Windows Xp

[Timz]

Today when i came home and started up my computer.... it crashed. I am running Windows XP, 1.8ghz, 512meg ram comp and when i tried to load my profile i got all of these pop up msgs telling me that there were problems with my system 32 files and the user profile logs, it also said it had problems saving a LOT of files. The computer did a NTFS scan of my computer after i rebooted and it said that it had changed or fixed "orphaned" files on my computer. However, i still could not load and i got the same error messages.

When i tried to do a In-Place (repair reinstallation) of Windows i followed the procedure in the microsoft site (pressing f8 on the load screen untill it gave me the 'boot from CD option") i got a command to insert my administration password. I have no idea what it is as my pc came pre-installed with windows XP.

Does anyone have advice on th repair reinstallation process?? IF i do a normal installation, will all of my previous files (everything on my hardrive) be wiped out?

For those of you who have done the repair reinstall or the normal install was it successful and how does ur comp run now?


lastly, if i were to reinstall my OS completely can anyone recommened any good guides? So far ive found this one which seems pretty good Tweak3D Windows XP reinstall

[tesco]

i think ur doing the repair instal wrong...u shouldnt need a password to do it, repair install is actually a way of fixing it if u forgot ur password lol.

this is what you do:
1. insert your windows xp cd.
2. make sure ur bios is set to boot from cd.
3. restart and it will say press any key to boot from cd, press a button.
4. wait till it says welcome to setup etc. and press continue, then it will ask you if you would lkike to run a repair install (dont get this confused with recovery console) and choose yes.
5. it will appear to be completely reinstalling windows but it doesnt format your hard drive so you wont loose any programs, only thing you have to reinstall are updates and serices packs.

[delphin460]

do an antivirus scan and a spybot scan b4 you do anything

[Timz]

Originally posted by delphin460@30 March 2004 - 01:40
do an antivirus scan and a spybot scan b4 you do anything

... I cant even get to my desktop, the file popups appear, after clicking close to like 100 of them, the comp blacks out, then restarts

[Timz]

Originally posted by ROSSCO_2004@30 March 2004 - 00:46
i think ur doing the repair instal wrong...u shouldnt need a password to do it, repair install is actually a way of fixing it if u forgot ur password lol.

this is what you do:
1. insert your windows xp cd.
2. make sure ur bios is set to boot from cd.
3. restart and it will say press any key to boot from cd, press a button.
4. wait till it says welcome to setup etc. and press continue, then it will ask you if you would lkike to run a repair install (dont get this confused with recovery console) and choose yes.
5. it will appear to be completely reinstalling windows but it doesnt format your hard drive so you wont loose any programs, only thing you have to reinstall are updates and serices packs.

Yeah, the first time i tried to repair using the recovery console. Then i tried using the windows setup method. It asked my if i agreed to the user agreements, i agreed and then it started loading all of these files. After the load i was sent to a page that told me to select a partition (there was only one) But when i selected it, it said that it was going to format my drive....i thought that meant it was gonna wipe the info and make it available to be written over. Not sure what to do. I really want purging everything to be my last option, is there something im doing wrong?


EDIT:
I also think that the problem with my restore is the system restore itself. Before i shut down my comp the night before, my NOD32 had discovered viruses in the "system restore files". I wasnt sure what to do with those files so i tried to quarantine them, when it said that option was not available, i deleted them... did i screw myself over at that point?

[supersonic]

You migh have a new virus that deletes data from your Hard Disk, congrats you got the virus. Back up everything on disk and reformat 2 make sure it get's fu*#$. I'm not a 100% sure though, good l*ck and do everything at your own risk.

[tesco]

Originally posted by Timz+29 March 2004 - 21:55--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Timz @ 29 March 2004 - 21:55)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-ROSSCO_2004@30 March 2004 - 00:46
i think ur doing the repair instal wrong...u shouldnt need a password to do it, repair install is actually a way of fixing it if u forgot ur password lol.

this is what you do:
1. insert your windows xp cd.
2. make sure ur bios is set to boot from cd.
3. restart and it will say press any key to boot from cd, press a button.
4. wait till it says welcome to setup etc. and press continue, then it will ask you if you would lkike to run a repair install (dont get this confused with recovery console) and choose yes.
5. it will appear to be completely reinstalling windows but it doesnt format your hard drive so you wont loose any programs, only thing you have to reinstall are updates and serices packs.

Yeah, the first time i tried to repair using the recovery console. Then i tried using the windows setup method. It asked my if i agreed to the user agreements, i agreed and then it started loading all of these files. After the load i was sent to a page that told me to select a partition (there was only one) But when i selected it, it said that it was going to format my drive....i thought that meant it was gonna wipe the info and make it available to be written over. Not sure what to do. I really want purging everything to be my last option, is there something im doing wrong? [/b][/quote]
u gotta press R at some point for it to do repair...just keep looking at the bottom to see what buttons do what.

[firefox]

if it was factory installed and the repair does ask you for the administrator password, it is probably blank, just hit enter

[ObiWan]

if you have a virus you would IMO be best getting a ful copy of win XP Pro corp (sp1) then formating and starting again from scratch

NOTE: formatting wipes the hard drive

[CornerPocket]

If it&#39;s a virus hovering in the system restore files, just wipe out the system restore points. Since you cannot get to desktop, try going through &#39;safemode&#39;, just push F8 at start up and choose &#39;safemode&#39;.


Click Start.
Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.
Click the System Restore tab.
Check "Turn off System Restore" or "Turn off System Restore on all drives"
Click Apply.
When turning off System Restore, the existing restore points will be deleted. Click Yes to do this.
Click OK.

Proceed with what you need to do; for example, virus removal. When you have finished, restart the computer and reverse the instructions to turn on System Restore back on.