reinstall windows?

Question

I'm having some difficulties with my three year old computer. Can I do a "refresh" on windows xp home with out losing everything?

Answer 1

No sorry. A reinstall pretty much means that you need to backup all your data, and reinstall all your programs from scratch. Windows has the basic philosophy that programs can always be reinstalled, and they really make no provision from moving them from one computer to another, or backing them up and restoring them.

Answer 2

You can try a repair installation. You pop the disk in like you're going to reformat but choose the repair option. However, it doesn't always solve all problems. If your problems stem from a 'gummed up' system, a repair install isn't going to solve much.
My suggestion: Pull all files off the hard drive that you need to save and do a complete rebuild.

Good luck.

Answer 3

If your computer has a recovery console, it'll be easier than reinstalling. All you have to do is go into the recovery console in my computer then click into it and click recovery. That way it will overwrite all the windows files, but leave your personal file alone.

Answer 4

Before you re-install XP, try to repair the OS using these steps.


XP REPAIR INSTALL

1. Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the
boot order in the system BIOS. Check your system documentation
for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.


2. When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the
options below This portion of the Setup program prepares

Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press

R.

To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.




3. Press Enter to start the Windows Setup.

do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the
Recovery Console, press R", (you do not want to load Recovery
Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP
installation using the Recovery Console, press R".

4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for

existing
Windows installations.

5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and
press R to start the repair. If Repair is not one of the

options,
read this Warning!!

6. Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and

reboot.
Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears.
Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but

your
applications and settings will remain intact.

Blaster worm warning: Do not immediately activate over the

internet
when asked, enable the XP firewall
[ http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=283673 ]
before connecting to the internet. You can activate after the
firewall is enabled. Control Panel - Network Connections. Right

click
the connection you use, Properties, and there is a check box on

the
Advanced [ http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfirewall1.jpg ] page.


7. Reapply updates or service packs applied since initial Windows

XP
installation. Please note that a Repair Install from the Original
install XP CD will remove SP1/SP2 and service packs will need to

be
reapplied.
Service Pack 2


http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E

-
4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en
An option I highly recommend is creating a Slipstreamed XP CD with

SP2.
Slipstreaming Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp



______________________________________________________________________

Warning!!
If the option to Repair Install is not available and you continue
with the install;you will delete your Windows folder and Documents
and Settings folder. All applications that place keys in the

registry
will need to be re-installed. You should exit setup if the repair
option is not available and consider other options.

Try the link below if the repair option is not available.
Windows XP Crashed?


http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm
Here's Help.
A salvage mission into the depths of Windows XP, explained by a
non-geek

by Charlie White


http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm

Related links
You May Lose Data or Program Settings After Reinstalling,

Repairing,
or Upgrading Windows XP (Q312369)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q312369

System Restore "Restore Points" Are Missing or Deleted (Q301224)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q301224

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
(Q315341)


http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q315341

Warning!! If the Repair Option is not Available
What should I do? Most important do not ignore the information

below!

If the option to Repair Install is NOT available and you continue
with the install; you will delete your Windows folder, Documents

and
Settings folders. All Applications that place keys in the

registry
will need to be re-installed.

You should exit setup if the repair option is not available and
consider other options. I have found if the Repair option is not
available, XP is usually not repairable and will require a Clean
install.http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
If you still have the ability to access the Windows XP

installation,
backup all important files not restorable from other sources

before
attempting any recovery console trouble shooting attempts.

Possible Fix by reconfiguring boot.ini using Recovery Console.
  1.Boot with XP CD or 6 floppy boot disk set.
  2. Press R to load the Recovery Console.
  3. Type bootcfg.
  4. This should fix any boot.ini errors causing setup not to see

the
XP OS install.
  5. Try the repair install.

One more suggestion from MVP Alex Nichol

"Reboot, this time taking the immediate R option, and if the CD
letter is say K: give these commands

COPY K:\i386\ntldr C:\
COPY K:\i386\ntdetect.com C:\


(two other files needed - just in case)

1. Type: ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\boot.ini DEL C:\boot.ini

2. Type: BootCfg /Rebuild

which will get rid of any damaged boot.ini, search the disk for
systems and make a new one. This might even result in a damaged
windows reappearing; but gives another chance of getting at the
repair"