[meditationguru]

To skifxr:

I'm sorry, it says that now in 21 days Windows must be "activated", not renewed.

Does that help?

Also, there are no drivers in the USB folder on the motherboard CD. When I allow that CD to automatically activate, it brings up a window but I can't get from the tabs to the list of drivers with the keyboard. I've tried everything.

When I loaded the drivers from this CD the first time I used WE to go into the disk and executed the setup program found in the Chipset Drivers directory. Like I said, there are no drivers in the USB directory.

Edited by meditationguru, 10 July 2011 - 01:54 PM.

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I would do a repair install on windows now that you know which one it is. A repair install will replace all of the windows files that are corrupt.
I would also delete the other 3 windows.

I do this by going past the first screen on the Windows CD that says to hit 'r' to repair, correct? I think the repair option you're referring to is on the second screen. Just making sure I don't screw this up.

[meditationguru]

I would do a repair install on windows now that you know which one it is. A repair install will replace all of the windows files that are corrupt.
I would also delete the other 3 windows.

I do this by going past the first screen on the Windows CD that says to hit 'r' to repair, correct? I think the repair option you're referring to is on the second screen. Just making sure I don't screw this up.

[123Runner]

How to repair Windows

The USB drivers are part of the chipset drivers.
If the mouse required specific drivers then they are on the cd that came with the mouse.

[Macboatmaster]

You repair the installation at the second R.
The first R is repair using Recovery console.
A repair install is in essence a reinstall of the basic Windows Operating System, leaving your personal data intact. as the drive is NOT formatted.
Here is the screen - the last one on my post, you should be AT for the repair install, together with the lead up to screens.






When presented with the screen below. press the F8 key to continue.






Next, Windows Setup will find existing Windows XP installations. You will be asked to repair an existing XP installation, or install a fresh copy of Windows XP.

If no installations are found, then you will not be given the option to repair. This may happen if the data or partition on your drive is too corrupted.

Note: If you install a fresh copy, all data on that partition will be lost!




and here is the excellent guide from this site GeekstoGo
http://www.geekstogo...air-windows-xp/


That all said, having read the thread, particularly your first post, I see little chance of a repair install working.
As it would seem that this applies.#
Next, Windows Setup will find existing Windows XP installations. You will be asked to repair an existing XP installation, or install a fresh copy of Windows XP.

If no installations are found, then you will not be given the option to repair. This may happen if the data or partition on your drive is too corrupted

Edited by Macboatmaster, 10 July 2011 - 03:04 PM.

[meditationguru]

So you are saying that a complete reinstall - including a formatting of the C drive - is what's needed?

This is my (and I'm sure many others' worst nightmare).

[123Runner]

NO

A repair install is in essence a reinstall of the basic Windows Operating System, leaving your personal data intact. as the drive is NOT formatted.

[meditationguru]

NO

A repair install is in essence a reinstall of the basic Windows Operating System, leaving your personal data intact. as the drive is NOT formatted.

I was referring to the post by Macboatmaster. I realize your solution does not involve a format. He said that he doubts a repair would work, thus a reinstallation.

[123Runner]

I had suggested in post 27 that it looks like the time to do a re-install also.

[meditationguru]

I will try the repair first. You never know.

e.g. A few years ago my system would spontaneously shift it's boot priority. The BIOS would boot from the CD instead of the hard drive. I would have to go in and change the setting. Ten days later it would happen again. It started to become more and more frequent, so I wrote in asking what the problem was.

The answer I received was that the battery on the mb was dying. Perfectly rational, logical solution. However being as lazy as I am, I never got around to replacing it. Suddenly the problem stopped and now two years later, it has totally disappeared. I made no changes I was aware of that would account for it.

So that's why I say, "You never know."

[bretwt91]

To Bretwt91:

Restore does not work.

I think you tried everything what you should try.
Now there is only one solution reinstall your window
formatting the c:\ drive.

[meditationguru]

To Bretwt91:

Restore does not work.

I think you tried everything what you should try.
Now there is only one solution reinstall your window
formatting the c:\ drive.

That will be my last resort. I'll try everything else I can think of first.

[Macboatmaster]

This is the reason I do NOT think a repair install will work

I then returned to the windows setup screen and selected the first option, 'enter' to setup windows and then f8 to agree to terms.

I then saw options for partitioning and unpartitioning space by moving to my C: drive or my D: drive. I moved to the C: drive
Then, . to set up XP on item, press enter
. to create partition, press 'c'
. to delete partition, press 'd'
I hit 'c'
Then, . to continue setup, press 'c'
. for a different partition, press esc
I hit 'c'

Once you selected the option to setup windows and created a partition, you more than likely lost any opportunity for a repair install.
As you have already stated that you have all your data backed up, it really is NOT I think such a problem.
If you have sufficient disk space then create a parallel installation and go from there.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 11 July 2011 - 02:25 PM.

[123Runner]

He also has 4 copies of windows on the computer.
I believe his best option after all that has been tried is to reformat and start over.

[Macboatmaster]

123Runner

I totally agree, that was my opinion as soon as I read his first post again and that is what prompted my post 34, with the images to try and explain the situation.

Once you selected the option to setup windows and created a partition, you more than likely lost any opportunity for a repair install.
As you have already stated that you have all your data backed up, it really is NOT I think such a problem.

But he seems to be totally against that course of action.

[meditationguru]

I understand what you're saying. I'm just going to try whatever I can do to avoid the reinstall. I've done them before and they are a LOT of trouble and take up a lot of time.

I'd rather go to the dentist.