XP reinstall - help PLEASE!!!!!!

holla,

got ur information.. i beleive ur sys don't need a reinstallation with the help of a os cd.. i believe ur sys should have an image of ur factory default settings in the hard drive.. Try to use the key combination to fire up the image partition.. (CTRL + F11 - as soon as you turn on the sys).. Try this and revert back for queries..

Thanks..

Cheers...

Maddy...

Thanks for your reply!!!!!!!!!!

OK I've tried booting in Safe Mode but System Restore still won't work ............ and I don't think that it must have a recovery partition as Ctrl +F11 doesn't make anything happen ...... unless thats broken as well............

Perhaps I need to email Dell about this XP licence key issue......  I did get a Vista recovery disc with the machine..... but thats staying in the box!!

I have looked at the Dell Support link that you given me ........ I guess I was just trying to see if there is an easy way to restore without having to do the 'full' restore ........... being an install virgin, it makes me kind of nervous thinking about doing it.......... 

Any other ideas very gratefully received.........

Thanks again!

John

.......... No I've tried it again and CTRL+F11 does absolutely nothing at all and XP just starts up

I couldn't be that easy could it!!

Thanks!

John

OK I'm getting a bit twitchy now cos I ain't getting nowhere with this problem...... and I really need to get this machine sorted

If anyone can help ............please.............. like I'm on two knees here.....

Up to now I've done what the guys above have suggested.... no joy...

I've tried to change the boot sequence so that the CDROM is first choice ....... but it just ignores this and loads XP  from the hard drive.... I was hoping to attempt a repair........ at least.....

I've run sfc /scannow having seen that other people have used it successfully but it just completes and tells me nothing which I take it means no files missing?

The PC will install my digital camera sofware with no probs and appears to work OK

I've emailed Dell about the Product Key for XP as I ordered the downgrade to XP and the machine only has the Vista Product key on the label. I've had a reply but the guy who replied wanted to phone me back but he only works when I'm at work so I've got to wait until Monday for a reply from him

I only appear to have a 'Utility Partition' not a recovery partition so Ctrl+F11 is never going to work ......... how can I tell for definite if my machine has a recovery partition? ..... Is it accessible through a DOS command?........ although I really know very little about DOS......

I have perfected the method of emailing cans of beer if thats an incentive for anyone to get involved............

I will be very very grateful for any further help .............

Thanks !

John 

I just read the other posts to your problem. Are you doing the F11 at the Dell Splash Window? It's the first one that comes up. Do it quickly, as the window doesn't last very long.

I just re-installed XP on my Dell, using XP. When the Dell Splash screen comes up, hold the CTRL key and the F11 key down. First press the CTRL key, while holding it down, press the F11 key. (Not the F8 key), and you should get a screen that allows you to re-install XP without the disk. It worked for me.

ConfusedMore;

Let's see if we have this straight; you ordered your computer with Vista Business or Ultimate and selected the downgrade privilege for Windows XP Professional.  Therefore you should currently have Windows XP Pro on the computer, but it isn't working quite right.  The product code on the sticker attached to the machine for the version of Vista you purchased is also good for Win XP Pro, but you don't use it for installation.  It only indicates that the computer that it's attached to has a license for Vista Business/Ultimate, which also carries downgrade rights to Win XP Pro.

First, examine the way the computer boots.  Computers that have the Dell PC Restore on them show the Dell Power On Self Test (POST) screen when you first turn them on.  If the PC restore Master Boot Record is active, you should see a blue bar with the manufacturer's name (Dell Computer Corp, I think) at the top of the screen when the POST screen disappears.  This blue bar lasts about two seconds, then a message appears immediately below the bar that states "Loading Descriptor for PBR-2...Done".  If you see this, you should have PC Restore.  In order to get to the PC Restore menu, you must press CTRL and F11, releasing both simultaneously before the appearance of the message about PBR-2.

If you don't have the blue bar, you may still be able to repair your Windows installation.  Start the computer, and just before Windows begins to load, press F8 to get to the Windows start-up menu.  Choose the last known good configuration to start Windows and let us know how you make out.

Ragger + Jackshack........ thanks for your time .........

Jackshack - yes you've got the problem spot on

Now I've looked at how the machine boots up and there ain't nothing appearing as you describe - just one screen with the blue Dell logo and the BIOS version (1.0.15) underneath it and F keys for Setup(F2) and Boot menu (F12) in blue in the top right corner of the screen. After that it goes straight to the black Windows XP startup screen with the 'travelling blue lights bar' underneath.

I've tried 'Last known good configuration' and......... it starts up exactly the same with exactly the same problem....... I still cannot access Start/Help and Support or Start/Search.

I'm still wondering if this is all pointing to a registry error ......... although I will happily be told otherwise!!!!!!

Does it now look like a full reinstall of XP? If so, please can you tell me how I do it........... There is nothing much on the machine as it is brand new ...... and if a reinstall is the most sensible thing to do I'd rather do that now than have to do it later if a repair doesn't work and I've installed all my music software.......... (I've got a theatre show to start music for within the next three weeks)

I did try to start a reinstall using the supplied Dell Reinstallation CD and I got so far then it asked for the 25 digit code which I presumed was the Produc Key off the Vista label.......... and as it would not accept this I could get no further..... Please could you tell me where to find the code if this is necessary????

Also would I need to format the hard drive before reinstalling XP or just install it over the top of the current 'damaged' version. I am happy to do whatever is the best option not just the quickest........... but would this remove the 'Utility partition'?

Thanks again ....... very much appreciated

John

It is almost certainly a registry problem.  Since you don't see the blue bar I described, I would say that PC Restore was not installed on your machine.  As it appears you are looking at a re-installation of Windows, you might want to try one more thing.  See the Microsoft note here:  Recovering from Corrupted Registry.  This is a last resort sort of thing, and you may notice that it is not recommended for computers having an OEM installation of Windows.  I suggest it only because I believe the risk is low for two reasons:  Dell doesn't normally add special accounts and passwords on their systems, and also it appears that the only way you are going to get out of this if this procedure doesn't work is to perform a manual re-installation of Windows.

This process is primarily just to get the computer working well enough to get any data you have saved to alternate media before it gets wiped out with a new installation.  If you find that the computer works acceptably after you complete it, you might try leaving it that way.  A clean installation of Windows will require you delete all information on the drive and can be tedious.  If it winds up necessary, however, you will find plenty of help here.

Ok thanks for that .........

As my machine has nothing on it that needs backing up, I think its time to be looking at doing a reinstall!!! I always understood registry problems to be the thing to avoid like a plague ....... Thank you for the Microsoft link ...I've had a look at it ....... but I guess I'm going to bite the bullet. But before I do, please could you clarify some things for me............

1. Is formatting the hard drive necessary or not.......if it is I'll do it (I want the machine right at the end of all this.......!!!!) ....... and if I do will I lose the 'Utility partition'?

2. Will XP reinstall over itself without any problems without formatting (like getting bits of the corrupted registry mixed in with the new one?)

3. I've never reinstalled any operating system before ....... whats the best way to do it? Given that Dell supply reinstallation discs is there a 'special' procedure to follow rather than just clicking on the CD drive in 'My Computer' (which is what I did before and is when it asked for the 25 digit key) ............The 25 digit key that XP asked for when I tried to start reinstallaton before........... what do I do if it asks for this as it won't accept the Vista one

4. Reinstalling drivers after the installation of XP........From what I've read, it appears that I just stick the 'Drivers and Utilities' CD in and the machine will automatically find all the drivers it needs for all bits of the system. Is this correct?

Thank you again for your time ....... I really appreciate it.........

John

A second warning; if you still want to install Windows, make certain that you find a way to recover the information you want to keep to another storage medium.  Installing Windows (unless you perform a repair installation) will overwrite everything on the drive, making it almost impossible to recover any data you stored on the hard drive.

To install Windows you must boot from the CD.  Two ways to do it.

1.  Start the computer, press F12 at the Dell screen during self test.  With the Windows installation CD in the drive, select CD ROM drive as the boot device.  You should get a screen offering to set up Windows by pressing the Enter key, or exiting setup. Press Enter.  You will need to press F8 to accept the license agreement.  If you get another choice of actions after this point you may do one of two things.  If your computer hard drive and the CD have the same service pack, such as Service Pack 2, you may select the repair installation.  If you have updated your hard drive to a later service pack, you cannot select this option as it will fail.  Instead, continue to select the option to set up Windows.  You will reach a screen that allows you to delete and create partitions.  For best results you should delete the partition marked C (NTFS).  You may then create a new C partition, or if you have no need for additional partitions, simply tell Windows setup to install Windows in the unallocated space that resulted from deleting the C partition.  Setup will automatically create the necessary partition as part of installation.  If at any point you are asked to select a file system, you should select NTFS.  If the partition is larger than 32 GB, you will not get a choice as NTFS will be automatically selected.

2.  Restart the computer, press F2 at the Dell screen during self test to get the setup menu.  One of the menu items should be "Boot Order".  Follow the directions on the screen to move the CD ROM drive to first place in the boot order.  Put the CD in the drive, escape saving changes, and allow the CD to boot.  At this point your options are the same as described above.

When the computer begins the boot process, you may get a message to hit any key to boot from CD.  If you don't press a key, the sequence will wait several seconds and try to boot from the hard drive instead of booting from CD.  Remember, therefore, to press a key when you see this message.

If you selected the repair installation, Windows Setup will automatically go through your existing Windows installation and replace all the system files with the original versions.  If this works, you will only need to go to Windows update and update Windows.  The one disadvantage is that if your troubles are in the registry the repair installation will not cure the problem.  The repair install option does not delete your files.  If you are installing Windows, continue on.

Windows installation will go almost automatically from this point with just a few questions to ask you toward the end of installation.  Once Windows has been installed you will need to install the drivers:  Installing Drivers.  Follow the order given in the page I referenced.  As I recall, however, the first few drivers must be installed in this order:  Dell Desktop System Software, Intel Chipset Driver, Video Driver, Sound Driver, Network Driver (Ethernet), and Modem.  It is important that the chipset driver be installed before anything listed after it.

Once you have the operating system and drivers installed, install your anti-virus program.  If you also have a firewall program you wish to install, remember that you need to turn the default Windows firewall off first.  Once you have the anti virus up and running, connect to the Internet, update first the anti virus definitions and then go to Windows Updates to update Windows.  When all of that is finished, you can install any applications you wish.

1.  Formatting the C (NTFS) partition is the best way as it gives you the least trouble in the long run.  If you format and reinstall into the C partition your utility partition should be left untouched.

2.  If you Install over the top of the existing Windows installation, you have a chance of actually winding up with a "parallel" Windows installation giving you two possible boot options.  This isn't necessarily bad as your data should be left intact, but you may need to do some additional work to eliminate the boot path to the original Windows installation that no longer works correctly.  The only way I know to get the old registry included is to perform an "upgrade" installation, and I don't know if you will be presented with this choice.

3.  When I install Windows I like to delete the existing C partition.  This allows the installation to proceed from zero, which usually gives me the least trouble.  It does require, however, saving your data to alternate media since everything on the partition will be lost when you delete the partition.  Reinstalling on a Dell requires you to boot from the CD, rather than starting the computer and allowing the CD to go to Autorun, or alternatively, clicking on it and choosing to go to setup.  When booting the CD, setup looks for a special signature contained in the Dell BIOS that allows the installation to pre-activate.  Done correctly, setup will not ask you to enter the product code.  Booting from the CD can be accomplished in either of two ways.  You can start the computer, press F12 during the POST screen that has the Dell logo on it, put the Windows installation CD in the drive, and choose CD ROM drive from the one time boot menu that appears.  Or, you can start the computer, press F2 to get to setup, navigate to the boot order menu, make CD ROM drive (or maybe it says Optical Drive) number one in the boot order, put the CD into the drive, and escape out of setup saving changes.  Either of these options should get you a prompt to Strike Any Key to Boot from CD message, and you should then press the space bar or other key of your choice to start the boot process.

4.  The Drivers and Utilities CD does only one thing automatically, and that is identify which drivers you need by placing a checkmark next to them.  You normally must install each driver by double clicking on the file name, telling it to Open, and clicking ok when the installation wizard pops up and asks you if you want to install the file.  I usually perform a re-start after each has been installed to make certain all the registry entries have been made, but may folks think this is unnecessary.

Rather than type the entire process again, I'm giving a link to another thread where I've already done this.  It will take me a minute to find, so if you see this before I get the link into the post I will be back.

Jackshack!!!!

Job done!!!!!!!!! I now have a fully functional PC!!!!!!!!!! In fact its so functional that I using it now!!!!!!!!!!!

I have formatted the partition and reinstalled XP. I had started it yesterday before I received your reply but having read your reply it has given me the peace of mind knowing that I've done it right ........... I think.........!

Thank you so much for sticking with me on this ............ Its something that I'd never done before and it was great to have someone with a lot of experience to help ..... I'm really very grateful.........

And by the number of posts you've put on this forum, it looks like there should be a lot of other people who should be grateful to you as well....

Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John

Chuffed you've finally got it sorted John... even more so because you did it using a method you'd never done before, so well done on that :emotion-21:

Now that you are back up and running though, you might want to consider 'imaging' your drive :emotion-55:

You can create an image to DVD of course, but an external hard drive is preferable, because some images can be larger than the capacity a DVD offers (4.7GB - or 8.4GB for a dual-layer disc).

Programs such as Acronis True Image and Norton Ghost (to name but two of the commercial programs) are the most popular choice of course, but there are a number of free programs available, which are worth a look first.

They include:

HD Clone Free Edition
Macrium Reflect
Self Image