Reinstalling WinXP

[rdeckert]

I have a registry error on my pc, so I'm going to reinstall WinXp to try and fix it which should work. If I do reinstall, will it reformat the hard drive? Secondly, if I instead try to use the recovery option on the WinXP cd, will it reformat? (I'm referring to the recovery option at the first screen).

[awaj]

yes, reinstalling windows will re-format your hard drive. (you can tell it not to, but that will only increase frustration probably.) you can try doing a repair install of it, which I think is the recovery option on the WinXP cd. It won't reformat, but I can't guarantee that the files will still be intact (hence back-up often...) Depending on how old the CD is, it may remove the service packs and other updates, which will be among your first priority to reinstall.

[rdeckert]

Is there a guaranteed way I can do it without reformatting?

[david eaton]

If you have a complete Win XP CD, not a restore disc, then you can do a no reformat nondestructive total rebuild using the instructions from Fred Langa (http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897)

[rdeckert]

I tried that but the option that he refers to is not there. I get to screen seven and there is no repair option.

[david eaton]

What option do you mean?

[rdeckert]

Okay. It says to go through the Windows setup just like normal. The cd searches for previous versions of Windows like it should, and then another screen should show the damaged copy of Windows, according to Fred Langa. Well, that screen never comes up. It just goes straight to asking me which partition I want to install Windows on.

[Paul Komski]

There are a number of reasons why the repair option doesnt show, including which is the active partition and the content of the boot.ini file in that partition and whether or not there is any existing corruption of the file system.

It is also not the case that you have to reformat anything to do a re-install. You just need to carefully choose and watch the options of where you choose to have the installation.

A parallel installation can take place inside the existing Windows partition but you would need to choose (or let the install choose) another different name for the new installation's Windows folder (eg Windows02). If there is another available partition (primary or logical and even on a different internal hard drive) then the same existing active partition can hold the boot files and dual boot menu in boot.ini but a different partition or partitions can hold whole new clean installations of XP.

Sometimes doing a parallel installation into the same windows partition can help one recover the original non-booting installation by de facto repairing the boot sector and the boot files. It is also a valid way of attempting to recover or access currently inaccessible data - though it is safer to do this from a separate operating system or live CD.

PS I suggest at least looking at the current partitions using a live CD such as Knoppix or a BartPE to see if the file system is intact and accessible.

[Sylvander]

If you have a FDD you could try using a Windows NT 4.0, 2000, XP or Server 2003 boot floppy disk (http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/ntboot/) as your system disk to load the files in your HDD's Windows folder.

[Paul Komski]

I have a registry error on my pc
Does this stop you from actually booting into windows at all. If not what exact error messages are you given or what happens when you attempt to start Windows. Also if the PC will not boot read the Michael Stevens Page in particular Warning 1 (http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#Warning1) before attempting a repair.