[joanelaine]

Hi all,
I'm new here but I found your forums through Google when I was followed the intructions here to do a repair because I kept getting a message saying that "Windows/system/32/config/system" was either missing or corrupt, and to press r on "some screen" so that was the repair but during that messages saying files were not there , dozens of them so I just hit Esc to continue. Didn't get me anywhere, except before it reverts back to a blue screen with set up on it I see the Windows splash screen and hope then it will go to my usual desktop with all my icons and programs but no such luck. I also did a chkdsk /p and /r, nothing seems to work.

I've never done a clean install, although I've had it done by technician. I want to try myself but not sure how difficult it is, for instance will drivers for sound and video be on my disk which I add is a cut one that a tech guy made for me.

Please if anyone knows have I lost my data?. I have backed up some things before this happened so it's not that important but I'm worried about what is involved in doing the clean install. I'm told it's just a matter of following the on screen prompts, but surely it's not that simple.

Many thanks, Joan.

[phillpower2]

Hi and joanelaine
You need to provide information about your computer, this includes is it a laptop or desktop, is it a custom build or brand name such as Dell or HP, if it is provide the model name or series number (not serial) providing these details will enable others to better assist you.

The first thing we will do is try and secure any data on your HDD using Puppy Linux http://www.geekstogo...over-your-data/ post back when you have done this or if you need anything further.

[joanelaine]

Thank you for responding, it's a desktop computer about 7 years old running XP Home. This computer was an Acedr but the motherboard was replaced about 2 years ago and as it is an MSI Motherboard. I don't think my desktop is an Acer now. 40 Gigs, 1½ gids of RAM. I have backed up most of my data but I just didn't want to have to go to all the trouble of reinstalling all my programs althought I have saved in a folder all my download files so I can reinstall but there is all those those windows updates. I've not long done all that when I had a technician look at it because the mouse curser was frozen and I couldn't do a thing. He said he would have to do a clean install but when he brought it back my programs were still sitting in windows Explorer but not installed except for Skype and Team Viewer, they were fully installed so a clean install was not done. I won't go back to him because he was annoyed with me for questioning him about the clean install. I thought I would try to do it myself mainly because of finances, plus I've spent a lot of money on it these past months, the fan broke and had to pay another tech to put another fan in.
Thank you,
Joan

[phillpower2]

Ok first off what type of installation disk do you have, is it a full retail Xp disk or an OEM type that was provided with the computer?

[joanelaine]

The disk is a copy of Windows XP Home. When a technician said I needed a new Motherboard just over 2 years ago he rang and said that when one puts a new Motherboard in it wipes Windows and everything. I've since found out that should not have happened.Thats why I now back up all my personal data now, but as far as I know I can't back up my programs and I didn't want to have to do that again. However, he said I would have to reinstall Windows and everything. I only had the system restore disks that came with the Acer but he said they were no good now because of the motherboard, so told him I didn't have a Windows disk, also I didn't feel confidant enough to try and install Windows myself at that time, not that I am confident now, but I have learnt a little more over the past 2 years, so will try. Soooo, it's a copy of Windows XP Home that the technician cut for me. He was very expensive to install Windows but he knew someone who was much cheaper and suggested this other person who installed Windows for me. I think he used the cut disk because he said he was going to get it from the first tech guy.
BTW I am on my laptop now.
Because I saw that Windows splash screen when I tried to do the repair and it didn't load my programs etc., and it reverted back to the blue screen wanting me to set up again. I am wondering if I have wiped everything from my hard drive,do you think?
Joan.

[joanelaine]

visitors just arrived, will have to come back another day, hopefully tomorrrow.please keep my thread open I will come back but with Christmas and everything I keep getting interrupted.
Thank you for your pateince,
Joan.

[phillpower2]

Ok we fully understand we all have others commitments and especially at Christmas time, we will never close a topic unless it is requested by the OP or it breaches the TOU (Terms of Use) so please don`t worry reply when you can
I will be online around 1900hrs UK time tomorrow so no panic, meanwhile some light reading for you when you have time;

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The disk is a copy of Windows XP Home. When a technician said I needed a new Motherboard just over 2 years ago he rang and said that when one puts a new Motherboard in it wipes Windows and everything. I've since found out that should not have happened

This would only happen if the HDD was replaced so as you say it is nonsense, the replacement MB should have been provided with a manufacturers driver disk and nothing else, there is also the legal implications of using copied software and for future reference an OEM disk is tied to the original MB it was paired to with the only exceptions being 1: The MB was replaced under warranty and 2: The MB was replaced under warranty with a different type/brand of MB because the original MB is no longer available, Microsoft become aware of these details when you activate your product online.

Quote

Because I saw that Windows splash screen when I tried to do the repair and it didn't load my programs etc., and it reverted back to the blue screen wanting me to set up again. I am wondering if I have wiped everything from my hard drive,do you think?

This cannot be answered with 100% certainty either way, the reason I suggested using Puppy Linux in post #2 was to avoid the need to use Windows to secure your data, Puppy uses your Ram to function meaning you are able to copy data from the HDD to a thumb drive without the need for Windows Explorer, some more light reading but again when you have the time http://www.geekstogo...over-your-data/

[joanelaine]

Thank you for the information. I just read the instructions for puppy but honestly I don't understand it. I can't access anything on my desktop computer to do all that it requires to make the DVD, plus my Bios doesn't look anything like the picture I see on the puppy site.. I really want to do a clean install. My brother has a proper windows XP disk that is not a copy so he is going to send that to me after Christmas, probably better than a "copy". He doesn't use Windows anymore gone to iMac computer now.

The only thing I can't understand and I am sure I will be asked to do this when I go to do a clean install, is the following; when I was trying to do a repair it asked me to press F6 if I had Raid (Ithink) but I did need to put the MSI disk in the last time the 2nd tech was supposed to do a clean install because my Media Player was not working and I had yellow questions next to Raid Controller and Raid Video....forget the exact words. I rang Microsoft and they told me to put the disk in because I needed the drivers for Media Player to work. thats what I'm worried ?.
Sorry to be so dumb but I think I can do the clean install just don't know what to do about the F6 part.
I can't do it all until I get the disk from my brother though.
would you let me know if I can by pass the F6 command and do it later. Obviously the technician that said he did a clean install (but didn't), cause everything was mucked up. He must have left it alone because Media player and a few other things didn't work.
thank you,
Joan.

[phillpower2]

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I can't access anything on my desktop computer to do all that it requires to make the DVD

You need to do this on a separate computer, if you cannot do this because you do not have access to a second computer then you could add a new HDD to the present PC, format, partition and install Xp on it then copy your data to the new HDD and format the old drive and use it as storage space, if you format the drive first you will lose all data however the full retail Xp disk may be more successful than the recovery disk

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would you let me know if I can by pass the F6 command and do it later.

We will walk you through this when the disk arrives, meanwhile here is some information for you; and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

[joanelaine]

I have my laptop which I am using to post here, np floppy drive. FAT file system on this laptop, desktop has NTFS. I will just have to wait until my original windows disk arrives after Christmas. I am not confident enough to do as you suggested with a second hard drive, so will install Windows on the drive I have. I just don't understand the MSI manual to make a floppy, it just says "please check your mainboard specs & find the corresponding path in the attached driver CD.Copy all contents in the folder to a formatted floppy to make the raid driver floppy diskette by yourself". I can't do that if even I understood it,my desktop does have a floppy drive and I just put the MSI disk in the desktop to see if I can "see" anything to copy but nothing happens just goes to the set up screen. Sooo can I put those drivers in after I have installed Windows?. I had to do that when the last tech said he did a clean install. Media player had no video only sound and I had 2 yellow question marks in device manager about Raid Controller and Raid Video after a technician said he did a clean install, that tech told me not to worry about that but I hate questions in device manager. Rang Microsoft and they told me to put the MSI disk in and it fixed the problem, with Media player.
sorry to be so confused.
Joan.

[phillpower2]

From post #9

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if you format the drive first you will lose all data however the full retail Xp disk may be more successful than the recovery disk

When you get the full Xp disk you should try the Repair option again and hopefully not loose your data, familiarise yourself with the tutorial courtesy of Admin in the meantime http://www.geekstogo...air-windows-xp/

Quote

Sooo can I put those drivers in after I have installed Windows?.

Yes and we will assist you with this, just let us know when you are ready.

[joanelaine]

Thank you sooooo! much for answering that question about the RAID drivers. That has been worrying me so much. Now I can just wait for my brother to send me the original disk and I will try the repair again then come back as soon as I've received the disk aftrer Christmas. Many thanks for your help I'm so happy I found this forum.
Hope you have a Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2012
Best wishes,
Regards,
Joan..

[phillpower2]

Likewise, good health and wealth for the future and when you are ready let us know

[joanelaine]

Hi everyone,
Just an update, my brother has not sent me the original XP disk yet, but hope to get it soon. In the meantime my son bought me a new computer for Christmas, it's running Windows 7 and I am in all sorts of trouble so will so to your win 7 forum. I will come back when the XP disk arrive cause I still want to fix that computer,
thankyou
Joan

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update