winxp setup can't recognize old winxp for repair purpose.. little help?

[larciel]

i'm trying to fix my sister's computer.. she has winxp pro and it is not going into windows... computer reboots when trying to go in, and safe mode stucks computer while loading default drivers..

so i'm trying to repair the winxp installation, but when i boot from winxp CD, it doesn't detect the currently installed OS. ..

i'm thinking of deleting current install and rewrite new OS in C:\windows .. but that is my last choice..

if anyone has any idea. i'd really appreciate it.

thanks in advance

 

[Crusty]

is it recognizing the hard drive at all? What kind of drive is it?

 

[larciel]

yes it does recognize it. and i can setup a new installation in it, but that's not what i want to do.

it's maxtor HD

thanks for your reply.

 

[thegorx]

it might be how it was installed
I seem to remember installing xp from windows 98 not an upgrade but a full clean dual setup
I installed it from cab files rather than a CD and later when I tried to use the cd to run a repair it wouldn't let me.

I think I just did an upgrade inside by using the same cab files inside xp
if you can get to safe mode you might give that a shot

 

[Sianath]

If you aren't detecting the installation then it's not a good thing. What led up to this problem?

Can you get into the recovery console? (F10 on the Welcome to Setup screen).

 

[Smileymcsmiles]

Have you tried pressing R during the setup. If you get his far, type chkdsk /f /p. This should repair youre installation. if you search the microsoft site, there is a way to do a manual system restore. There is a hidden folder named repair. Every time there is a change to windows a creates a restore point that can manually be done using the windows XP CD in the recovery console.

 

[redbeard1]

This page talks about a file that controls how XP labels itself. It talks about OEM XP not giving you the option to do a repair install. Is it possible her install fits this description?

XP info

 

[Sianath]

Originally posted by: Smileymcsmiles
Have you tried pressing R during the setup. If you get his far, type chkdsk /f /p. This should repair youre installation. if you search the microsoft site, there is a way to do a manual system restore. There is a hidden folder named repair. Every time there is a change to windows a creates a restore point that can manually be done using the windows XP CD in the recovery console.

If you can't detect the installation, you are not going to be able to get into the Recovery Console to run any type of chkdsk.

The repair folder is under your winnt (or windows) folder, and is populated with a copy of your registry files after the initial installation of Windows. With Windows 2000, those files are never updated, with Windows Server 2003, they are refreshed when you create a System State backup.

The restore points you are thinking of are in the System Volume Information folder. By default, you don't have the right to access this folder via the Recovery Console, but there are a couple ways to get around that.

Are you getting the option to boot to the recovery console from the CD, or is it just immediately jumping you to the new installation prompt. If it's the latter, then redbeard1 is correct, you probably don't have a retail cd.