Windows XP is frozen... How to reinstall without losing pictures/music/files?

Question

I can't click on any icons or the start menu or anything when I boot it up.... It just sits there frozen... Oh yes... and there's a wireless card in there... I don't want to lose the driver for it because i don't have the CD for it... is this possible? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

I put the CD in and started it up... do I want to go to "windows setup" or "Repair windows installation using recovery?"

Answer 1

The first thing to do is the try to boot into safe mode.
To do this restart the computer and press F8 durring the bootup, usually need to push it before you see the screen that says WindowsXP with the bar below it. You will get a list of options of how you would like to boot windows. Choose Safe mode. The screen will fill with a buch of files that it is loading do not worry about this. it will also stop for a min. or two. in the middle of the files. When Windows finally loads - try to do what you normally would, granted not all things will be useable in safe mode. if you can do most of the things you normaly would do, at this point i would take some form of external storage and store your pictures, music, and files on it/them. Do not worry about the wireless card right now.
If this still does not work try this.
Download Knoppix (See link) and burn it to a CD, it is a simple form of Linux OS that will run off of the CD. Put the CD into the CD drive. Start your computer, you will need to be booting from CD. To do this when you first start your computer press whatever key to take you to setup (F1, F2, Del, Esc) there should be a tab(page) with boot order options. follow the insturctions on the screen to set your boot order to CD, HDD(Hard Drive), Etc. press Esc. and Exit SAVING changes. The computer should now boot into Knoppix from the CD. when it is done booting - there should be some a desktop with a hard dirve symbol on it. if you dbl. click on this it should open and you should be able to see your file structure. At this point you can copy your pictures, music, and files to some form of external storage. Again do not worry about the wireless card.
After you have gotten your files(either of the two ways).
Place your Original OS(Resotre) CD into the CD drive and reboot. you should get a screen that says press any key to boot from CD. press any key (You will have about 5 seconds to do it, so watch). after it is done loading you will get a screen with about three options. of the three there should be an option to repair select that and follow the steps to repair Windows.
If that doesn't work restart and get back to the screen with the three options. There should be an option to install Windows, if you select this there should be an option to repair an existing form of windows. Select this and follow the instructions.
If that still didn't work ... Restart again and get to the screen with the three options. select install Windows, and follow the instructions to install Windows.
For your wireless card: Google " wireless card driver", or you could go to the manufacturere's website - they should have a place to download the driver. if you can't find it, just contact them.

Answer 2

You can insert you XP CD and if it boots from it (you might have to go into the BIOS and change the boot sequence) you can select repair instead of reinstall. That may fix it without affecting your files or destroying your drivers. Chances are you can get your drivers for your wireless card from the net anyway. If the repair doesn't work you may have something more seriously wrong with your PC. Good luck!

Answer 3

you can reinstall XP without formatting, it will keep all your documents etc in place, but your programs will not be. They would need to be reloaded. As far as the wireless driver, the Internet is amazing for finding a driver. You don't even need the install CD now a days. Best of luck.

Answer 4

Boot in safe mode... if Windows works save your stuff and see if restarting works.

If you feel the need to re-install consider using a new hard drive and then just add your old drive as a slave after it completes. You'll have a clean OS AND all your old files.

Answer 5

You can't reinstall with out losing, however you can try to repair the system and wont lose anything, but if the repair doesn't work you will have no choice but to reinstall, and lose your files. However, there are recovery data programs out there. Here's link to repair.