How To Repair XP and Avoid a Full
Reinstall.
I have covered this
one before and have posts with Graphics on how to do the following steps.
This is just the text version all on one page.
One of the ideas
behind the Windows XP installation CD was that it was supposed to make
installing Windows a whole lot easier. Less errors, simpler choices, and
removing installation confusion sound pretty good to most of us, right?
Microsoft had hoped for XP to be as pain-free and easy to install as possible.
Unfortunately, reality had other plans for some XP users. While it is
extremely rare to have major issues installing a fresh copy of XP on a
computer, reinstallations can frequently be troublesome even when doing things
by the book. Lucky for us Microsoft has provided us with specific tools to
help us deal with these situations.
While this may seem
like very little comfort when compared to XP's many shortcomings, these tips
can often keep a bad day from getting a lot worse, if you know what I mean.
Let's start by looking
at some tips and utilities for dealing with XP issues before jumping into a XP
reinstall.
Last known good configuration: Always the easiest to try first before
settling for a reinstallation of Windows XP. Reboot the PC and tap F8 while
you wait for boot options to be displayed for you. Once there, choose "Last
known good configuration."
System restore:
In some cases, a reinstallation can be avoided by using system restore. If you
are unable to get system restore to work from within safe mode, you can try to
access it from within a command prompt. You do not need to leave safe mode to
do this, just follow these instructions closely:
1. Reboot into safe
mode with a command prompt.
2. Get to an
administrator account so that you have the needed permissions to get things
done.
3. At the command
prompt, type: %systemroot%\system32 restore strui.exe
4. Follow the
instructions to restore your PC to an earlier state of operation.
Recovery console:
The XP recovery console can be a very useful utility when employed with care.
There are a variety of situations where having access to it can be really
handy. In fact, you need to get access to it before we go any further.
1. Reboot from the
Windows XP CD. Once you arrive at the welcome screen, choose "R" for recovery.
2. You will be asked
which Windows installation you wish to access. Choose the appropriate number.
3. Now a prompt for
your administrator password will appear. Enter it and continue (if no
password, press enter).
Now we are ready to
roll up our sleeves and get to work. While at the console, you can type help
for a list of available commands that are at your disposal. For example, you
can repair a messed up boot sector by typing FIXBOOT and then typing enter
afterward. If you are having difficulty booting up because of a messed up
Ntldr file, however, then you might need to replace it by typing:
COPY E:\i386\NTLDR C:
(Keep in mind this is assuming that E: is the correct drive letter for your CD
ROM drive). Once you have repaired what you have needed to from the recovery
console, simply type EXIT at the prompt to leave and restart Windows.
When all else fails,
sometimes reinstalling is the best medicine. Below, we will look at two very
different methods to accomplish this.
Repair
installation: Running a repair install of Windows XP can be a handy way of
fixing the installation of XP without having to start totally over and
deleting important data from your PC. To do this type of install, simply
follow these instructions.
1. Boot from your XP
installation CD.
2. At the welcome
screen, choose enter.
3. Once at the license
agreement, press F8.
4. At the next screen,
choose to repair the selected Windows XP installation by pressing R.
5. The files will
begin to install and then your PC will reboot. During the reboot you will be
presented with option of booting from the CD again by pressing any key. Don't
press anything. Allow it to finish the install without booting from the CD
again.
Full reinstallation
of Windows XP: If all else fails and you are ready to completely delete
everything on your hard drive, then you are ready to do a full reinstallation.
You will be erasing everything, so make sure you already have a backup of any
important data before you continue. Follow the instructions above 'til you
arrive at step 4. At that point, choose to continue installing a fresh copy of
XP on your system and NOT the repair option. Internet Fixes has a great
walkthrough that will take you step by step through the nuances of setting up
your partitions, formatting, etc.
Well, that should
about cover how to deal with repairing and if need be, reinstalling Windows
XP.
