Windows XP repair Install questions...

[Ron S]

Good Morning everyone,

Without going to far in depth, I am considering doing a repair install
of Windows XP because of the problems that are accruing after I
transfered everything over from my old hard drive to my new drive (see
http://tinyurl.com/5922fv for the full details of my previous post).

The main concern that I have is not losing all the app's/files that I
already have installed; how safe is repair install? What are the odds
of losing everyting? Note: I have created a backup on a separate drive
using the Windows XP Home backup.

I do have my Windows XP reinstallation CD (provided by Dell), what I
can not find is the key; is there a key required when you do a repair
install?

Do you have any suggestions/recommendations that may not be already
posted throughout the web?

Thanks,

Ron

 

[philo]

Good Morning everyone,

Without going to far in depth, I am considering doing a repair install
of Windows XP because of the problems that are accruing after I
transfered everything over from my old hard drive to my new drive (see
http://tinyurl.com/5922fv for the full details of my previous post).

The main concern that I have is not losing all the app's/files that I
already have installed; how safe is repair install? What are the odds
of losing everyting? Note: I have created a backup on a separate drive
using the Windows XP Home backup.

I do have my Windows XP reinstallation CD (provided by Dell), what I
can not find is the key; is there a key required when you do a repair
install?

Do you have any suggestions/recommendations that may not be already
posted throughout the web?

Thanks,

Ron

Repair installs generally work just fine...
but there is never any guarantee of course

 

[Ron S]

philo & Rich,

Thank you for your replies and suggestions. How much time should I set
aside for the repair install?

Thanks again,

Ron

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Good Morning everyone,

Without going to far in depth, I am considering doing a repair install
of Windows XP because of the problems that are accruing after I
transfered everything over from my old hard drive to my new drive (see
http://tinyurl.com/5922fv for the full details of my previous post).

I don't know what your problems are, or whether it's likely that a
repair installation will solve them, but be aware of the following: a
repair installation can solve some kinds of problems, but it's not a
magical panacea that will fix everything.

The main concern that I have is not losing all the app's/files that I
already have installed; how safe is repair install?

If you do it correctly, it's very safe, and the risk is small. But
that doesn't mean that there's no risk. There is *always* risk.

What are the odds
of losing everyting?

Again, small, but not zero.

Note: I have created a backup on a separate drive
using the Windows XP Home backup.

Good. That will protect your data files, but not your applications. If
the worst happens (either when you do a repair installation or at any
other time) and you have to reinstall Windows, you will also have to
reinstall all your applications. Any backups of applications are
useless if Windows has to be reinstalled.

I do have my Windows XP reinstallation CD (provided by Dell), what I
can not find is the key; is there a key required when you do a repair
install?

No. But you should immediately find and keep a record of the product
key. You never know when you may have to reinstall and use it.

You can find the Product key with any of these:

ProduKey http://nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

AIDA32 http://www.aumha.org/freeware.htm

Everest http://www.lavalys.com/index.php?page=product&view=1

Magical Jellybean www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

Belarc Advisor www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Do you have any suggestions/recommendations that may not be already
posted throughout the web?

Read here before you begin:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

And be prepared for the possibility that the repair installation will
not solve your problems.

 

[philo]

philo & Rich,

Thank you for your replies and suggestions. How much time should I set
aside for the repair install?

Thanks again,

Ron

It takes an hour or less depending on the speed of the machine etc