XP repair installation

[dave]

Per Doug Knox's great web site i have tried to do a repair install of Win XP
Pro.
these are the instructions I have been trying to follow:::

Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more information
about how to do this, please refer to your computer's documentation or
contact your computer manufacturer.

Insert your Windows XP compact disc (CD) into your CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM
drive, and then restart your computer.

(You can also boot with a Windows 98/Me Startup disk with CD support and run
WINNT.EXE in the I386 folder on the CD)

When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your
screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

When you see the following message displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen,
press ENTER:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is
displayed. Do not select this option.

On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the
license agreement.

Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the
box, and then press the R key to repair Windows XP.

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

As I am unable to boot from my XP disc ( just won't do it), I am booting
from a win 98 floppy With CD support. When it is done booting it just sits
there flashing an A:\ ....no "Press any key to boot from CD" message "

what am I doing wrong?

 

[John Barnett - MVP]

Follow the option:
(You can also boot with a Windows 98/Me Startup disk with CD support and run
WINNT.EXE in the I386 folder on the CD)
You are using a startup disk that boots to the DOS A prompt. Yopu need to
type something in:

1/ At the 'A' prompt type the letter of your CD drive, i.e A:/ D and then
press Enter. Your CD should now be accessed.
2/ When the A prompt changes to your CD's drive letter type: cd I386 (the cd
means change directory)
3/ When the prompt changes to I386 type: WINNT.EXE
4/ This should now start the windows xp setup

As an after thought you can actually download the 6 (i think it's 6) windows
xp floppy disks to start setup from www.bootdisk.com


Hope this helps

John Barnett - MVP
Associate expert
www.freelanceit.glowinternet.com

 

[dave]

thanks... i will give it a try and post how I make out!

 

[Michael Stevens]

Per Doug Knox's great web site i have tried to do a repair install of
Win XP Pro.
these are the instructions I have been trying to follow:::

Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more
information about how to do this, please refer to your computer's
documentation or contact your computer manufacturer.

Insert your Windows XP compact disc (CD) into your CD-ROM drive or
DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.

(You can also boot with a Windows 98/Me Startup disk with CD support
and run WINNT.EXE in the I386 folder on the CD)

When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your
screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

When you see the following message displayed on the Welcome to Setup
screen, press ENTER:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is
displayed. Do not select this option.

On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the
license agreement.

Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in
the box, and then press the R key to repair Windows XP.

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

As I am unable to boot from my XP disc ( just won't do it), I am
booting from a win 98 floppy With CD support. When it is done booting
it just sits there flashing an A:\ ....no "Press any key to boot
from CD" message "

what am I doing wrong?

Have you set your boot order in the bios to boot from CD before hard drive?
Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
Repair Install
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[dave]

I got scared off the idea.... I never got to the "recovery console" part. I
got a screen saying it "did not detect smart drive" and told me to go away.
Then Mikes web site further frightened me away! .....
I may have bitten off more than I can chew. Just wanted to run a repair
program, but the thought of losing tons of stuff in the process has me too
worried

 

[dave]

thanks for the reply... yup I set the boot order correctly, but it just
won't boot from the XP cd... as you can see from my above reply, I finally
got it to go from my old win98 boot floppy, but never got as far as the
recovery console. I have since added the smart drive from your site to the
floppy and may have another try at it. I am worried about losing stuff
however. Kinda hoped the process was relitively benign, and would simply fix
any accumulated errors without screwing up anything else!
sometimes I just can't leave well enough alone!
D

 

[Michael Stevens]

thanks for the reply... yup I set the boot order correctly, but it
just won't boot from the XP cd... as you can see from my above reply,
I finally got it to go from my old win98 boot floppy, but never got
as far as the recovery console.

Go back and look at the steps in the Repair Install page. It says you DO NOT
want to get to the Recovery Console.

"do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery
Console, press R", (you do not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do
not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console,
press R"."
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
If you have the option to change the boot order, then your computer should
have the ability to boot from CD. Are you using a copy of the XP CD or a
real one? Do you watch the test messages during boot up. It will say press a
key to boot from CD.

 

[dave]

Go back and look at the steps in the Repair Install page. It says you DO
NOT
yes I realise I don't want the recovery console... what I meant was that
option never even appears.

that message doesn't appear.

 

[Michael Stevens]

yes I realise I don't want the recovery console... what I meant was
that option never even appears.


that message doesn't appear.

Then tell us exactly step by step what you are doing, what
make/model/version motherboard or model/make OEM [i.e. HP, Compaq, Gateway]
computer do you have. Is the XP CD a real XP CD, or is it restore media
providided by the OEM? Key information is missing that you have not supplied
and would make sense of why your system does not boot from CD.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[dave]

Intel P3
Dell dimension xps t600r
xp pro version 2002 real CD.

first I set first boot device as cd rom in set up ( press delete at dell
logo ) and saved those changes... it would not booot from the xp cd despite
doing that.
I was told that older systems might not boot from cd and to try booting from
an old win98 boot floppy with cd rom support. I did that and that worked and
I followed the instructions to start from there but the screen i expected
("Welcome To Setup") never appeared. I don't remember what happened but I
think as per the warning on your web site the repair option did not appear.
I will have to try again so that I can see what happens...... I am hesitant
to do anything that will cause huge data loss...... thanks for all the help
to now!
I will follow up .
D

yes I realise I don't want the recovery console... what I meant was
that option never even appears.


that message doesn't appear.

Then tell us exactly step by step what you are doing, what
make/model/version motherboard or model/make OEM [i.e. HP, Compaq, Gateway]
computer do you have. Is the XP CD a real XP CD, or is it restore media
providided by the OEM? Key information is missing that you have not supplied
and would make sense of why your system does not boot from CD.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm