XP reinstallation question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bob
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B

Bob

I had to reinstall Windows XP last night because
windows\system32\config\system was corrupt. I had a considerable amount of
data stored in a folder on my desktop, so I went into the recovery console
and to copy it to another drive. But the copy command doesn't support
wildcards or directories (please, someone tell me why). I wasn't about to
copy by typing out, by hand, all 500 files in a complicated directory
structure to move them to another drive. So I reinstalled XP hoping it would
at least keep the desktop files even if it did warn that My Documents would
probably be erased. Well, it blew away all the files I had stored on my
desktop. Why doesn't XP provide you with the opportunity, on reinstallation,
to keep/copy/backup the files in Documents and Settings before it destroys
them? I mean, you sure as hell can't use the recovery console if you have
more than a few files.

Bob
 
you should have made backups of all critical files and definitely any
DATA...most prudent people will do that.....so start now...doing regular
backups....OK
 
Windows XP does allow you to perform a repair install (e.g. re-install
windows without affecting your data).

Some branded OEM versions of Windows (HP, Compaq for certain) provide you
with a Restore Disk(s) that restore your computer to the way it was when it
left the factory -- wiping out all of your data files.


steve
 
I was planning to do just that. I had just moved the data from an old server
drive that I wiped and put into service elsewhere, and not an hour into the
process WindowsXP hung, crashed, then would not start again. Sure the drives
are RAID-1, but that did nothing to protect my data from WindowsXP's vaunted
stability.

And that I was momentarily without backup is beside the point. You could
blanket that admonishment on every problem - though I agree in practice that
backups are necessary. I'm saying XP didn't exactly provide me with friendly
options to preserve my data when it couldn't boot. When I booted into the
recovery console, I did NOT expect to find basic, old as the hills,
DOS-style copy functionality removed. Was that just too sophisticated to
include?

I just needed to rant about that a little.

Bob
 
Bob said:
I had to reinstall Windows XP last night because
windows\system32\config\system was corrupt. I had a considerable amount of
Click to expand...

You couldnt boot safe mode and do a restore?
data stored in a folder on my desktop, so I went into the recovery console
and to copy it to another drive. But the copy command doesn't support
wildcards or directories (please, someone tell me why). I wasn't about to
Click to expand...

Eh? Oh you mean the first repair spot dont you? I assume you are using NTFS
right? In any case, even if a restore wouldnt work, you didnt have to
install fresh first off. You could have tried a repair install (install on
top of current installtion) which may have worked.
copy by typing out, by hand, all 500 files in a complicated directory
structure to move them to another drive. So I reinstalled XP hoping it would
at least keep the desktop files even if it did warn that My Documents would
probably be erased. Well, it blew away all the files I had stored on my
desktop. Why doesn't XP provide you with the opportunity, on reinstallation,
to keep/copy/backup the files in Documents and Settings before it destroys
them? I mean, you sure as hell can't use the recovery console if you have
more than a few files.

Bob
Click to expand...

If you do a fresh install, of course it does that. If you had have done a
repair install, it doesn't. The other thing you could have done is hook it
up as a slave drive and put XP on another drive if you have one and copied
stuff off that way. I suggest you have a second drive, anyway and a program
that does like Drive Image 7 (and later) do and do complete image backups of
C drive in case of disasters.
 
You couldnt boot safe mode and do a restore?

No, no boot at all.
Eh? Oh you mean the first repair spot dont you? I assume you are using NTFS
right? In any case, even if a restore wouldnt work, you didnt have to
install fresh first off. You could have tried a repair install (install on
top of current installtion) which may have worked.
Click to expand...

I did not install fresh, I specifically selected the option to leave the
data intact.
If you do a fresh install, of course it does that. If you had have done a
repair install, it doesn't.
Click to expand...

WRONG. And you need to remember this in case you see it to avoid my mistake:
when Windows\System32\Config\System is corrupt, C:\Windows will be
completely wiped clean, even if the warning says "My Documents may be
deleted". It *will* be deleted.
The other thing you could have done is hook it
up as a slave drive and put XP on another drive if you have one and copied
stuff off that way. I suggest you have a second drive, anyway and a program
that does like Drive Image 7 (and later) do and do complete image backups of
C drive in case of disasters.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I could have done that if I had an empty drive to do a clean install.
But I didn't. Also, I was not able to take out the XP boot drives and put
them in another machine to examine because they were Serial ATA and RAID-1.
I didn't have another machine that had Serial ATA, and I'm not sure but I'm
fairly confident the other machine would need to have RAID support, and
probably the same RAID chip set, too.

Hmmm. Maybe I should replace another machine so I have at least two with
SATA. Guess I'll have to look into RAID drive swapping between different
chipsets. If I won't be able to just take out a problem boot drives put them
in another machine maybe I should get rid of RAID altogether and just
manually image the drive like you say.
 
Well, Bob, you didn't tell us, and my Magic 8-Ball didn't tell me, that you
have a RAID array, so of course we weren't offering helpful advice.

The disadvantage of RAID 1 is: if one drive in the array fails, all is
lost.

So, read the directions that came your RAID controller to see how to access
its drive health utility to check the status of your drives.

steve

Yeah, I could have done that if I had an empty drive to do a clean
Click to expand...
install.
But I didn't. Also, I was not able to take out the XP boot drives and put
them in another machine to examine because they were Serial ATA and RAID-1.
I didn't have another machine that had Serial ATA, and I'm not sure but I'm
fairly confident the other machine would need to have RAID support, and
probably the same RAID chip set, too.
<snip>
 
Bo
Had the same ptoblem. I have now partisioned my drive and keep all my personal date in the partion. If you have to reload/fix windowsxp you still preserve your partion and all your file
Han

----- Bob wrote: ----

I had to reinstall Windows XP last night becaus
windows\system32\config\system was corrupt. I had a considerable amount o
data stored in a folder on my desktop, so I went into the recovery consol
and to copy it to another drive. But the copy command doesn't suppor
wildcards or directories (please, someone tell me why). I wasn't about t
copy by typing out, by hand, all 500 files in a complicated director
structure to move them to another drive. So I reinstalled XP hoping it woul
at least keep the desktop files even if it did warn that My Documents woul
probably be erased. Well, it blew away all the files I had stored on m
desktop. Why doesn't XP provide you with the opportunity, on reinstallation
to keep/copy/backup the files in Documents and Settings before it destroy
them? I mean, you sure as hell can't use the recovery console if you hav
more than a few files

Bo
 
Bob said:
No, no boot at all.


I did not install fresh, I specifically selected the option to leave the
data intact.
Click to expand...

What ARE you talking about?
WRONG. And you need to remember this in case you see it to avoid my mistake:
when Windows\System32\Config\System is corrupt, C:\Windows will be
completely wiped clean, even if the warning says "My Documents may be
deleted". It *will* be deleted.
Click to expand...

Sorry but YOU are wrong. A repair install is just basically copying all the
windows system files over the top of what is already there setting it up
without losing data again. How do I know? Done it many times before. DIdnt
lose data either. If YOU lost data then either it was lost to begin with
(stuffed) or you made a mistake. You see a first repair option and you do
NOT choose that and F8 to agree to the EULA etc and go on as if installing
new. You get to another point, then, where a second repair install option is
offered. You choose that and the rest is almost all automatic like a fresh
install excepting that you lose nothing.
 
Well, Bob, you didn't tell us, and my Magic 8-Ball didn't tell me, that
you
have a RAID array, so of course we weren't offering helpful advice.

The disadvantage of RAID 1 is: if one drive in the array fails, all is
lost.
Click to expand...

You have the RAID's mixed up. RAID-1 is mirror; the advantage of RAID-1 is
that if one drive is lost, all your data remains intact.
 
Eh? Oh you mean the first repair spot dont you? I assume you are using
(install

What ARE you talking about?
Click to expand...

OK, you probably don't know what I'm talking about because you haven't seen
this alternate recovery option. Again, it's associated with a corrupt system
file. It's a third "Install Windows XP (leave data intact)" option below two
fresh install options and basically says, "I found a Windows directory, but
I don't recognize it as XP so I'm going to install over it, and you might
lose data". The standard "repair" option you normally see isn't available.
You can verify this (perhaps at significant risk to your OS and all data
contained in the Windows directory) by temporarily renaming your system file
and then booting from your XP CD.
Sorry but YOU are wrong. A repair install is just basically copying all the
windows system files over the top of what is already there setting it up
without losing data again. How do I know? Done it many times before. DIdnt
lose data either. If YOU lost data then either it was lost to begin with
(stuffed) or you made a mistake. You see a first repair option and you do
NOT choose that and F8 to agree to the EULA etc and go on as if installing
new. You get to another point, then, where a second repair install option is
offered. You choose that and the rest is almost all automatic like a fresh
install excepting that you lose nothing.
Click to expand...

See above.
 
Bob said:
You have the RAID's mixed up. RAID-1 is mirror; the advantage of RAID-1 is
that if one drive is lost, all your data remains intact.
Click to expand...

Raid 5 does that.

I have always thought real time mirror imaging a stupid thing for companies
that don't need instant redundancy to take up the slack and even dangerous
for those who do. I installed a US$79 program from Powerquest that has been
set, by me, to do a weekly full backup and hourly incremental between 10AM
and 5PM. If a virus gets in and gets copied to an incremental and THEN wipes
C drive, I only need restore to the incremental BEFORE that point and
anything up to 2 hours actual work is lost that has to be redone but no more
than that. Works well that way.
 
Bob said:
OK, you probably don't know what I'm talking about because you haven't seen
this alternate recovery option. Again, it's associated with a corrupt system
file. It's a third "Install Windows XP (leave data intact)" option below two
fresh install options and basically says, "I found a Windows directory, but
I don't recognize it as XP so I'm going to install over it, and you might
lose data". The standard "repair" option you normally see isn't available.
You can verify this (perhaps at significant risk to your OS and all data
contained in the Windows directory) by temporarily renaming your system file
and then booting from your XP CD.
Click to expand...

Well, you chose the wrong one. It should have been the second repair install
option. It DOES leave stuff alone to work OK assuming it isn't gone in the
first place, anyway.

See my previous post. You are better off with a weekly full auto backup with
hourly auto incrementals.
 
Yes, I completely agree that RAID has limitations. It only guards against
data loss from HD failure, but not from any other means. I'm going to need
to take additional measures to keep my data safe.
 
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