Reinstall or Refresh XP 1

[DietCokeMan]

Is there a way to reinstall/refresh xp home or pro overtop of the defective version without Fdisking the Hard drive? It would over with the registry and key os files.

I want to keeping drivers and data with out destructive reformatting.

Seems like I remember doing it back in the Win 95/98 days.

Ken

 

[Freestone]

In XP it is called a repair install.

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Be aware though that once completed you will have to reload all updates from Microsoft's update site. And you may then run into an issue where the updates will download but not install. This is covered here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144/en-us

 

[minuteman263]

I ran into the same thing recently, but wasn't able to run a repair installation from booting up with the disk. Some licenses won't allow that. What I did was to run a "upgrade" installation from within Windows. "Providing that you can still boot up to Windows". That worked the same as a repair installation.

 

[linney]

You could work your way through this list, which starts with the more basic repairs and escalates up to the repair install.

See if System Restore will get you back to a restore point before your problem with Explorer.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/5/14.asp

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

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

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

If you are unable to start Windows maybe the Recovery Console can help you?

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.

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

This is a layman's version of Q307545 in simple language.