XP Fatal Error. Reinstalled. How to retrieve music/pictures etc

[dazzer24]

Hi all
Apologies if Ive chosen the wrong forum to post this in. If thats the case please could someone direct me to a more appropriate one!
Ok, Windows XP would not boot and would not allow me to use the XP Recovery Utility. A message appeared telling me to call the manufacturer helpline(Mesh Computers) for them to assist with a complete reinstall of WIndows XP as this was the only option due to the severity of the 'error'.
I did this(costing £1 per minute!). The operator saved the 'corrupted' version of windows in a file before reinstalling a new instance of windows xp using a recovery cd supplied with the pc.
This new installation is working(though it takes an eternity to boot up- 5 minutes ish?). But all software was removed eg Itunes/messenger and so on. Basically anything that wasnt originally suppied on the PC.
I have found the saved files from the corrupted version-all pictures/music etc is there.
I want to know if it is possible to completely remove the 'old' operating systems without removing all saved data as well.
For example after finding all my music from itunes i reinstalled itunes from the web and then took the file from the old system and dropped it into itunes. I then tried to delete the 'old' file thinking I had resaved these items in itunes but the system threatened to delete from itunes as well.
I need to delete the old files i think as with 2 instances of XP on the computer I think there is no space on the hard drive. For example I tried to download yahoo messenger from the web and it would not complete, saying I needed to free up at least 100mb of space in order to continue....
Ok-if you have got this far through my ramblings....thankyou for that! As you will gather I am clueless!
I would really be grateful for any advice and hope that this scenario sounds familiar...
Thanks again in advance
Darren

[Allan]

Is it just your music files that concern you or are there other files? What is the name and location of the folder that contains your music files?

[dazzer24]

Hi Allan
Thankyou for getting back so quickly. All such items as music/pictures etc seem still to be stored in appropriate files ie my pictures/my videos/my music etc. These are accessed via my computer> d drive.
Before the 'operator' from mesh helped me he explained he would save the corrupted version in a file called windows and created a new file called windows1. The stored data etc is actually not stored in either of these files its in another file called documents and settings.
Ive opened both WINDOWS and WINDOWS1 files and they contain the same sub folders eg add ins, app patch, assembly, config and so on..
Im wondering if I should delete one of these?
Apologies if that isnt really helping.....
Thanks
Darren

[Allan]

Easiest solution is to copy all critical data files (and music files) to either: Off disc media (cd, usb drive, external hd) and then delete the old windows installation and then copy the files back to the system OR move the data in the folders to a folder in the new Windows installation and then delete the old Windows installation. To delete the old Windows, just boot to the new install, open Windows Explorer, and delete the other (old) Windows folder. Don't worry, you cannot delete the folder of the version to which you have booted.

[dazzer24]

Hi Allan
Thanks again for your interest.
I've tried to delete what I think is the old WINDOWS file(I actually tried to delete the other one and the system would not allow it so Im quite sure I've got the right one). The system brought up a grey 'deleting' box but stopped after 30 secs with the progress bar not showing any progress. The error message reads, 'cannot delete flash 10e.ocx:access is denied.'
Sorry Its quite possible Im not giving you the full picture... I suspect I may have to seek some help from someone who can actually access my computer and see what I'm seeing. If there is any best advice you could give me on how to go about this I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks for your time
Cheers
Darren

[Allan]

Download and run the Adobe Flash Player Uninstaller (http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html), reboot, and try again to delete the old Windows folder

[patio]

You shouldn't delete Windows.old; Windows1 or any other file folders until the point you are satisfied you have retrieved all your important data...
We cannot say for sure how exactly he saved your info and whether the file heirchy is intact or not...