Hello Hanspuppa, if you are still out there, It has taken about 2 weeks but I finally have everything running again. First, your instructions from memory were first rate, I also used the instruction manual but your's were more complete. The reinstall part was a piece of cake. Getting everything else back on took the time. The Dell resource disk did not automatically install the drivers for the internet connectivity. Luckily, I found that Dell gives lifetime phone service for hardware and one of those nice guys in India talked me through the manual installation for those drivers. This was necessary because they are integrated drivers, that's all I know. Then I had to individually reinstall all my extra apps. Then the internet went down and hughes.net, my provider (how I hate them) could not figure out what was wrong with the settings. Their Indian group is not nearly as competent as Dell's. Finally they got the settings for the internet back but not for email. While I was fooling around trying to figure out what was wrong, The BSOD revisited me. I had to do a new reinstall of the XP. Dell spent another 45 minutes helping me get the connectivity drivers back in. I finally figured out that the email connection setting needed to be changed from "any connection" to LAN, and so now everything seems to be working!
Thanks for your help. The nice thing is, now my Programs list is down to 1 1/2 columns from 3. I am glad to have all that junk I didn't need out of the computer. And I won't be afraid to do another reinstall now that I am an "expert".
Yes well, the 'other operating system' is indeed your OEM XP. You are installing a new OS (even though that also happens to be XP). If you select that partition it will prompt you to delete it and create a new partition; I'd advise NTFS rather than FAT32). Note that this will delete everything, so make sure you have backed up your personal files, emails, favorites, etc. etc. as well as the installation files for any software you have.
1. to set up windows xp now press enter, and it will take you to another screen, where you will find another repair option.
I have installed XP over a thousand times, so I should remember this, but I just go wizzing right through it, so it is hard to remember all these screens.
Hanspuppa, you are a GOOD DOG!!! Out of all the research I did online, You and you alone have fetched the right answer; I think things are fixed. I don't want to mess anything up now, so here is what's on the screen. "you have used the system configuation utility to make changes to the way windows starts......Choose the normal startup mode on the general tab to start windows normally and undo the changes you made usijng the system configuration utility. Then there is a check box for "don't show this message or launch the system configuation utility when windows startsl and an "OK"box.
What should I do? Never mind, I checked the box and OK and I seem to be back on board.
Actually, I followed the Dell Manual and had tried this fix before posting here but it didn't work, must have missed something. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction before I did anything drastic.
The repair installed SP1 and I can't get SP2 to install properly. First it hung on the final install step, and after that it wouldn't go past the first steps. When I started Microsoft installed some software that was necessary before sp2 could be downloaded.
The com[puter was restarted after that and after the first aborted install of sp2.
Any help out there? Haven't turned up anything relevant from the search menu.
If you choose to download and install the SP3, I would save the file to your hard drive, probably on C:\ and once downloaded, run the file from there, rather than trying to install it from the 'Run" tab.
Never ending, you got it. After the sp1a downloaded and unzipped it said "MS Content management server 2002 RTM or SP1 installation not found. The patching process will now exit.
Meanwhile, a 'star ' icon that appeared in the tray after the repair install tells me I have installed SP1 and need to update it.
I've tried to go straight to SP3, but everytime I click to download it, I get switched back to sp2. I thought perhaps you have to have 2 to download 3.
Hello minitasha, I am not so sure that you may be having a hardware issue going on here, or the OS is so corrupted that a repair install cannot repair it completely.
Were you not able to download SP3 from the link? You should have been able to if everything was working as it should.
If this fails, now that you are back at the desktop, I would probably now, do a backup of your data files, My Documents, Photos, etc., to another Device, even if you have to burn them to a CD\DVD and do a reformat and a fresh install of the OS, using the Dell OEM disk.
Then you could update the OS without issues.
Sometimes, the Repair will correct some of the issues related to a corrupted OS, but not all the issues.
Only a reformat and fresh install will accomplish this.
While it may take a little more effort, it would be worth it in the long run.
I am wondering if your system has a Dell Recovery Restore Utility on it. So Dell systems do.
If it does, you could backup all you data and do a Dell Recovery Restore and put the system back to they way is was shipped to you.
You could then install all the programs and backed up files since you got the system.
I routeinly do reformats and fresh installs every few months or so, just to keep my system fast and stable.
I have done this as many as 3 times in one week in the past.
let's not give up on this, because it can be overcome. The question here is, just how we can accomplish it.
That is correct Hanspuppa, I could not download sp3, when I clicked on it it offered me sp2 instead, but that wouldn't download. Soooooo, since the computer is 5 years old I suppose it is time it was wiped clean and fixed up. I will be brave and try it if you promise to hold my cyber hand.
I do not see any restore utility. I have my documents and photos saved on flash drives. There are some email folders I would like to save, I would like to know how to copy them, both from OE and Thunderbird.
Does the inew stall from the CD include reformat or are those 2 separate procedures?
What about the many drivers that came with the computer. Are they all installed easily from the Dell backup disk?
I will have to make sure I have all my other software before proceeding. Will keep you informed.
Hello minitasha, If you have been lucky enough to use your system for that long a time, a fresh install would be recommended.
There are a thing or two to keep in mind to do this properly. I will try to recall this from my memery. I've done it over a thousand times, but as I get older, and since it has become so routeine for me, I may forget some steps.
With the Dell provided OS disk in the optical drive, boot the system. The BIOS (system) should be set to boot from the onboard CD\DVD drive.
If it is not, you would have to enter the BIOS and set it to boot to this drive.
Assuming it already is set to boot from the optical drive, a black scrren will appear shortly after the system boots, and will read in a line of text "Press any key to boot from the CD". Press any key on the keyboard and the install will start.
Some text will appear that ask if you want to install the OS, press enter to continue.
The install will search for any previous Windows OS on the system, and find one. It will ask if you want to do a new install, choose yes.
Then it will ask if you want to install on the same partition. This is where you say no. Delete the current larger partition. There will be a larger one and a very small one that has the install files on it.
You will have to follow the instructions here, but it will say press Enter to delete the partition and then press L and warn you all the data will be removed.
Continue with the partition delete, and the Create a new partition. Make it the maximum size available.
Then it will ask you if you want to format the partition. Choose Quick Format. The drive partition will be formatted and then checked and the install will proceed. At some point you will be asked to accept the Liscense Agreement, press F8 to agree. The install will continue.
All the files will be copied from the CD\DVD and then the system will reboot automatically after 15 seconds.
When the system reboots, the "Press any key to boot from CD" will appear again. DO NOT press any key or the install will start all over again.
The system will continue the install after 5 seconds and boot into a desktop screen that will show the progress of the install, which can take as long as an hour or less depending on the speed of you system. Normal time is 39 minutes or less.
After many files are copied from the install disk, the system will reboot again, and DO NOT press any key. The system will boot and show starting Windows for the first time, and then continue and will open the desktop.
The Windows Tour will appear, just close this out. Remove the OS disk. Insert the Dell drivers disk and install any drivers that you need, with the chipset drivers first and the video driver next and be certain to install the network card drivers, since they will need to be installed for you to get on the Internet.
Install your anti-virus program, then go to Windows Update, and update Windows. You will have to install some files from Microsoft and all these updates can take a while with reboots. Continue to update until there are no updates available.
You should then be back to normal. Now you would have to install any programs you have that you want or need, and copy any backed up files to the system.
I normally defrag the system after all this, just for performance purposes.
You can export the OE address book and favorites to your flash drive before you reinstall the OS and then import them back when the system is reinstalled.
Below is a link to Microsoft on how to backup OE content.
minitasha
7 Posts
1
December 22nd, 2008 08:00
Hello Hanspuppa, if you are still out there, It has taken about 2 weeks but I finally have everything running again. First, your instructions from memory were first rate, I also used the instruction manual but your's were more complete. The reinstall part was a piece of cake. Getting everything else back on took the time. The Dell resource disk did not automatically install the drivers for the internet connectivity. Luckily, I found that Dell gives lifetime phone service for hardware and one of those nice guys in India talked me through the manual installation for those drivers. This was necessary because they are integrated drivers, that's all I know. Then I had to individually reinstall all my extra apps. Then the internet went down and hughes.net, my provider (how I hate them) could not figure out what was wrong with the settings. Their Indian group is not nearly as competent as Dell's. Finally they got the settings for the internet back but not for email. While I was fooling around trying to figure out what was wrong, The BSOD revisited me. I had to do a new reinstall of the XP. Dell spent another 45 minutes helping me get the connectivity drivers back in. I finally figured out that the email connection setting needed to be changed from "any connection" to LAN, and so now everything seems to be working!
Thanks for your help. The nice thing is, now my Programs list is down to 1 1/2 columns from 3. I am glad to have all that junk I didn't need out of the computer. And I won't be afraid to do another reinstall now that I am an "expert".
Happy holidays.
JRosenfeld
2 Intern
•
4.4K Posts
0
December 3rd, 2008 10:00
Yes well, the 'other operating system' is indeed your OEM XP. You are installing a new OS (even though that also happens to be XP). If you select that partition it will prompt you to delete it and create a new partition; I'd advise NTFS rather than FAT32). Note that this will delete everything, so make sure you have backed up your personal files, emails, favorites, etc. etc. as well as the installation files for any software you have.
For full instructions for a clean install, see:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
After installing XP you will need to install chipset drivers, video, sound drivers and any other drivers for hardware components.
THIRD ATTEMPT TO POST THIS
Hanspuppa
799 Posts
0
December 3rd, 2008 10:00
Hello minitasha, When you mention "I have tried system repair with no success", are you certain you attempted this correctly?
When you boot with the Dell CD\DVD, you would need to go to the second "Repair" option and not the first Repair Console.
If anyone is not aware of this, it can be confusing.
If you still want to do a fresh install, JRosenfeld's suggestion and links should work well for you.
Just a thought.
simpswr
2 Intern
•
3.2K Posts
0
December 3rd, 2008 12:00
You can get a reinstallation guide specific to your Dell here
This is a great guide for reinstalling on a Dell: http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm
Hanspuppa
799 Posts
0
December 3rd, 2008 16:00
Hello minitasha, Choose
1. to set up windows xp now press enter, and it will take you to another screen, where you will find another repair option.
I have installed XP over a thousand times, so I should remember this, but I just go wizzing right through it, so it is hard to remember all these screens.
Keep us posted.
minitasha
7 Posts
0
December 3rd, 2008 16:00
OK, I am in front of the screen which offers me
1. to set up windows xp now press enter
2. to repair a windows xp installation using recovery console press R
3. to quit setup without installing windows xp, press F3
Option 3 rebooted me.
What is the second repair option to which you refer?
minitasha
7 Posts
0
December 3rd, 2008 17:00
Hanspuppa, you are a GOOD DOG!!! Out of all the research I did online, You and you alone have fetched the right answer; I think things are fixed. I don't want to mess anything up now, so here is what's on the screen. "you have used the system configuation utility to make changes to the way windows starts......Choose the normal startup mode on the general tab to start windows normally and undo the changes you made usijng the system configuration utility. Then there is a check box for "don't show this message or launch the system configuation utility when windows startsl and an "OK"box.
What should I do? Never mind, I checked the box and OK and I seem to be back on board.
Actually, I followed the Dell Manual and had tried this fix before posting here but it didn't work, must have missed something. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction before I did anything drastic.
Minitasha
minitasha
7 Posts
0
December 5th, 2008 08:00
Hello, I'm afraid I need a little more input.
The repair installed SP1 and I can't get SP2 to install properly. First it hung on the final install step, and after that it wouldn't go past the first steps. When I started Microsoft installed some software that was necessary before sp2 could be downloaded.
The com[puter was restarted after that and after the first aborted install of sp2.
Any help out there? Haven't turned up anything relevant from the search menu.
Thanks!
Hanspuppa
799 Posts
0
December 5th, 2008 08:00
Hello minitasha, I am happy to hear you are gaining on the issue, but sorry to hear you are not where you want to be.
You mentioned you were successful in getting SP1 on the system and operating as it should. But SP2 will not install.
There is an update to SP1 and that is SP1a. Many are unaware of this. This update removes Virtual Machine from SP1.
Virtual Machine is not used by many anyway, so this would probably not affect you.
If you don't have SP1a installed, SP2 may not install properly.
If you do not have SP1a, I would try to locate and install SP1a and if successful, try to install SP3, and not SP2.
Sp3 want install either if SP1a has not been installed.
Since you mentioned that Microsoft installed some downloads on your system, they may have been the needed updates for the SP3 install.
SP3 contains all the updates contained in SP1 and SP2, and there are even more updates since SP3 was released.
Here is a link for... SP3 ...:emotion-21:
If you choose to download and install the SP3, I would save the file to your hard drive, probably on C:\ and once downloaded, run the file from there, rather than trying to install it from the 'Run" tab.
It seems to be never ending.
Hope this helps.
minitasha
7 Posts
0
December 5th, 2008 09:00
Never ending, you got it. After the sp1a downloaded and unzipped it said "MS Content management server 2002 RTM or SP1 installation not found. The patching process will now exit.
Meanwhile, a 'star ' icon that appeared in the tray after the repair install tells me I have installed SP1 and need to update it.
I've tried to go straight to SP3, but everytime I click to download it, I get switched back to sp2. I thought perhaps you have to have 2 to download 3.
Hanspuppa
799 Posts
0
December 5th, 2008 10:00
Hello minitasha, I am not so sure that you may be having a hardware issue going on here, or the OS is so corrupted that a repair install cannot repair it completely.
Were you not able to download SP3 from the link? You should have been able to if everything was working as it should.
If this fails, now that you are back at the desktop, I would probably now, do a backup of your data files, My Documents, Photos, etc., to another Device, even if you have to burn them to a CD\DVD and do a reformat and a fresh install of the OS, using the Dell OEM disk.
Then you could update the OS without issues.
Sometimes, the Repair will correct some of the issues related to a corrupted OS, but not all the issues.
Only a reformat and fresh install will accomplish this.
While it may take a little more effort, it would be worth it in the long run.
I am wondering if your system has a Dell Recovery Restore Utility on it. So Dell systems do.
If it does, you could backup all you data and do a Dell Recovery Restore and put the system back to they way is was shipped to you.
You could then install all the programs and backed up files since you got the system.
I routeinly do reformats and fresh installs every few months or so, just to keep my system fast and stable.
I have done this as many as 3 times in one week in the past.
let's not give up on this, because it can be overcome. The question here is, just how we can accomplish it.
Please keep us updated.
minitasha
7 Posts
0
December 6th, 2008 06:00
That is correct Hanspuppa, I could not download sp3, when I clicked on it it offered me sp2 instead, but that wouldn't download. Soooooo, since the computer is 5 years old I suppose it is time it was wiped clean and fixed up. I will be brave and try it if you promise to hold my cyber hand.
I do not see any restore utility. I have my documents and photos saved on flash drives. There are some email folders I would like to save, I would like to know how to copy them, both from OE and Thunderbird.
Does the inew stall from the CD include reformat or are those 2 separate procedures?
What about the many drivers that came with the computer. Are they all installed easily from the Dell backup disk?
I will have to make sure I have all my other software before proceeding. Will keep you informed.
Hanspuppa
799 Posts
0
December 6th, 2008 06:00
Hello minitasha, If you have been lucky enough to use your system for that long a time, a fresh install would be recommended.
There are a thing or two to keep in mind to do this properly. I will try to recall this from my memery. I've done it over a thousand times, but as I get older, and since it has become so routeine for me, I may forget some steps.
With the Dell provided OS disk in the optical drive, boot the system. The BIOS (system) should be set to boot from the onboard CD\DVD drive.
If it is not, you would have to enter the BIOS and set it to boot to this drive.
Assuming it already is set to boot from the optical drive, a black scrren will appear shortly after the system boots, and will read in a line of text "Press any key to boot from the CD". Press any key on the keyboard and the install will start.
Some text will appear that ask if you want to install the OS, press enter to continue.
The install will search for any previous Windows OS on the system, and find one. It will ask if you want to do a new install, choose yes.
Then it will ask if you want to install on the same partition. This is where you say no. Delete the current larger partition. There will be a larger one and a very small one that has the install files on it.
You will have to follow the instructions here, but it will say press Enter to delete the partition and then press L and warn you all the data will be removed.
Continue with the partition delete, and the Create a new partition. Make it the maximum size available.
Then it will ask you if you want to format the partition. Choose Quick Format. The drive partition will be formatted and then checked and the install will proceed. At some point you will be asked to accept the Liscense Agreement, press F8 to agree. The install will continue.
All the files will be copied from the CD\DVD and then the system will reboot automatically after 15 seconds.
When the system reboots, the "Press any key to boot from CD" will appear again. DO NOT press any key or the install will start all over again.
The system will continue the install after 5 seconds and boot into a desktop screen that will show the progress of the install, which can take as long as an hour or less depending on the speed of you system. Normal time is 39 minutes or less.
After many files are copied from the install disk, the system will reboot again, and DO NOT press any key. The system will boot and show starting Windows for the first time, and then continue and will open the desktop.
The Windows Tour will appear, just close this out. Remove the OS disk. Insert the Dell drivers disk and install any drivers that you need, with the chipset drivers first and the video driver next and be certain to install the network card drivers, since they will need to be installed for you to get on the Internet.
Install your anti-virus program, then go to Windows Update, and update Windows. You will have to install some files from Microsoft and all these updates can take a while with reboots. Continue to update until there are no updates available.
You should then be back to normal. Now you would have to install any programs you have that you want or need, and copy any backed up files to the system.
I normally defrag the system after all this, just for performance purposes.
You can export the OE address book and favorites to your flash drive before you reinstall the OS and then import them back when the system is reinstalled.
Below is a link to Microsoft on how to backup OE content.
Outlook Express Backups
This is a lot to remember and take into account, but after it is done your system will perform much better.
I may have left out a step or two, trying to recall this from memory, but just follow the onscreen instructions and all should go well.
Hope this helps and does not confuse you too much.