[Mac_Quazi]

i was thinking about that, but my friend isnt too good with computers and she only has one hard disk with only one partition. I was thinking of going to her and giving her an extra hard disk I have to backup her data, but that seems a bit too much work.

What do you think of the repair install feature? and does windows xp home edition support this feature? Does all data stay intact including users and programs?

Thanx

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does she have an actual, windows xp cd? retail? or upgrade?

[gerryf]

does she have an actual, windows xp cd? retail? or upgrade?

[Mac_Quazi]

Actual windows xp cd with service pack 1. I was thinking of telling her to copy her documents and settings folder to another hard disk, just in case she loses them. Do you think that'll be better? and can she copy and paste file and folders using bart PE A43 file management utility?

[Mac_Quazi]

I found out my friend has a backupz partition on her computer, but she wont know what to do if she formats her hard drive, thats why im hopin to run the repair install and backup her files into the partition as a precaution.

Im about to start doing this within the next half an hour so could you please tell me if the repair install will work from an orignial windows xp hope edition cd? or is that only with professional? and will all her files an data still be in tact after the repair install?

[gerryf]

It should -- but it mignt not repair--this is an ugly problem that seems 50-50 at best

That said, she can use her CD, to set up a NEW install of windows without formatting....I do this when a system is totall crapped up...

Use a Bart disk and rename
c:\documents and settings to c:\bakds
c:\program files c:\bakpf
c:\windows to c:\bakwin

Now boot with the windows disk and choose New install

In about an hour you will have a new windows install and you can go about recovering the data once all is up and running. (and reinstalling apps)

[Mac_Quazi]

thanx mate.

If I boot from the cd i thought i'd have to format the hard drive.

How do I install windows without formatting? do i insert it while in bartPE? will it run from the secondary cd rom drive?

could you please tel me how to get the data back into its appropriate places?

I did this once, a new install, and it was a fresh install but i couldnt log in with my previous username and i couldnt access my program files. But they were all still there in "C:\Documents and Settings" But I couldnt carry on using my old programs as they werent in C:\Program files

I hope this is making sense

please get back to me as soon as possible

You've been a great help so far mate

thanx

Edited by Mac_Quazi, 12 May 2005 - 12:46 PM.

[gerryf]

boot with bart, rename files
shut down
reboot with windows cd, follow steps until it asks for a repair or new

choose new....

Do not format
do not delete partitions
just select current disk and partiton, then leave it as is.

When your computer returns, you will have to retrieve your data from the old folders--how this is done depends on your OS

In home, boot into safe mode, right click on the bakDS folder, choose SHARING and SECURITY, then SECRUITY tab, click ADVANCED, click OWNER tab, select your new account in the box and check the box that says "replace owner....." click OK, OK, and you shoudl have access.

What email program?

[Mac_Quazi]

Thanx mate!!! thats exctly what I needed to know. There is no email program, she goes to internet explorer and acceses her email online.

On her computer she has a few users, but she is the only one with administrator rights. If i followed everything you said will all users be able to return to normal? or is there more I have to do?

[gerryf]

you will need to reinstall those accounts and recover those files....she will be able to put them where they belong if she is an admin and takes possession of the files.

Specifically, favorites, desktop,my documents, and cookies if you use passwords on sites and cannot recall them

A few programs store files in c:\program files---reinstall the programs and then just copy the folder from c:\bakpf c:\program files to get back that info (game saves for instance)

Save c:\windows to retrieve fonts--not much else in there.

Leave the c:\bak?? files around for a month, then delete them

[Mac_Quazi]

If I copy all the files from c:zbakpf to c:\Program Files, will all her programs be accesible from the start menu as normal? or do i have to install them?

you said i have to re-install user accounts, did u mean, create new users, an copy each of their "my documents folders" into their own logins again?

if this is done will her computer return to normal like as if its her old pc again? and also does all this have to be done in safe mode?

[gerryf]

No, you need to reinstall the programs because the install creates reg entries and puts files in the right places (system files)

Copying the folder simply restores the saves and program settings (if the programs have initialization files in the program directory)

You need to create the user accounts, then manually copy files from like folders--

My Docs to My Docs
My Pics to My Pics, etc....


You could copy entire folders but there are sometimes errors associated with that

[Mac_Quazi]

Hey

Thanx 4 all your help last week mate. I fixed my friends computer straight after ur last post.

She said she would like a clean new system aswell as all her old documents. So using bartPE file management i told her to copy and paste her documents and settings folder to a different partition than the C drive.

Then i guided her through installing windows xp home edition. I thought it would be best to do a completely new fresh install because she's had her computer since 2002 and the last time she ran ad aware, just before her login problem, she had around 700 critical objects and around 40 problems in spybot. So I thought a full format was needed before installing windows.

After installation was complete, she created new logins and she copied all the users "my documents" into their own logins again. She luckily has her microsoft office cd and nero and things like that on cd, so she was happy to re install them.

thanx again for your help mate

[gerryf]

great news! thanks for the update.