i386

Hi all,:smileyhappy:

 

I recently performed a Clean installation of Windows XPSP1a.  I installed all the relevant updates and missing drivers and then ugraded to SP2 on my Dell Dimension 4600.  My system is not happy and I want to go back to XPSP1.

 

I was unable to do a 'repair' from the OEM installed i386  folder on the hard drive which now, after doing some research, I believe was because the sourcepath was wrong - the sourcepath had obviously pointed to my CDROM because I had to repair using the XP disk.  Unfortunately, the repair installation didn't go very well and hung which was why I eventually decided to reformat the hard drive and cleanly install XP.  Prior to reinstalling though, I did make a copy of the original i386 folder from my hard drive onto CD.  I have just looked at the CD files and the i386 folder now appears to have changed its name to  'Application Data' but with the normal subdirectories such as OEM, ASMS, DRW, System32, etc., inside.

 

Here are my questions.....

 

Q1.  What I would like to know is whether I am able to copy the i386 (or should I say 'Application Data' folder) back to my hardrive and reinstall XP from there using WINNT32.EXE from within Windows and should I rename this folder back to i386 once it is copied over?  Remember, I have already reformatted and reinstalled from DELL XP CD.

 

Q2.  Does the i386 folder interact with any additional folders outside of itself in order to work or is it a standalone folder and will it reinstall programs (or at least some) of which were originally pre-installed because several are now missing since reinstallation?

 

I would greatly appreciate any help you could offer and thank you in advance.