XP Reinstall - Any loss ??

If you do a clean install using the instructions from the solutions tab at the top of this forum, you will lose ALL that is on your computer, but that is the prefered way to install winXP. The other way is to overinstall winXP over itself which normally casues problems. Only do a dirty overinstall to enable you to get your data off, before doing a clean install.

Dear JRosenfeld

Thanks for your message that confirm the one from Chris

I have the 'blue screen' each time I boot (STOP 0*0000007E (0*C0000005, 0*F93D1BDF, 0*F96B4884, 0*F96B4584) . I have to work in the 'safe mode' which is not a good thing.

First I tried to restore but it seems that I have no point of restore expect 2 created automatically 3 days ago. I try to run the restore but It didn't work.

I tried to go to October Points of restore but the system doesn't want like no points of restore was created before (I never did it manually ... bad idea ...)

I then wanted to repair windows XP but it doesn't seem that the Dell CD Windows XP includes a 'repair' menu. I just see 'reinstall'

Thanks Chris for your answer

I don't know what to do because :

- my XP knowledge is poor and, looking at your previous answer, a 'dirty reinstall' seems to bring a lot of Pb

- I have nothing to backup 60 Go of data before a 'clean reinstall'

Initially I wanted to 'repair' Windows XP but I don't see this menu on the Windows XP CD given by DELL when they sent me my computer.

If I follow the 'reinstall' installshield do you know if a 'repair menu' will appear or the default CD is just a 'Reinstall CD' ?

Best regards, 

If you do a clean reinstall, that involves reformatting the disk, so everything will be lost, unless you first copy what you want to save onto a CD, or onto a different partition on your hard drive or onto a second hard disk drive (if you have these). You will also have to reinstall all programs such as your AV, CD burner, printer drivers, internet connection etc. as well as set up all user accounts. It is basically a completely fresh start.

If you do what is called by some a dirty reinstall, reinstalling XP over the existing, then in almost all circumstances your data files and settings will be preserved, and installed programs also, but I would not guarantee that entirely.

In either case you will have to reinstall all the Windows updates, including SP1 if your CD is XP without SP1.

Why do you have to reinstall? Most problems can be fixed without resorting to reinstall. Although I know that many people are quick to recommend that, I've personally never found it necessary, but of course it does depend on what has gone wrong.

Here are instructions for a repair install of winXP for a dell machine. Although from another dell regulars (Bay Wolf's) website the original was copied from a dell mods post. I have not tried but should work, The dell mod is very respected here.

http://www.bay-wolf.com/dk.htm#16a

There are several articles about the 7E stop error,

http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm , click on 7E in the blkue column on the left and follow the links.

 but if none of those apply to you, probably a repair might be the best. It will work with the XP CD from Dell.

Did you first go into the BIOS to set the CD  as first option to boot from?

When you say repair, I take it you don't mean using the recovery console, but a repair/reinstall?

The repair reinstall is described here step by step, just follow it carefully (print it out if you don't have a second PC to look at it from):

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxphome/installxpcdrepair/index.htm

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 11-09-2003 01:07 AM

Dear Chris and JRosenfeld

Thank you a lot for your help that make me find the solution !

I finally found through http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm  that helped me understand the Problem

I installes few days ago PC Nokia Suite for 6600 and this was the problem. I desinstalled the soft and now everything works. No blue screen any more

I'm going to give the information to Nokia. This software seems to cause pb with XP

Best regards,

Great that you solved your problem, and as I had hoped, without the need to reinstall!