Need quick answer - does reinstalling Windows...

[isasir]

delete the files in My Documents?

Thanks.

 

[Orsorum]

It has everytime I've done it.

 

[wfbberzerker]

if you reinstall windows over your current installation (at least in windows 2000), no, it wont delete your my documents folder. however, i would recommend you do a full reinstall of your system w/a format.

 

[neovan]

when people (like myself) reinstall windows...i usually format the whole drive so yes it would delete my documents.

 

[isasir]

Somehow, after defragmenting my former supervisor's computer, the darn thing doesn't load up Windows. I can't even really read the error message it gives before it reboots. I tried all the repair options on the Win2k CD, but none of 'em seem to work. Since I obviously didn't think defragmentation would cause this to happen, I didn't back up his My Documents folder. I figure I'd do a re-install next hoping that it'll save those files.

 

[BeauJangles]

use safe mode, with command prompt and just copy the my documents folder to a different partition or a floppy.

 

[radioouman]

If you do a reinstall without deleting/formatting the drive first, then it won't delete My Documents. WHy not just get NFSDOS to read the NTFS partition so you can make a backup of My Documents. Then you can format the drive so you have a better installation.

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber
use safe mode, with command prompt and just copy the my documents folder to a different partition or a floppy.

Even this causes a reboot. I tried EVERY option in the extended boot-up prompt, and none of them work.

 

[Nohr]

Back them up. Last time I reinstalled XP without formatting it overwrote the directory.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Put the harddisk as slave in a different machine, and copy the files that way. Then just do a full reinstall.

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: RishiS
Somehow, after defragmenting my former supervisor's computer, the darn thing doesn't load up Windows. I can't even really read the error message it gives before it reboots. I tried all the repair options on the Win2k CD, but none of 'em seem to work. Since I obviously didn't think defragmentation would cause this to happen, I didn't back up his My Documents folder. I figure I'd do a re-install next hoping that it'll save those files.

NO

take the HD out, put it in another machine. copy important data files to hd of 2nd machine.

then format and reinstall. however, there is a good chance that the HD is bad. 🙁

the HD could have gone bad during defrag.

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: RishiS
Somehow, after defragmenting my former supervisor's computer, the darn thing doesn't load up Windows. I can't even really read the error message it gives before it reboots. I tried all the repair options on the Win2k CD, but none of 'em seem to work. Since I obviously didn't think defragmentation would cause this to happen, I didn't back up his My Documents folder. I figure I'd do a re-install next hoping that it'll save those files.

NO

take the HD out, put it in another machine. copy important data files to hd of 2nd machine.

then format and reinstall. however, there is a good chance that the HD is bad. 🙁

the HD could have gone bad during defrag.

This would be a good idea, except that this is a laptop. I've never actually opened up a laptop, tho' I'd done plently of desktops. Is there a way to know if the HD went bad?

The error message appears to be registry related, but it goes by too quick for me to get a good view.

 

[isasir]

OK, so I decided to use my digital camera to take a pic of the error message, before it reboots. Here's what it says:

The registry cannot load the hive (file)
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\DEFAULT
or its log or alternate
It is corrupt, absent or not writeable.

Beginning dump of physical memory.

Uh, anyone know what that means, while I go to my friend Google.com for advice.