Installing a new Operating System

[momma]

Will I lose my files if I need to install a new operating system? My computer began to tell me I had an invalid copy of Windows XP and then would not allow me to access the internet or certain programs (my pictures). I bought a new operating system (Windows XP) and when I began installing I got nervous that I would lose all of my pictures and programs. Will that happen?

[Ivy]

Hi,
Installing a new operating system will always result loss of some data , its always better to make backup for it.

You could also read:
Installing a new operating system can overwrite at least 1 GB. All the files that were once located on this area of the drive are irretrievably lost. The directories entries (FAT) and MFT entries (NTFS) located there will be lost, leaving only files without reference ("lost file"), that had been allocated in undamaged areas beyond the 1 GB area.

In FAT this will also destroy the FATs, thus causing the fragmentation problem. All you possibly can recover will come from the not overwritten area.

Hopefully this helps till experts give their advice.

[momma]

But how would I save all my pictures if I cannot open them becasue I do not have an operating system that works at the moment? I am kind of ina catch 22.

[WillyW]

But how would I save all my pictures if I cannot open them becasue I do not have an operating system that works at the moment? I am kind of ina catch 22.

One way:
Take your hard drive out.
Install it in another working XP computer, as a second or slave drive.
Use that computer to access your files, and burn them to CD.

[~tuna~]

Or, not trying to advertize, use aols X-disk. When we fromatted our drive, we put all our pics on there. But you only get 5Gigs. 

[johnn]

Burn them to cd,goahead with new OS,then download pic back to pc. You can save the cd.

[momma]

I can't open the program that my pictures are on because I apparently have an invalid windows XP. Will I lose the pictures if I just install the new CD?

[Sharamall]

I'm not entirely sure about XP but when I upgraded from 98 to 2000 it gave me an option to save all the old documents. I said yes and it moved them to a special place on the hard drive and nothing was lost. I would still recommend backing everything up, though.

[Broni]

I apparently have an invalid windows XP

Did you have "bootleg" XP, or just Windows said so?

when I began installing

At what point are you now?

[patio]

Installing a new operating system can overwrite at least 1 GB. All the files that were once located on this area of the drive are irretrievably lost. The directories entries (FAT) and MFT entries (NTFS) located there will be lost, leaving only files without reference ("lost file"), that had been allocated in undamaged areas beyond the 1 GB area.

Source ? ?

Depending on what procedure is used normally all the space is wiped. It has nothing to do with 1 Gig...

[Ivy]

Source

[patio]

Since Dr. Dave is selling Data Recovery Services that may be an option if the poster is willing to pay for it.

If we were doing a fee paid Data Recovery service we could just tell people to send us their drives.

As that's not the case i'm not about to take Dr. Daves advice on anything.

[momma]

Windows XP came with the computer about 2 years ago. Then I had someone work on it and it was fine for about 6 months. All of a sudden the screen started saying I had an invalid Windows XP. Finally nothing worked.
When I start the installation, a few minutes into it it states that I will lose my files and programs. That is where I stopped because I did not want to lose my pictures--but I can' topen them to save them.

[patio]

Momma if you know someone who has a working machine and knows there way around a computer Willy's advice above is probably your best bet at this point...hook it up as a slave drive and retrieve/burn your important data...
Keep in mind the more you attempt to fix it the further away you get from data recovery.

As to the validity issue you have to deal directly with Microsoft to get this resolved. They are usually very helpful in these situations and after they have given you a new validation you can proceed with fixing the Windows issues and be back up and running.
Explain the circumstances to them and i'm sure they will provide the answers...

[momma]

Thank you all for your help. Unfortunatley I do not know someone who can help that is why I am here. Are you all saying I will lose the pictures if I just load the new Windows XP CD. Is there anyway to load them on my friend's laptop? A way that is real easy--especailly since I can no longer open them. Thanks again.