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Re-install XP and keep all programs?

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Yes, you can do a repair reinstall. Boot from the windows disc as if you were installing windows. At the first prompt where you choose repair or install choose install. Then you will get the accept this software agreement message and your F8 response. Then at the installation prompt where you can choose repair or install, choose repair. It will go through a entire installation, but when you are done you will still have your old programs. You will need to reinstall all of the critical updates that were issued since your install disc was manufactured. Good luck with it.
 
Yeah, a repair install is the way to go with something like that. It's actually a pretty nice feature, as Microsoft-type features go.
 
I had a corrupt Windows XP install in relation to DirectX drivers and such. A repair install is the way to go, since all your prior applications aren't effected. However, partway through the install, I had a CD read error... and I never could get through the install due to random read errors. I troubleshooted it down to this... if your Windows XP install is too far gone, then the installer can't complete and it will show this by claiming CD read errors. Find this far fetched? I did a clean install with that same CD... no read errors, no problems, and a fast install. (note... why does the smilies NOT work? I suppose the forum still has a glitch or two...) So, while the repair install is nice, plan for the worst case scenario, which is a failed install and a forced clean install. The extra preparation won't harm you (other than it will take a bit more time) and at the very least it might save you a ton of hassle... (another note... YES, I did type this in paragraphs... the forum is reformatting this into one paragraph... GRRR)
 
just a tip, go to the accounts setup and enable the guest account, that way your nice can go on the computer and play but can't mess anything up, and password protect the other account/s on the comp
 
One preventive option that I would recommend for the future, is to use a program like Acronis to take a disk image of your hard drive. That wany you can always revert back to that image no matter how far gone your windows instalization is. Barring ofcourse your hard drive isn't dead.
 
Thanks everybody. I am going to do a install/repair right now. The Ill create a guest account for my neice. I dont have Acronis, but what about Norton Gost 10. Ill have to read up on how to use it.
 
cause ghost costs MONEY and the software redduc900 linked does not.
Besides, ghost is from symantec, need I say more?
 
klingens said:
cause ghost costs MONEY and the software redduc900 linked does not.
Besides, ghost is from symantec, need I say more?

My copy of Ghost came on a mobo driver disc. I guess what I'm asking is why would I want to switch to this program for drive imaging?
 
Why not just give it a try, and judge for yourself which one you like better? I personally prefer DriveImage over Ghost, but that's just my opinion... YMMV.
 
klingens said:
cause ghost costs MONEY and the software redduc900 linked does not.
Besides, ghost is from symantec, need I say more?

I dispise everything made from Symantec minus Norton Ghost, never had a problem with it. Of course the one I use is a bootable CD of it, wouldn't want it running in Win.
 
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