Topic: Need help re-installing Windows XP

[Mr_Tricorder]

Ok, I've been having problems recently with Vector Linux not being able to connect (it suddenly stopped connecting for no obvious reason) to the internet.  I've been reading up on Linux, asking for help on forums, and playing around with it for a while with no success.  I decided to call it quits on Vector Linux and try out another distro, so I downloaded the .iso files for SUSE Linux 10.0 and give that a try.  I reformatted the drive with Vector Linux on it, but Vector Linux uses LILO to allow the user to chose which OS to boot into, and it was still there after I formatted the hard drive, and I needed to uninstall it.  I finally managed to get rid of it, but in the process of figuring out how to do it, I tried reinstalling Windows (upgrade, not clean install) with my slipstreamed Windows XP Pro + Service Pack 2 CD.

Here's my problem.  I'm stuck in the installation after the first time the computer reboots.  Whenever I boot up my computer into Windows, the installation screen appears along with a dialog box asking me where Service Pack 2 is located.  No matter what I put in, it won't accept it and I cannot continue with the installation.  All I can do is reboot the computer and try again.

Right now I'm using my SLAX Linux Live CD and I'm burning my SUSE Linux installation disks, but I really need to get Windows working again without losing my data.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Javora]

Normally I would suggest backing up your data before trying to reinstall but since we are already past that... *Shrugs*  You could try the restore option on the WinXP CD but I'm not sure that would work given the information you have given me.  Since you want to keep the data on the hard drive formating is not an option.

Ok how many hard drives do you have installed on your system?  If you have more than one hard drive and you can format it either drive without losing data, then I would suggest formatting that drive and do a clean install of Windows.  If your system only has one drive and the data that you need to recover is on that drive then I would suggest buying another hard drive.  Yes that is going to cost some money but then how much is the data you want to keep worth?  Once you buy the hard drive and install it into your system then format it and do a clean install.  After that is complete and you have all the programs installed that you want.  Move the data from the old drive to the new drive then format the old hard drive.  After the old hard drive is formatted you have two choices:  1.  You can use the old hard drive as the data drive only, that way if you ever have a problem like this again your data is relatively safe.  2.  You can use the old drive to put whatever Linux distro you want and duel boot at your leisure.  IMHO I would pick option one but then again I don't duel boot anymore so your mileage may very.  I think this is the safest way to save your data, there are some bootable disk image programs out there but most programs like that cost money (Norton Ghost) and in IMHO a hard drive would be a better option.  Hope this helps.

[Darth Sidious]

One thing i try to do when a system is (RARELY) messed up enough to warrant a new install of Windows is to get a new HD; and do a clean install; and only install what i really need.

Use the old drive(s) as a backup/data drive.

If backing everything up is an option, a simple format works.



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As for getting that windows install to work - try installing WinXP without slipstreamed SP2.  If you're behind a firewall/router, you should be able to get patched/SP2'd without much problem.  (Could also turn on Windows firewall to help out)

[Mr_Tricorder]

Thanks for the reply.  I already have the most important data backed up.  I have Windows on a 120 GB hard drive that is almost full, and I have a second hard drive that is 40 GB, so that won't hold all of the information that I want to back up.  It's more of an issue of the time and effort it would require to get everything set up the way I had it since I have a DVD writer and can back up everything that I need to keep.  I am planning on buying a new hard drive soon, but I need to wait a few weeks before I can really afford it.

[Javora]

Thanks for the reply.  I already have the most important data backed up.  I have Windows on a 120 GB hard drive that is almost full, and I have a second hard drive that is 40 GB, so that won't hold all of the information that I want to back up.

Is there files on this 40Gb drive that isn't already backed up?  If there isn't anything on that 40Gb drive that you need then I would format that drive and put the OS there.  You don't need 100+ Gb of disk space just for the OS and only the OS.  This way you can back up the other files on the 120Gb drive (connected as a slave) and then format and reinstall the OS on the 120Gb drive.  This allows your system to be back up and running while you are saving up money for the new hard drive.  Or for that matter, hold on to your money and just reformat and reload the OS and all programs back on to your 120Gb drive.  Then when something happens to your hard drive again, you can pull out the 40Gb drive with the OS already loaded and recover from whatever happened.  Hope this helps.