[alipatt]

Being stupid I tried to install a legit version of XP home after haveing XP Professional pinged by Microsoft.
I know that I tried looking at the BIOS but dont think I altered anything.
After the install - the 2 dri\ves that I had - CD RW and CDRW/DVD R now show in hardware profile with yellow on them saying drivers missing and are not listed in My Computer..
I am hoping to do a complete cleanout of the C Drive as I now have multi copies of windows and files that I cant access. so will need help starting that off as well.

Signed

Stupid and frustrated

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Hi alipatt...

Let me gather a little information here before we start in earnest.

First, look in the C: drive. How many Windows folders are there and what are their names?

Then, open Control Panel and double click on the "System" icon. Under the "Advanced" tab, in the Startup and Recovery" section, click the "Settings" button...then click on the "Edit" button. Copy/Paste the text from the notepad window that opens (boot.ini) here for me. "Cancel" out of the open windows and close Control Panel.

wannabe1

[wannabe1]

Hi alipatt...

Let me gather a little information here before we start in earnest.

First, look in the C: drive. How many Windows folders are there and what are their names?

Then, open Control Panel and double click on the "System" icon. Under the "Advanced" tab, in the Startup and Recovery" section, click the "Settings" button...then click on the "Edit" button. Copy/Paste the text from the notepad window that opens (boot.ini) here for me. "Cancel" out of the open windows and close Control Panel.

wannabe1

[alipatt]

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

message that showed

There are 48 folders inside windows folder - do you need them all listed?

[wannabe1]

I'm only interested in any folders named WINDOWS tha reside in the C: directory. The boot.ini shows only one...is this correct?

The files you can't access...are these data files that we need to recover? Is the issue that you get an "Access Denied" message when you try to open them?

[alipatt]

There is only one folder saying windows.

another says +all users/windows.

I am happy to get the pc down to a basic complete install of xp and have the data files backed up to removable hard drive.

Alastair

[wannabe1]

So far, things are looking pretty normal.

When you try to access your data files, do you get an "Access Denied" error message?

[alipatt]

Sorry I believe that I may have used wording that confused.

I have under documents and settings 4 users now.

Program files that were previously installed before I loaded Windows XP Home are still listed in Program folder bt not showing when I run windows

[alipatt]

tried to run a program and got an error 339

[wannabe1]

Do you have your data file recovered and are they on removable media...or do we need to recover them. We can format easily enough if you have all the data off that you wish to keep.

Is your XP installation cd an OEM (Dell, HP, etc...) or a retail version?

[wannabe1]

Your programs will have to be reinstalled for them to work properly.

[alipatt]

I have a CD retail Version of XP Home and data files are saved - cant use the cd rom though

Alastair

[wannabe1]

See if it will boot to the cd. Put the installation cd in the drive and restart the machine. It should prompt you to "Press any key to boot from cd"...press the spacebar.

If it boots in this manner, follow the prompts to:

• Delete all partitions
• Full format in NTFS
• Install XP Home

Make sure you have no external devices connected (particularly USB devices) when you install...hardware can cause all sorts of problems during the installation. Monitor, keyboard, and mouse are all you need.

There is a guide available HERE.

[alipatt]

thank you -

Unfortunatly due to time zones I am now off to work but will try this step when I get home in 10 hours.

Thank you for your help so far.

Alastair

[alipatt]

unfortunatly that didnt work - i diidnt get the option to boot from cd

[Retired Tech]

Boot the PC and keep tapping the delete key until it enters set up, set the CD ROM drive as the first boot device, press F10 to save, insert the XP CD, type Y to confirm then press enter, keep tapping the enter key as soon as it starts to boot