Re: SP2 makes XP-Home/SP1 CD useless - other PC problems.

~ FreeSpirit ~ wrote:
<snip>

Make your slipstreamed SP2 CD.
Gather all of your other applications (and installation media/CD keys, etc)
together.
Back up your important data (documents, spreadsheets, emails, contacts,
bookmarks, etc..).

Format and Reinstall.

Seriously - you have been battling these same troubles for months now - it's
time to take the dive and redo the system. It would have - without a doubt
and with careful planning - taken less time than you have already spent on
trying to get something fixed by yourself that you are not qualified to do.

BACKUP your data first. Don't forget your Favorites/Bookmarks. Don't
forget your pictures and such. Don't forget your documents and
spreadsheets. Don't forget your downloaded installation programs. Don't
forget your email and the associated contacts. Don't forget your CD Keys.
Collect it all together in a pile - burned safely to CD and/or copied to
some external media. Use CD-Rs, not CD-RWs.. Close the sessions on the
burned CDs.

Download and burn to CD the latest drivers for your hardware - each piece -
but at least your motherboard chipset, video card, network card and modem
for now.

Get a system snapshot with Belarc Advisor - print it out - that way you know
what you had installed and what your hardware is.

Make your slipstreamed Windows XP SP2 CD.

Unplug all peripherals (Printers, Scanners, Cameras, External Drives, etc) -
leave only your mouse, keyboard and monitor plugged in.

Boot from it. (Doing whatever it takes to get into your system BIOS and
setting the system to boot from CD first.)

Follow the directions and DELETE the partitions on your computer when it
asks you where to install.. Then create new partition(s) and install! Once
done - update all of your hardware with the drivers you dlownloaded earlier.
Then visit the Windows Update web site and download all the updates OTHER
THAN hardware. Install your Antivirus application, immunize with the
various antispyware applications and then begin reinstalling your other
applications (Office, etc.)

After you get all the software installed - plug in your peripherals one at a
time - get their drivers installed and updated - one at a time.. ONE AT A
TIME.

Then begin the tedious task of importing all of your old files back - if you
like. Get the Windows Backup going on your important files and folders..
Make sure your AntiVirus software is set to autoupdate - make sure windows
updates (autoupdates) are setup the way you desire. Enjoy the use of your
computer.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html


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