Re-installing XP OS

[drmatrix]

Greetings All,

I recently had a problem with the motherboard in my seven year old computer which necessitated re-building the system. When I tried booting the newly rebuilt system (new MB, video card, and memory) using the hard drive in original computer (XP-SP2), the system would not boot. I had expected (or hoped) that the new system would boot up and prompt me to reinstall the necessary updates from the OS distribution disk to support the new hardware ? not so. If I preform a clear re-install the OS (with out re-formatting) on the hard drive, what are the chances that the integrity of all of my old programs on that drive will remain intact? I have allot of data, primarily in outlook that I?m trying to resurrect.

Thanks
kdnb

 

[bruceb]

You need to save all your personal data files and photos / music before you attempt
to do a clean install ... Outlook stores stuff in a .pst file see below for more info

Locations of Bookmarks and Outlook Data Files

C:\Docs & Settings\User\App Data\Opera\Opera\profile\opera6.adr

C:\Docs & Settings\User\App Data\Mozilla\Profile\Default\hi1j19a.slt\bookmarks.html

C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape\Defaults\Profile\bookmarks.htm

C:\Docs & Settings\User\Favorites (for Internet Explorer)

C:\Docs & Settings\User\Local Settings\App Data\Microsoft\Outlook .. copy all files here

 

[Harvey]

If you build your new installation on another drive, when you get your programs installed, you can connect your original drive as a slave and move your data files to your new build.

 

[drmatrix]

Thanks much for the quick response BruceB and Harvey.

Bruce - do you know where the actual mail is stored...unfortunately I let a number of important files accumulate in my mail.

Thanks again
kdb

 

[bruceb]

If you copy all the files I mentioned earlier you should be ok.
You can try that and import the files on another pc with outlook
to see if you have the actual mail. I think that is all you need.

 

[RVN]

What works for me,

Your Outlook email is located in .dbx files which can be copied and transferred.

The exact number will be similar to the one below.

C:\Documents and Settings\"Name"\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{"3DD55277-6442-4B93-B549-2E4D99C753F4"}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: drmatrix


Greetings All,

I recently had a problem with the motherboard in my seven year old computer which necessitated re-building the system. When I tried booting the newly rebuilt system (new MB, video card, and memory) using the hard drive in original computer (XP-SP2), the system would not boot. I had expected (or hoped) that the new system would boot up and prompt me to reinstall the necessary updates from the OS distribution disk to support the new hardware ? not so. If I preform a clear re-install the OS (with out re-formatting) on the hard drive, what are the chances that the integrity of all of my old programs on that drive will remain intact? I have allot of data, primarily in outlook that I?m trying to resurrect.

Thanks
kdnb

You should always image the drive to another disk in case anything happens, but if you do a "repair instalL" (google it) of XP, that should address this issue and let you then boot.

 

[htne]

Originally posted by: RVN
What works for me,

Your Outlook email is located in .dbx files which can be copied and transferred.

The exact number will be similar to the one below.

C:\Documents and Settings\"Name"\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{"3DD55277-6442-4B93-B549-2E4D99C753F4"}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Incorrect information here. "OUTLOOK EXPRESS" stores email in ".DBX" files. "OUTLOOK" stores email in ".PST" files.

 

[RVN]

Whoops! Wrong Outlook ...das tut mir leid.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: dclive
You should always image the drive to another disk in case anything happens, but if you do a "repair instalL" (google it) of XP, that should address this issue and let you then boot.

Agreed.

Note that you'll have to re-Activate XP immediately after a successful Repair Install, and you'll have to re-install all Windows Updates beyond those included on your XP Install CD.

 

[Jiggz]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: dclive
You should always image the drive to another disk in case anything happens, but if you do a "repair instalL" (google it) of XP, that should address this issue and let you then boot.

Agreed.

Note that you'll have to re-Activate XP immediately after a successful Repair Install, and you'll have to re-install all Windows Updates beyond those included on your XP Install CD.

I believe you can only do a repair re-installation with XP Pro but I could be wrong and it could also be done with XP Home. With repair re-installation your programs will stay the same as before. However for assurance, you should back up your important data first.