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Author Topic: Stoopid Reinstall Question  (Read 4491 times)

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rjbinney

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Stoopid Reinstall Question
« on: July 21, 2006, 12:45:03 PM »
Hey all -

Finally getting around to trying to fix my dropped laptop.

It won't boot.

So I'm thinking:

First Think
Put in the "Reinstallation CD" that came with it and seeing if it will boot off that.... And treat the c:\ like an external HD.

Second Think
Use the "Reinstallation CD" to reinstall Windows and then see if it will boot.

Will that (reinstalling) wipe everything off my HD? I've got the life-or-death stuff backed up already, but the fun nice-to-have stuff isn't backed up. In the words of Marathon Man, "Is it safe?"


I am certain this is answered in at least 27 other places on this board; I just didn't find the answers.

Thanks!


====

Oh - Windows XP SP2. Dell SmartStep 200.
Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

pcdoc4christ

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2006, 02:42:54 PM »
Quote
...Will that (reinstalling) wipe everything off my HD? ...

It might if it is a system restoration CD, which is designed to reformat the hard drive and restore Windows to the state it was in when you took the laptop out of the box.

It will not if it is a Windows CD, with a few exceptions.  If it is a Windows CD, it might delete the items from your Shared Documents folder and you might have to reinstall many of your programs.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315341

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312369/

Doc


« Last Edit: July 21, 2006, 02:43:35 PM by pcdoc4christ »

rjbinney

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2006, 08:32:45 PM »
Thanks. I'll check out those KB articles.

Here's what the CD reads:
Reinstallation CD
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

Only use this CD to reinstall the operating system on a Dell computer. This CD is not for reinstallation of programs or drivers.[/color]


So we'll see!
Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

GX1_Man

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2006, 08:53:42 PM »
I believe that will format the hard drive as part of the reinstall process. If you have data to back up try  this:

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1152393515

Windows will not fix failed hardware, but I don't remember what your original issues were, and you  didn't say in this post.

rjbinney

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2006, 10:37:55 AM »
I don't even know what my issues are yet.

I dropped the laptop off a bookshelf, and now it won't boot.

I was hoping to boot it off that CD and see if I can't a) figure out what's wrong and fix it, or at least 2) copy the few files that aren't backed up.

It's more of a pain to have to reinstall everything and get my preferences right... The documents are all backed up. So it's not a panic, just a pain.

But even if I can get in and "see" what's happening, I'll feel better.

So I wil definitely check out that Linux stuff!

Thanks
Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

GX1_Man

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2006, 10:41:56 AM »
It's a great way to test the system for functionality, before even starting down the WIndows reinstall path, because nothing has to be loaded to the hard drive.

rjbinney

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2006, 11:35:37 AM »
Cool. One more question - if I make a SLAX CD and boot off of that, can I then use my CD drive for other things?

Or is it like my old IIe - I have to keep the boot disc in the drive at all times?

Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

GX1_Man

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2006, 11:49:47 AM »
Well, you can do most things with it in there. Playing CD's might prove problematic in a one drive system for obvious reasons. I've never tried that, though.

rjbinney

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2006, 11:58:01 AM »
It's not for playing CDs, but for copying files off of CDs.

(Sorry I'm a Neanderthal... I can't listen to music on a laptop.... The woofer would need to be at LEAST the size of the keyboard!)
Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

GX1_Man

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2006, 02:51:19 PM »
Give it a try and see then.

rjbinney

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2006, 05:07:41 PM »
Alright, I loaded the SLAX CD, and it booted fine... Like you knew it would.

I can see all the files on my HD... They APPEAR to be A-OK.

But I still can't boot in Windows.

Any thoughts?

Should I go out and buy like an 80GB HD just "in case"? And will that run under the SLAX/Linux OS????

Thanks!
Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

rjbinney

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2006, 10:35:14 PM »
Most things I've looked at like this say it requires Windows.... Will the SLAX Windows emulator do the trick?

Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

SilentAssasin64



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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2006, 11:07:32 PM »
Quote
Most things I've looked at like this say it requires Windows.... Will the SLAX Windows emulator do the trick?


As long as that is formatted in the correct format you could use it just fine under Linux.
Back In The Game

GX1_Man

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2006, 12:57:11 AM »
SLAX or any other Linux is not a WIndows emulator. There are some programs such as WINE that do that, but results are far from 100%. Linux is a different operating system meant to run Linux programs.

You can certainly get nother hard drive and fit it to that machine, but since we know the components work, you may want to try and reload Windows to see if the drive itself is functional. As you can see files on it, it may be.  ;)

rjbinney

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Re: Stoopid Reinstall Question
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2006, 09:51:27 AM »
Right. My fear is that the reinstall process will lose the files. So I was thinking for insurance to just back the whole dang thing up (as opposed to just backing up the specific files... I have copies of all the important files, but not the directory structure, FF preferences, etc.).

What I was wondering was those "One-Touch Backups", if they'd still work in Linux. Like are they drag-and-drop, or is that a Windows-specific thing? Thanks.

Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.