Problem regarding Windows XP

[Jojo44]

A month ago when I restarted my pc it couldnt go past the Windows XP loading screen, it kept restarting after loading. I couldnt use safe mode and Most Recent Settings didnt work either. I asked a friend what the problem might've been and he said I must've pulled the plug by accident and now the pc cant find the resource fork or something. So what I need to do is reinstall XP so I used my windows xp home edition cd (im using xp professional though) and tried to reinstall but it said there were damaged to my /c drive which is bad cause the only thing I care about at the moment are the data on my HD. Now the problem is i have the "NTLDR missing" thingy and im worried that I might've done somethign wrong to my hard disk. And I also can't go to the bootmenu anymore..

Now anyway my questions are:

Do I need an XP professional cd or is a home edition fine as well to reinstall/repair my previous xp installation?

My computer beeped a few times when I restarted it (which is unusual to me) and a friend said that its something really bad regarding my HD, could there be a problem with my HD?

If I go out and buy a new HD and install my XP on that HD , can I switch and use my primary HD afterwards?

[GX1_Man]

I must've pulled the plug by accident and now the pc cant find the resource fork or something.

LOL. I have absolutely no idea what this means, and it appears he doesn't either.  

Well the first thing you must do is see if your hard drive is failing. You can download free diagnostics from the appropriate drive maker's site:

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1122425778

Then you need to save your data. You can either slave the drive into another machine or use a Linux Live CD to save it. Have a read:

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

Then you can boot with your legal XP CD and delete all partitions and recreate one or more, however you like and then install Windows on C.

If I go out and buy a new HD and install my XP on that HD , can I switch and use my primary HD afterwards?  

Assuming it is sound, then yes. If you follow the above steps, and your drive is fine a simple reinstall will remove the need for another drive for now.

XP Home can not be used to repair install an XP Pro, but there is no reason you could not just install XP Home after formatting the drive. I am assuming at least one of these is not genuine?

[Jojo44]

thats also something that troubles me, i used to have warnings about my xp not being genuine but im sure it was.. but it doesnt have anything to do with the problem im having now I guess.. anyway that friend seems to know what hes talking about cuz he had the exact same problem as I do. Ill have to get my hands on an xp pro cd asap then..

(btw heres what my friend said: "your computer lost the recource fork, that can happen when for example u pull the plug while the comp is scanning or installing a program or just checking the system. you need to start via a windows xp disc and then write a new system (not sure what he means by that) on the HD. DO NOT FORMAT! you need to rewrite over the other or use 'repair system' if u can. after rewriting, give in the cd key and then reinstall everything. good thing is u'll still have ur data but basicly you got f'd in the *** :s. to make you feel better: it happens to everyone ")

[Jojo44]

LOL. I have absolutely no idea what this means, and it appears he doesn't either.  

Well the first thing you must do is see if your hard drive is failing. You can download free diagnostics from the appropriate drive maker's site:

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1122425778

Then you need to save your data. You can either slave the drive into another machine or use a Linux Live CD to save it. Have a read:

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

Then you can boot with your legal XP CD and delete all partitions and recreate one or more, however you like and then install Windows on C.

if i delete all my partitions, wont i lose all my data ?
its rly important I keep the stuff on my HD :s

thx for replying

[GX1_Man]

Yes, removing partitions causes loss of all data. That is why you should back things up regularly and completely.

It's amazing that people seem to think it is too much to do to safeguard, but when that hard drive dies, and they all do sometime, then all of that precious data is long gone. (Even more amazing is that all of that precious data is without doubt downloaded warez, movies, etc., but that is for another rant. No one has 40 gig. plus of Word files.  )

Maybe some type of imaging software would be helpful.

[patio]

I still have no idea what a resource fork is...

patio.   8-)

[GX1_Man]

Here it is, but his friend will have to explain it to you:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_fork

[viking]

Jojo44, it's better to make a copy of the disk (you may use partimage from knoppix live cd). You may move your harddisk to another computer and copy all the important data there. Note: be careful, if you have some encrypted files (with Windows encryption) it is a uggly and dangerous situation for your data. The most easy solution: pay a visit to a friend with a computer and ask him to help you; move the harddisk from your computer to his, copy all the important data and after that try to restore your harddisk. Reinstall windows (with your harddisk in your computer), remake partitions (if I reinstall Windows, ussually I delete the C: partition and reformat it), anything you want as long as you have a backup of your data.

[Off topic] Patio, is "Muad'dib" and not "Maud'dib". Or it's something I don't understand?[/Off topic]

[patio]

J

[Off topic] Patio, is "Muad'dib" and not "Maud'dib". Or it's something I don't understand?[/Off topic]

It is Paul from the novel Dune...

patio.   8-)

[soybean]

I still have no idea what a resource fork is...

patio.   8-)

Well, the original poster's friend was off base when he mentioned the term in connection with Windows.  According to the Wikipedia article, "the concept of the resource fork remains a Mac-only one."

[patio]

I still have no idea what a resource fork is...

patio.   8-)

Well, the original poster's friend was off base when he mentioned the term in connection with Windows.  According to the Wikipedia article, "the concept of the resource fork remains a Mac-only one."

Hence my short-lived confusion...

patio.   8-)