[clark19]

I never see that screen on your last entry.

Fisrt I put in my recovery Windos XP disk in the CD reader.
Then I shut down the computer.
Then I restart the computer, and the Dos screen says
Boot from CD: ?
I enter "Y"
The computer loads a bunch of files from the recovery CD, then goes to a blue scree
and I see...........




Windows XP Home Edition Setup
=====================

The following list shows the existing partitions and
unpartitioned space on this computer.

Use the UP and DOWN ARROW key to select an item in the list.

To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.
To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
To delete the selected partition, press D.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38163 MB disk 0 at Id 0 at Bus 0 on atapi [MBR]

C: Partition1 [NTFS] 38162 MB ( 28774 MB free)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENTER = Install D=Delete Partition F3= Quit





That is what I see.
Last time I selected, ENTER.
Now I have a parallel instaltion of Windows XP Home Edition.

What should I do next?




Thanks,
Clark19

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if its a repair use arrows and select the one in bold

To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.
To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
To delete the selected partition, press D.

you see Repair highlight it press enter

[Mr Freeze]

if its a repair use arrows and select the one in bold

To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.
To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
To delete the selected partition, press D.

you see Repair highlight it press enter

[clark19]

Windows XP Home Edition Setup
=====================

The following list shows the existing partitions and
unpartitioned space on this computer.

Use the UP and DOWN ARROW key to select an item in the list.

To set up Windows XP on the selected item, press ENTER.
To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
To delete the selected partition, press D.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38163 MB disk 0 at Id 0 at Bus 0 on atapi [MBR]

C: Partition1 [NTFS] 38162 MB ( 28774 MB free)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENTER = Install D=Delete Partition F3= Quit








I was not very clear last email.
There is only one item allowed to select (and it is already selected), which is ....

C: Partition1 [NTFS] 38162 MB ( 28774 MB free)



Thanks,
Clark19

[peterm]

ok Clark19
You do not have a windows cd you only have a recovery cd.
You cannot do a windows repair with your cd do you know anyone who has a home edition xp cd.
Also do you have a sticker on your machine with the product key on it if not we will have to pull it from the registry.
Download this click on me
Run it and write down the number.
If we can't get a proper cd - not a restore cd then its back to loading all your software and gaining control of the old files.
I want a proper cd so I can see if it finds the old partition. Then we try a restore from the recovery console.
because a repair will also loose all yor programs but should give easier access to your data.
Step 1) retail version on xp home from a friend.
Step 2) find partion - if we find it
Step 3) try to system restore - if no good then
Step 4) repair - if no good
Step 5) get all data into parallel install and reload programs
step 6) get rid of one of the windows installs
Cheers
Peterm

Edited by peterm, 15 September 2007 - 02:58 AM.

[clark19]

I have no Windows CD, just the red Emergency Recovery CD.
My computer has a sticker on the top of it with a big Product Key number on it.

I am fine with removing the older corrupt widows installed on it in 2005.

If I loose all my data that is OK, since I have a hard backup of my stuff on a CD now.
Also, I will only be putting MS Work and Excel back on the computer since that is all I use, so that will be easy since I also have those CDs.

So I am ready to take a risk and start a Windows removal now.

Thanks,

Clark19

[peterm]

Ok
Step 1) Save a Backup Copy of Boot.ini
1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
3. Under System Startup, click Edit. This opens the file in Notepad ready for editing.
4. In Notepad, click File on the Menu bar, and then click Save As.
5. Right click in an empty area of the Save As dialog box, point to New in the Context menu, and then click Folder.
6. Type a name for the new folder, for example temp, and then press the ENTER key to create the folder named temp.
7. Double-click the new folder named temp, and then click the Save button to save a backup copy of the Boot.ini file.

Then post a copy of the saved file so I can read your boot.ini

Step 2) Open My Computer and double click on "Local Disk C:". Open Documents and Settings...what folders do you see in there?
I hope you see your old data in there if so go to step 3

Step 3)Take OwnershipClick on me of the files in the old account and move them to the new one. This should be done from the Safe Mode Administrator account. There should be an option (a checkbox) to apply the action to all subdirectories...if this is ticked, you can take possession of a parent folder and all the folders in it at once.

Once you have all your files and you know they're ok, we'll see if we can remove the original installation

Edited by peterm, 17 September 2007 - 05:20 PM.

[clark19]

Here is my Boot.ini file....
It must be the file from my most recently installed Windows XP since that is the only installation that works right now.


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


On "Step 2)", I do see my old data in the Documents and Settings area.

On "Step3)", what does it mean to move them from one account to another account?
I do not think I have accounts. My computer is wide open. I have never set up accounts.
The computer comes on with Windows XP, and I then just use everything I want.
It never even asks me to log in.

Thanks,
Clark19

[clark19]

Regarding "Step3)".

I booted up my computer in Safe Mode and changed all my ownerships to "Administrators" for my Documents and Setting, and for Program Files.

I looked in the directories, and my files are still there!

So I guess I am ready to remove the dead Windows.

Thnx,
Clark19

[peterm]

The old account is the old my documents etc from the original install.
Can you move a file from you old my documents to the new my documents ?
If yes then copy all your files over so you have access. If not then you take ownership so you can copy them - saves reloading them.
As for accounts when you setup the computer it automatically sets up the Administrator account so allthough it does not ask you to choose an account as you only have 1 account- admin. If you are happy enough you do not have to take ownership you can just reload all the data from disk again. Your choice.

Please go to my computer and double click on click on C drive. Do you see 2 folders 1 called windows and 1 called windows.0
Cheers
Peterm

[peterm]

Ok so you copied all the stuff to the new install - because when we delete the old windows then all the files in the old my documents will disapear(thats why we copy them to the new my documents)

Please go to my computer and double click on click on C drive. Do you see 2 folders 1 called windows and 1 called windows.0

Edited by peterm, 17 September 2007 - 07:08 PM.

[clark19]

Yes,
I just copied everything to the new install.
My new "My Documents" contains all my old files etc...

Under my "Local Disk (C:)", I see
WINDOWS (old) &
WINDOWS.0 (new)

I guess it is now time to uninstall or delete the old "WINDOWS".

How should I proceed?

Thanks,

Clark19"

[clark19]

Also, from Safe Mode, I moved my "Program Files" folder into "My Documents" so they do not accidentally get deleted.
Is that wise?

Clark19

[peterm]

Open Local Disk C: and right click on the WINDOWS folder...choose "Delete" and accept the deletion.

Copy the red text below. Go back to the boot.ini file, right click in the window and choose "Select All". Right click again and choose "Paste" to replace the current boot.ini with the modified one. Click "File" on the toolbar and choose "Save".
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS.0
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS.0="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect


Reboot and it should now boot straight to the new install.
If it does then
Reload the 2 programs then start Internet explorer click on tools click on windows update.
Cheers
Peterm

[clark19]

Thanks,
I will do it now.
Clark19

[clark19]

So far so good.
I did all those items and my system works very well.
I am now re-installing software etc..
Thanks sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much.
Clark19