How to repair XP on another functional PC?
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CyberAcoeuR
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CyberAcoeuR Posted messages 44 Status Member -
CyberAcoeuR Posted messages 44 Status Member -
Hello everyone, and thank you in advance for your responses and information!
Here’s my problem: I have two Fujitsu Siemens Scenic PCs running Windows XP, and on one of the PCs, I wanted to remove Windows programs, IE8 and all its components, and now when I start it, it goes to my desktop wallpaper but I have no access to anything.
The error message says "explorer.exe has encountered a problem, sorry for the inconvenience," so it’s impossible to perform any operations, whether in safe mode or command prompt; there’s no way to perform a system restore = "rstrui encountered a problem," either! Ugh!
So, I removed the faulty hard drive and reconnected it to my other tower as a slave drive.
My other tower is perfectly functional running Windows XP, and additionally, it’s the same model. So from there, I can access my damaged hard drive as a slave without any problem. Now here’s my question: how to repair the errors and deleted files on this defective hard drive since I have access? There must be a way! I would like to know the steps to follow, please!
P.S.: I should mention that I don’t have any XP installation disks; I just have access to the internet and to my undamaged hard drive with the same Windows XP SP2 installed on it.
Here’s my problem: I have two Fujitsu Siemens Scenic PCs running Windows XP, and on one of the PCs, I wanted to remove Windows programs, IE8 and all its components, and now when I start it, it goes to my desktop wallpaper but I have no access to anything.
The error message says "explorer.exe has encountered a problem, sorry for the inconvenience," so it’s impossible to perform any operations, whether in safe mode or command prompt; there’s no way to perform a system restore = "rstrui encountered a problem," either! Ugh!
So, I removed the faulty hard drive and reconnected it to my other tower as a slave drive.
My other tower is perfectly functional running Windows XP, and additionally, it’s the same model. So from there, I can access my damaged hard drive as a slave without any problem. Now here’s my question: how to repair the errors and deleted files on this defective hard drive since I have access? There must be a way! I would like to know the steps to follow, please!
P.S.: I should mention that I don’t have any XP installation disks; I just have access to the internet and to my undamaged hard drive with the same Windows XP SP2 installed on it.
7 answers
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It's not going to work. Not all files were erased during the uninstallation (there are still little remnants scattered everywhere), and reinstalling will create conflicts with those. Unless you want to dissect XP to remove all Explorer files (good luck and take care), a reinstallation is necessary.
DA-
Thank you for everything, you are great! I just need to learn how to install an OS! It's done, because now I'm building a PC from A to Z and I also handle office work quite well. But I'm not going to stop there because I'm deeply passionate about IT. Now I'm going to learn PHP and so on... THANK YOU ALL AS WELL, FRIENDS!
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@ DA vinci
Is it possible to reinstall XP by using my other computer and thus reinstall it on the defective slave hard drive, and if so, what is the procedure please, thank you in advance ;)
P.S. If it's possible, I hope the procedure won't uninstall my Windows XP installed on my master hard drive? -
Thank you all for everything, my two PCs are now working wonderfully ;) reinstallation was necessary, but for me it's the first time I've formatted and reinstalled an OS. Thank you a thousand times for the advice! ;)
Here is the exact procedure I followed with my Windows XP Pro CD, see here ;)
https://www.commentcamarche.net/faq/5120-installation-de-windows-xp -
Hello,
Try pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del, then the task manager opens.
Go to the bottom on new task, then type explorer.exe, apply and OK, then close the task manager: file and exit the task manager and see. -
Hello,
No installation disc is a bit risky.
At worst, you can download and burn Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) and use one of the programs in the HDD category to clone your healthy system partition (the partition where Win is) onto the faulty disk (essentially cloning C: disk1 to C: disk2).
Since both PCs are identical, there won’t be any driver issues.
However, the two system partitions will be identical, and all the content from the faulty disk partition will be lost along with any modifications.
So, make sure to back up your data first :-))
And wait a bit in case someone has a better idea. -
You need to reinstall IE8 because it is an integral part of Windows. From there, it should normally work. Otherwise, recover your data using software similar to Nero BackItUp, which will back up your data to a hard drive, then format your hard drive, reinstall XP, and that should fix it.
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Hello
Do you have the i386 folder (the big one) on the hard drive; launch WinNT.exe (...) ?
With it, you can repair and install Windows XP; and it will be activated the same way (...).
The annoying thing is finding a bootable medium (at poloastucien's).
It's better, and simpler, if you have a floppy disk drive ...
thanks-
Hello (Could you leave time to modify; thank you!)
Do you have the i386 folder (the large one) on the hard drive; run WinNT.exe (...) ? :
The procedure is explained here (1st link below); but instead of launching WinNT32.exe (Windows must be running) you may need to launch WinNT.exe (DOS) depending on which rescue media you are using to start the PC:
(A Windows 7 DVD can do the trick = after selecting the language, press the Shift (right) + F10 keys to open a command line (one is enough :-))), type notepad.exe (just notepad, it's fine), confirm, then go to the "File" menu, item "Open...", then choose to display "All files (*.*)" (at the bottom), then navigate through the partitions until you find the i386 folder (C:\Windows\i386 or it might be elsewhere) then launch (right click, Open) WinNT32.exe or WinNT.exe. Download this ISO which also allows you to open a command line (in the vertical "Analyze" tab) = ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/francais/linked_files/Ghost/NGH1501_AllWin_French_SrdOnly.iso (you need a key only to save/backup the PC); Windows 7's WinRE may indicate that it cannot read this image on certain ".exe" executables (CCleaner portable works but not Edithexa portable), not this ISO so it’s better.)
Repair Windows XP:
hxxp://www.commentcamarche.net/faq/3427-reparer-windows-xp#methode-n-2-en-invite-de-commande
With WinNT.exe or WinNT32.exe, you can repair and install Windows XP; and it will be activated the same (...) ; you need to back up the entire hard drive elsewhere before formatting if you format (as a precaution), you need to back up the i386 folder (OEM) which contains 4 files (used to activate Windows linked to your PC's BIOS brand) starting with oem and you need to recover the key before formatting with http://www.ptorris.com/crypto.php#winfokeys
(Note: You can recover the key from another Windows installation; the registry file containing your key must be accessible and readable. !! The "OEM SLP" key to recover is not the same key as on the sticker (a unique key in the world on the sticker compared to an OEM SLP key delivered with a new PC or when restoring a PC). If you have two identical PCs (especially of the same brand), then the "OEM SLP" key is the same on both PCs = same key by PC brand and +/- PC model.)
Windows XP - How to reinstall XP without reactivating it:
hxxp://www.commentcamarche.net/faq/57-windows-xp-comment-reinstaller-xp-sans-le-reactiver
The annoying thing, if you want to launch the installation or repair of Windows from the hard drive and none of the Windows installations are working if you have several, is to find a bootable medium; at poloastucien for example = BOOT CD - hxxp://poloastucien.free.fr/cd_de_boot_h.html. It’s easier if you have a floppy disk drive to be able to boot from a rescue medium already prepared = boot disks - hxxp://poloastucien.free.fr/diskt_de_boot_h.html
!! You must boot from the faulty PC to repair Windows and you must update the i386 folder before creating your CD if you create a CD or if you launch the repair from the hard drive because you will not be able to repair Windows XP if the service pack installed is newer than the one on the CD or in the i386 folder. Back up the original i386 folder.
You do not need to burn a Windows XP CD (it’s not necessary); installation can be done from the hard drive (from the i386 folder), you only need to boot under DOS (must be able to read NTFS or have a FAT32 partition) or with WinRE (Windows 7 DVD or Ghost 15.0.1 CD) to launch the installer (from the command line = type notepad (...), File menu, item Open...; see above explanation). There are several possibilities.
Windows XP: recreate your original CD (branded PC):
hxxp://www.commentcamarche.net/faq/5033-windows-xp-recreer-son-cd-original-pc-grande-marque
Create an SP3 integrated XP CD: Windows XP:
hxxp://dechily.org/Forum_Aski/topic65.html
(hxxp = http)
thank you -
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"Désinstaller Internet Explorer has not only modified the i386 folder."
The i386 folder containing the installation files (I'm not talking about the cache) is not modified by Windows; it has not been modified (unless updated by incorporating a Service Pack); Windows does not touch the i386 folder containing the installation files (I'm not talking about the cache). I did not imply or read that the uninstallation of Internet Explorer (whether done roughly or cleanly) had anything to do with the i386 folder. However, I say that one can attempt to repair Windows using the i386 folder (from the hard drive or from a (re)burned cd; it must contain the OEM files from the brand of the pc to be repaired in order to use the OEM SLP key (not the one on the sticker)! The i386 folder must be up to date with the last Service Pack (SP3) or at least with a Service Pack equal to the one installed on the Windows XP installation to be repaired; at a minimum, there must be an i386 folder with SP1, even if it is not installed (because it contains many stability and security updates).
Can one attempt to repair before reinstalling everything (not with an XP cd)? No?
An XP cd (or from the hard drive) just installs XP; not what is pre-installed!
I don't see why the repair wouldn't work, unless one doesn't try.
Tip: It should be possible to prepare the launch of the repair from the functional Windows (with the identical pc), then one must stop the pc before it restarts (during startup go into the bios or press F8 or F5 and stop the pc for example = clean shutdown); reconnect the disk to the faulty pc and start. There are 2 folders (if I remember correctly) on c:\ and the appropriate line in boot.ini to transfer from the good disk to the bad.
Thank you. -
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