A very simple solution is to perform a "repair install" on
the computer that is having problems.
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:
| Thanks for the additional info, Pavel.
|
| Based on various comments, I checked to see whether any on my BIOSs would
| let me specify booting from a USB port. None would. So even though I
| bought the 160GB external drive, I've abandoned that idea. (I'll use it
| for off-site backup of key data and software.)
|
| I just ordered a 200GB Maxtor that has both ATA and EIDE interfaces. I've
| got a card that matches it for both interfaces and the 133mbps transfer
| rate. The only wrinke is the card doesn't support the full 120GB, but I
| can switch it to another another drive and use the motherboard for the 200gb
| connection (maybe with a bios upgrade).
|
| Anyway, I can get that disk set up with an OS using my Win2000Pro computer,
| which thankfully I haven't screwed up. Then I can transfer the disk and
| card to each dead computer successively and get them running again without
| any loss of data.
|
| I see just one problem: If I install Win2kPro or WinXP-Pro on the Maxtor,
| it will include the HAL appropriate to my Win2KPro machine. Will that disk
| work correctly on my dead WinXP-Pro and Win2kAS machines.
|
| If not, then I'll install Linux on the Maxtor and create some NT
| partitions, copy data from one of the dead machines onto it and then
| install the appropriate Windows setup disk on the machine to reinstall
| Windows on that machine.
|
| How's that sound?
|
| I hope this diatribe wasn't too long winded for you.
|
| Regards,
| Richard
|
| My co
|
|
|
| | > Richard,
| >
| > WinXP can not run off USB drive. Never, ever
| > A setup of WinXP or recovery console can run from a CD,
| > so you can use it to repair the installed system.
| >
| > External SATA disk in a box, connected to internal controller,
| > is actually an internal disk, like SCSI, so it will work.
| >
| > Good luck,
| > --PA
| >
| >
| | > > Hi Pavel,
| > >
| > > Thanks for the response. I've got a 160GB USB-interfaced drive with its
| own
| > > power adapter.
| > >
| > > Regards,
| > > Richard
| > >
| > > | > >> What external drive: SATA? Firewire?
| > >>
| > >> --PA
| > >>
| > > | > >> > Hi,
| > >> >
| > >> > I was running a three-computer workgroup: Win2kPro, Win2kAS and
| > > WinXP-Pro.
| > >> > I stupidly hosed the latter two machines. I wrecked the XP machine
| by
| > >> > making a mistake when trying to use Partition Magic to expanded XP
| > >> > partition. The AS machine somehow lost NTLDR. All machines have
| > > multiple
| > >> > NT partitions.
| > >> >
| > >> > I bought an external hard drive with goal of installing an OS on that
| > > drive
| > >> > using my still-working machine, then moving it successively to each
| of
| > > dead
| > >> > machines in order to recover important data from their hard drives
| > > before
| > >> > trying to reinstall OSs on them.
| > >> >
| > >> > If that seems workable, I assume I should install Linux on the
| external
| > >> > drive because it could read NT partitions. Id rather put XP on the
| > > external
| > >> > drive when attached to my 2K machine, but fear that HAL from the 2K
| > > machine
| > >> > qould be inappropriate when installing the external drive and booting
| > > from
| > >> > it on the other machines.
| > >> >
| > >> > Does any of this make any sense?
| > >> >
| > >> > Thanks in advance,
| > >> > Richard
| > >> >
| > >> >
| > >>
| > >>
| > >
| > >
| > >
| >
| >
|
|
