-V program to
immediately check out the PC for any virus infestation. Ditto an
anti-spyware program. Also, you will need to download/install *all* the MS
critical updates since SP2. (I'm assuming that if the Repair install is
necessary, you will be undertaking it with a XP CD that contains SP2). That,
of course, is one of the downsides re undertaking a Repair install. It's
usually an onerous task to download all the Critical Updates from MS
especially if you have a dialup phone connection rather than broadband.
Anna

 

[Poprivet]

I've got a client's computer that has taken a huge dump. Can I
perform a repair installation without losing any of the clients
documents? I have never used repair install before, so I am curious.
Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!

Ouch! No offense, but if you need to ask that question, you shouldn't have
accepted the computer for repair. It's a straightforward process with a
couple of very important gotcha's; you need more experience before doing
this!

Whatever you do, make a clone or image of the drive FIRST!! If you can't,
don't know how to, farm this job out to someone who can, and whom you KNOW
can do the repairs needed, not someone like you.

HTH
Pop`

 

[AJR]

Poprivet provides good advice. XP provides two "repair" scenarios 1.
Recovery console and 2. Repair. Recovery console is a command line utility -
can be tough!. Having the XP boot from CD provides access to the console -
also it can be installed as an optional menu item at boot.
Ignore the option of the Recovery console and proceed as if reinstalling
P - a dialogue box will be presented stating that an installation of
Windows has been found and you will be asked if you want to "repair" the
installation - select the installation listed and setup will proceed through
a repair installation. It will take some time - it will appear that XP is
being reinstalled.
(Fingers crossed) no loss of data or programs.