Re Restore from Disc

[Liz]

For some reason this morning my windows xp would not boot up.
I kept getting the message that windows xp could not start and to choose
safe mode,
safe mode with networking or last know configuration. I choose the latter
but it seems it just keeps looping back to windows can not start up.
I have windows xp sp1 on the originial disc but the computer has windows xp
2sp2 on it. I have the disc from Microsoft with windows xp sp2 on it but
when I put into the drive
to try and get to Repair it seems my computer is not reading the disc for
some reason.
Just wonder if anyone could offer any assistance. The Windows xp sp2 disc I
have is one that I ordered from Microsoft when they offered this for free.
Thank you in advance.
Liz.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Liz,

Why can't your pc boot up; do it provide any error messages, such as file
missing, HAL or anything similar?

The last know configuration replaces the registry with the copy of the one
that worked last and is useful if there is a registry corruption.

With your original XP CD when you insert it into the CD-ROM and reboot does
the CD Drive light come on? You should also get a message in the top left of
your screen saying 'press any key to boot from CD' Are you getting this? If
so are you pressing a key to continue? If you don't press a key the pc will
attempt to boot as normal.

If everything is working in that respect do you have another software
application that requires booting from CD. An example is partition Magic
which needs to boot to DOS. If you do then try inserting that disk to see if
the same thing happens. I have had instances were boot CDs will not work,
but then, after trying an alternative CD they have worked properly. Probably
the CD-ROM got a little temperamental.

An alternative that you might try is to slipstream SP2 to your original CD,
thus creating a new one and trying that. For more details visit my website
http://xphelpandsuppot.mvps.org Click the Win XP Faq button and take a look
at question 83.

If you are particularly desperate you might also try downloading the 6 boot
floppies for windows xp from www.bootdisk.com and giving them a try. You do
need to make sure you select your correct versions, i.e., Home or
professional


--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org

The information in this post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this post. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this post..

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Liz,

While in Safe Mode, try System Restore.

All About System Restore in WinXP
http://bertk.mvps.org/

 

[Liz]

thank you John,
I should have said I am trying to Repair rather than Restore.
It does not seem to matter what I select when the computer first boots up as
it just keeps going back to the same screen. IE select safe mode,select safe
mode with networking or last know cofinguration.
It seems the computer is not recognizing Windows. As I have the origninal
Windows CD Home Xp 2 Sp1a but I I was afraid to load that into the computer
has the computer has XP Sp2 loaded on it. I have not inseted the originial
CD as it has SP1a on it and even though I would press Repair I am afraid
that it would do something to the SP2 that I have loaded.
Please forgive my ignorance as I do not know much about this.
I had just loaded the CD with XP SP 2 on it from Microsoft but it was not
doing anthing. If I load my Originial Disc in and I get to Repair will it do
anything to the XP Sp2 that is on there as I am telling it to Repair but
the disc in there will be Service Pack Windows Home Xp SP1a. Sorry John to
be a pest but I am totally ignorant when it comes to this. Thank you once
again.
Liz.

 

[Liz]

Thank you Bert,
I should have said trying to Repair rarther than Restore.
I am sorry for any confusion I may have caused.
Liz.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

if you have an original XP CD and you ask it to repair the installation, it
will do so. But it will repair to SP1a. Now, you already have a copy of the
SP2 CD so all you would need to do is reinstall SP2. It's nothing major.
Alternatively, as i said in my first post, you could slipstream SP2 to your
original XP CD. That is assuming the 'original' CD is a boxed retail version
of XP and not a recovery disk supplied by the manufacturer of your pc. If it
is a set of recovery disks then you will not be able to do a repair, it will
simply re-install all of the operating system again and it will appear just
as it did the first day you purchased it. Even so you will still need to
re-install SP2. Just remember that, if it is a recovery CD, you will loose
all your documents/files that yuo have created, so i hope you have backups.
Doing a straightforward repair will not affect your personal
documents/files.
Question 85 on my website will show you, using illustrations, how to
re-install xp from a retail copy CD.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org

The information in this post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this post. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this post..

 

[Liz]

thank you John,
I have the original Boxed CD.
I think I will call someone in to do this as I do not want feel confident
enough to do this myself.
I will be visiting your website.
Thank you very much for all your assistance.
Liz.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

My pleasure Liz. But i will say that re-installing is easier than you think!

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org

The information in this post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this post. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this post..