Dell Home Media v2005 SP2 DVD

NiceDog,

First try running the How to Run the Dell™ Diagnostics Utility to make sure your system is ok.

Make copies of files and folders that you cannot afford to lose. This should be a normal practice.

If you put in the XP operating system disk, then restart your computer.

Press any key to boot from CD

Choose install.

Do the agreement.

Now choose repair. Leave the disk in until you see the Welcome Screen. Takes about 35 minutes. You'll need to get all the Windows updates, again.

Rick

Just throwing some ideas out here....

I think the basic problem is that NiceDog wants to run repair from the disk, but A) DVD is SP2 but the system is SP3, which is a no-go for a repair,  AND/OR B) there may be trouble with the system not allowing repair from a DVD instead of a CD.

What model PC is it?  Some models have dual IDE drives, one CD and one DVD, but they're both connected to a single IDE cable, and only the master drive at the end of the IDE cable is bootable (usually the top drive).   Models Dell made from 2004 to 2006 come to mind, like the Dimension 8400 or XPS 400, where Dell was making "hybrid" SATA/IDE systems before everything went 100% SATA - hard drives were SATA, but optical drives were still IDE.    If that sounds right, to boot from a DVD and repair as PudgyOne explained the DVD drive has to be the master drive. Sometimes all it takes is to disable the CD drive in the BIOS to make the system see the DVD as master; otherwise you have to disconnect the cable and reconnect the end (master) to the DVD drive instead of the CD drive.

As for the SP2 vs SP3 repair problem, a slipstreamed disk should take care of it.  One tutorial below (just avoid the advertising and stick to the content) - won't cost you anything but time and a blank DVD.

www.bleepingcomputer.com/.../tutorial154.html

Ultimately boils down to how much time you want to spend fussing with it, as opposed to just cutting your losses and either restoring an older Acronis image or reformatting it.

EDIT:  made a couple clarifications.....

PudgyOne:

I did run the Dell Diagnostics and all other tests passed and the hard drive tests passed except two (read error). I can not find hard drive repair software that corrects read error. DataLifeguard from WD says test passed. Did run Chckdsk and found corrupt attribute record and file. I have run Windows Repair so I am a little familiar with that, but I have a problem with system being on SP3 and only have SP2 DVD.

Alexandra_P:

You are correct, my problem is SP2 DVD and OS is on SP3. Some web sites claim tou can slipstream Home Media Center with SP3, other sites claim you can not. I did it anyway using nLite. I was asked during repair for a couple of files that were not on the DVD (didnt know where to find these dll files). Would be nice to know when making slipstream DVD, what drivers needed and where they can be found - I really dont know where drivers go when loaded.

I have a Dell Demension 8400, 320 gb WD, 3 gb memory. I have a cd and a dvd drive. I have to unplug cd and make dvd primary in order to boot the dvd. I finally figured that out. I thought if nothing found on cd, it would go to dvd, but not so.

Thanks for the link, I will read it and take heed.

It seems to have became a bit of a mess... I think you might need to reinstall from the unslipstreamed disc and then install the standalone service pack 3 after. Media Centre Edition and SP3 were quite a mess with the slipstream.

When you slipstream SP3 to it does the disc not become XP Professional (it did for me when I tried it).

I know all of my OS system files are not 'right'. I can not get Media Center to recognize TV tuner. I tried running SFC /Scannow and this is there it wants a cd to copy files from. It will not recognize a DVD drive! I put in the DVD (my cd drive is still unhooked) and it keeps asking for the cd. Any way to get around this? I can never get these files updated. Seems the Repair either doesnt put them down or they are corrupted and need replaced but I can not get SFC to do it.

I am not sure, I think clean install would be the best result. Do you have all the installation files for your other applications?

Can I just repair using SP2 DVD right on top of what ever version I have? If so I am willing to endure the many, many window updates if it means a cleaner repair. I am trying to avoid needing to do a clean install if at all possible because of having to reinstall all my apps.

I am not sure when it happened, but my system began to be reported as Win XP Professional some time ago. Maybe from my last SP2 repair a year ago.

Also if it is looking for and not recognising some files on the DVD swap it for your original (the one for SP2 when its looking). It is possible the original DVD might have some of the files its looking for.

I do not have readily accessable all of the installation files. Some are downloaded from web but I need to find license keys or proof of purchase. I have a few that have cds. I would have to make a vast list of programs and then determine what is needed (may not know until reinstall). Just trying to avoid this.

Some how,  I do endeaver to record all of this information when I buy and install software, but my impatience always gets in my way. I need to do a better job to make situations like this easier. I know, I know....

I have the system very stable right now except for a few programs. I ran SFC /Scannow and ran until very end and wanted that darn cd, but will not recognize the DVD (or else the DVD does not have what is wanted).

Well Belarc Advisor will tell you alot of the product keys and give you a list of installed software.

thanks,

I'll take a look at Belarc.

Cant remember if I switched DVDs before. Some programs cant handle switching media, but I will give it a try.

Thanks for the Belarc advice, it worked great. I am in the slow process of documenting programs I have and what is ad.ded to load.

I have run many (about 60) windows automatic updates. System is very stale, but that is only as far as what programs I  hsvr run so far. Did have to go ahead and reinstall certain ones. Had screw up with .NET so I removed all and reloaded.

System seems stable now. Just had to reinstall tv tuner drivers and HMC now works again.

Could not run WMP because it said it was not installed correctly so I downloaded WMP 10 and is working now.

Still have ihe problem I have always had and that is SFC. Seems this program from Microsoft will not read or recognize a DVD player. It runs to the end and says I need to copy some files to the DLL Cache. I put all system DVDs in and had to eventually select Cancel several times. No idea what files it wants. Seems there is no way to correct this.

Question 1:  Seems Microsoft, who put OS on DVD forgot to update SFC. Or did Dell create the DVD version? If Dell created the special DVD, how can I get SFC to run all the way thru???

Question 2: What is recommended program or way to ensure all OS components are in place? I have heard of Reimage and SafeXP. Any other software solutions or procedures to follow? I asked this forum several years ago and was told to just run SFC. Guess what?  It does not work. There has to be a work around.