
There are several problems that can occur with Windows XP. It might suddenly crash or sometimes won’t boot. This write-up will explain some possible issues and solutions to them.
Windows XP made its way up in the hierarchy of operating systems (OS), to being one of the most popular in the world. This was the good news; the bad news was that the problems occurring with this operating system are numerous. You can effectively solve some of these problems with the help of its newest features, which is the built-in-repair.
In previous versions (Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000), repairing an OS-based error usually meant formatting and re-installing the whole OS, which could result in loss of all of your data. However, this is not the case with the aforementioned feature. This feature doesn’t delete your programs, information, or settings. All it does is simply fix the operating system.
** Just a note to remember for those who want to use this repair tool: your updates that have not been included in the CD will be removed, and the drivers reverted to their original XP versions. Certain settings such as network and performance settings might get reset. Also, it may be necessary to reactivate your copy again. When finished, you will have to download all the updates from the official Microsoft website.
The Need to Re-Install Windows XP Arises
» It won’t start even in safe mode.
» There are serious problems caused by a recently installed update (Windows Updates, hotfix, or Internet Explorer updates).
» The problems can’t be solved with System Restore or System Restore isn’t accessible at all.
» Some major hardware changes had been made (installed a new motherboard, a new CPU, etc.) and it’s absolutely necessary to re-install Windows.
Check These Possible Problems
⇒ Be certain there are no known hardware problems. Windows Repair will ONLY fix software problems. Hardware issues can also cause boot problems (i.e., bad hard drive, memory, CPU, or power supply).
⇒ Be sure to back up your data. It’s always better to back up your data before making changes to the OS. Doing so, your important data will be secure when the repairing is completed.
⇒ Boot your computer from the XP CD. Insert the CD into your computer’s CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer. When the “Press any key to boot from CD” message appears on the screen, press any key to start the booting process.
⇒ A blue screen will appear and begin loading the setup files from the CD. (You will be prompted to “press F6 to install any third party SCSI or RAID drivers”. However, it will not be required for most users unless you are running RAID, SCSI, or unsupported UDMA controllers. If that’s the case, then you must put your controller drivers on a floppy disk. If you don’t know whether you have RAID/SCSI, allow the CD to load and don’t press F6).
⇒ When loading of the files is completed, you will see a “Windows Setup” screen. Select “To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER”. DO NOT select Recovery Console. When presented with the End User License Agreement (EULA) press the F8 key to continue.
Then, the setup will find existing installations. If the installations are not found, then the repair option will not appear. This could also happen due to corrupted drive data. With the installation of a new copy, the data pre-existing on that drive will be entirely lost. You are now almost done!
WARNING: If you are connected to the Internet during the setup, be aware that your system is vulnerable and certain viruses and worms can affect it seriously within seconds. So, make sure that you enable the firewall prior to going online. Also, don’t forget to run Windows Update!