Re: Windows XP Setup disks

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: Nancy (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 03/15/04 

Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 00:35:18 -0800

This is most helpful. Thanks very much.

Nancy
>-----Original Message-----
>Not exactly but the XP CD is used for such purposes.
Below are instructions
>for a repair install:
>
>Assuming your system is set to boot from the CD-ROM
drive and you have an
>actual XP CD as opposed to a recovery CD, boot with the
XP
>CD in the drive and perform a repair install as outlined
below. If the
>system isn't set to boot from the CD or you are not
sure, you need to enter
>the system's BIOS. When you boot the system, the first
screen usually has
>instructions that if you wish to enter set press a
specific key, when you
>see that, do so. Then you will have to navigate to the
boot sequence, if
>the CD-ROM drive is not first line, set it first in the
boot sequence. Save
>your settings and exit with the XP CD in the drive. The
system will reboot.
>
>NOTE, while a repair install should leave your data
files intact, if
>something goes wrong during the repair install, you may
be forced to start
>over and do a clean install of XP. If you don't have
your data backed up,
>you would lose your data should that eventuality occur.
>
>Boot from the CD. If your system is set to be able to
boot from the CD, it
>should detect the disk and give a brief message, during
the boot up, if you
>wish to boot from the CD press any key.
>
>Once you have pressed a key, setup should begin. You
will see a reference
>asking if you need to load special drivers and another
notice that if you
>wish to begin the ASR (Automatic Recovery Console)
depress F2. Just let
>setup run past all of that. It will continue to load
files and drivers.
>
>Then it will bring you to a screen. Eventually, you
will come to a screen
>with the option to (1) setup Windows or (2) Repair
Windows Installation
>using the Recovery console.
>
>The first option, to setup Windows is the one you want
and requires you to
>press enter. When asked, press F8 to accept the end
user agreement. Setup
>will then search for previous versions of Windows. Upon
finding your
>version, it will ask if you wish to Repair your current
installation or
>install fresh. Press R, that will run a repair
installation. From there
>on, follow the screens.
>
>If you only have a recovery CD, your options are quite
limited. You can
>either purchase a retail version of XP will allow you to
perform the above
>among other tools and options it has or you can run your
system recovery
>routine with the Recovery CD which will likely wipe your
drive, deleting all
>files but will restore your setup to factory fresh
condition.
>
>Additionally, without the XP CD in the drive, you can
boot the system, start
>tapping f8, when the menu appears, you will be given
various options, Safe
>Mode (plus various safe mode options), this is useful if
you can't get to
>your desktop and want to rollback or undo a driver or
application
>installation, it will also give you access to System
Restore even if you
>can't get to the desktop as you can get to it in Safe
Mode. Usually, you
>are offered the option to go directly to System Restore
when you first enter
>Safe Mode but if not, you can go to Start\All
Programs\Accessories\System
>Tools\System Restore.
>
>Another useful item in the menu is Last Known Good
Configuration. Always
>try this before attempting Safe Mode as once you enter
Safe Mode, that
>becomes the last known good configuration.:-)
>
>You can also use the disk to enter the Recovery Console
as follows and note,
>while the onscreen instruction well tell you to use this
to repair the
>setup, this is not a Repair Install whose instructions
above tell you how to
>bypass the Recovery Console to do a repair install.
>
>Be sure your system is set to boot from the CD. If you
are not sure, when
>the system first boots you usually see message about how
to enter setup or
>something similar and tells you to hit a key, sometimes
it's del, sometimes
>it's esc, just hit the key. This takes you to the system
bios, you need to
>navigate to where the boot sequence is set, put the CD-
ROM drive first in
>line.
>
>Place the XP CD in the drive, save your settings and
exit. The system will
>reboot and should boot from the CD. If you see a message
to hit any key in
>order to boot from the CD, do so, otherwise, assuming
your system supports
>it, the system should boot from the CD on its own as it
can't find
>an OS on the hard drive.
>
>XP Setup will begin by examining your system, don't
worry, just let it run,
>it's just copying some files to a temp folder.
Ultimately, you'll be
>brought to a menu. Choose, "Repair a Windows XP
installation using the
>Recovery Console, press R.
>
>You will be asked for an administrators password. This
is not any of the
>accounts you've created for XP. It's a hidden system
account for which
>users are asked only to create a password during setup.
Most leave this
>blank. If you left it blank, when asked for a password,
just leave blank
>and press enter.
>
>There are numerous commands that can be used in the
Recovery Console, go to
>Start, select Help and Support, type Recovery Console in
the search box,
>press enter and you will find several articles on the
use of this option.
>
>--
>Michael Solomon MS-MVP
>Windows Shell/User
>Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
>DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
>
>"Nancy" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
>news:cd4101c40995$6ca9f030$a101280a@phx.gbl...
>> So, you are saying all I have to do is to pop the XP CD
>> into my computer and the system will come up and then
>> take it from there. i.e., recover, restore??? Sorry,
I'm
>> so illiterate about this, but sometimes I have to have
>> pictures drawn for me. Ha!
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Nancy
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>The XP CD is bootable and has all the tools necessary
to
>> fix or reinstall
>>>XP.
>>>
>>>There boot floppies available but they are designed for
>> systems that are
>>>unable to boot from the CD-ROM drive. Once they get
you
>> booted, you still
>>>need the XP CD. The do provide access to the Recovery
>> Console but only with
>>>limited functionality while the CD provides fully
>> functional access.
>>>
>>>--
>>>Michael Solomon MS-MVP
>>>Windows Shell/User
>>>Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
>>>DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/
>>>
>>>"Nancy" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message
>>>news:cb9f01c4094c$3d141fb0$a101280a@phx.gbl...
>>>> Does anyone know if Windows XP Professional has the
>>>> capability to create setup disks in case the system
>>>> fails? I had them for Windows 2000 Professional but
>>>> can't seem to find instructions on if or how to
create
>>>> them for XP Professional.
>>>>
>>>> Any help will be appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>>.
>>>
>
>
>.
>

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