What a mess!

[Guest]

This past Sunday I found my computer was not recognizing my C: drive, so I
installed another. The Windows setup had problems acknowledging the drive, so
I suspected a fault in the IDE port on the Motherboard. I purchased a new
motherboard, processor and power supply and installed them. With the old hard
drive in place I went to re-install windows, repairing the installation on
the drive. The installation process could not find a file to complete the
process, though I tried repeated attempts. So I installed windows on the
drive again, placing the installation in Windows2 folder. Now when I start
the computer, I'm given an option: do I want to start Windows XP
Professional; or do I want to start Windows XP Professional. Besides all
that, the new version of windows does not recognize all the programs already
installed on the drive. Do I have to go through re-installing everything, or
is there a way to transfer some files so the new installation will recognize
the programs already there? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

HS Dad

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

If I were you, I would re-install from fresh again.. at this point, yes, you
have to re-install all of your programs which will make the 'mess' even
greater..

You can either use the XP CD to partition and format your drive prior to
installing files, or you can resort to old and trusted methods, utilising a
Windows 98 boot diskette.. the only proviso with the diskette method is that
if the drive was formatted NTFS, the boot diskette will not see the C drive
at all.. the way around this is to use the FDISK facility on the boot
diskette to 'reset' the partition(s)..

I use both methods, but prefer the latter, on the basis that it is difficult
to teach an old dog new tricks.. I instinctively know where I am with Win 98
FDISK, but have to think about it when using the XP CD..

 

[Guest]

You have two options:
1) Is to continue with what you have
1a) remove the faulty XP by removing reference to it in boot menu
1b) delete the related Windows folder and it entire contents
1c) Install all previous applications when booting to new Windows Xp

or

2) Do a "Clean install" which removes partition and reformats HDD.
2a) reinstall Windows XP OS
2c) reinstall all applications

The "Clean Install" may be the best. You have absolutely clean slate.
Although you could chose option#1.


To "Clean Install", you can do directly from XP CD,
or use method described by Mike Hall.

 

[Guest]

I appreciate both your replies. As we speak, I'm copying the My Documents
Folder onto another drive. I think by making copies of everything, I won't be
as sorry about the re-formating process. That way I won't have to worry about
identities and ownership of files and folders. One more question, though: int
eh past when I've gone through this porcess, I've lost everything in programs
like Excell, including contacts and e-mails. How do I back all this
information up and not lose it, like I've done every time I've had to replace
a hard drive?

HS Dad

 

[PA20Pilot]

Hi HS Dad,

.......How do I back all this information up and not lose it,......


I bought a copy of Ghost 8 off ebay for under $20. With it you can just
clone your old drive and have an exact copy of your old stuff. I'm sure
there are free programs out there that will do the same things for you,
but I don't know their names off hand. There's a good chance most drive
makers offer such things too.

---==X={}=X==---


Jim Self
AVIATION ANIMATION, the internet's largest depository.
http://avanimation.avsupport.com

Your only internet source for spiral staircase plans.
http://jself.com/stair/Stair.htm

Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
Technical Counselor

 

[Ricky]

If you use Outlook Express see here..
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/backup/
If you use Outlook see here..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;238782

 

[Guest]

I typed "export" in Excel Help. Said something about exporting contacts and
email to Outlook (probably the same Express). Once in that format, can be
saved as file then imported back once you get Excel installed on new Windows
copy.

Can use other suggestions from the other replies, also.

 

[Guest]

Is there anywhere else where the information is stored? By the time I got the
response, I had already reformatted.

Now I'm having another problem... the computer will stall on me. I
repartitioned the drive and reformatted it, reinstalled windows and suddenly
the computer freezes. The only way to get back into the system is to hit
restart. Sometimes it will boot up, other times I have to go into safe mode,
shut down and restart. This has now been over a week long process and it's
getting old very fast.

HS Dad

 

[Guest]

If you reformatted the information is gone!!

It looks like you replaced everything but the "Faulty" device ie the hard
drive.

runs chkdsk /r and/or download MFG diagnostic software.
probably going to be buying a hard drive.

or did you already try to install windows on a different HDD?