Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (
More info?)
Hi, Bill.
I guess I jumped at Symantec when you started this thread by saying, "In
deleting some Symantec software..." You didn't mention which software,
specifically, or any other details, so I probably was too quick to point the
finger in that direction.
> But seriously, R. C., isn't there some way I can get a patch to
> fix just a portion of XP OS?
Well, the first step in this direction is the System File Checker. At the
Run prompt, type: sfc /scannow
SFC will compare each WinXP operating system file with the "known good" copy
held in your on-disk cache and replace any missing or damaged ones. We
always advise having the WinXP CD-ROM at hand, because SFC probably will
want to see it. I don't know whether an OEM version of the CD will suffice.
> Or can I do some kind of a "Repair
> Install", (bearing in mind that I have CDs for original XP Pro
> installation, and my system is already in SP2 status).
The next level of repair is exactly that, a Repair Install, also called a
Reinstallation or an In-Place Upgrade. Full instructions from Microsoft are
in this KB article:
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q315341
Also see MVP Michael Stevens' version of the same thing:
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
The in-place upgrade completely reinstalls WinXP itself while preserving
your installed applications and data (and most of your tweaks). It will
take as long as a clean install of WinXP, but you won't have to reformat or
reinstall your apps. Note that this will put you back to whatever version
of WinXP is on the CD-ROM that you use. If you use the "gold" or RTM
version of WinXP from 3 years ago, you will need to reinstall SP2 after
doing the in-place upgrade. If you have a very recent CD-ROM, it should
have SP2 included. If you have an older WinXP CD, plus SP2 on your HD or on
the CD from MS, plus CD-burning ability, then you can create a
"slip-streamed" CD with SP2 integrated into WinXP and use that to do the
in-place upgrade.
> (bearing in mind that I have CDs for original XP Pro
> installation
I don't know what that means, Bill. You said earlier that:
> MY machine is an eMachines T2080, and it comes with two
> CDs: One is a "Ghost" Restore CD, the other contains
> "Drivers". MVP told me to run winnt32.exe /cmdcons but
> that gives error messages, not RC. What that OEM fornishes
> is not a "legitimate WinXP CD-DOM".
This sounds like you do NOT have a full retail WinXP CD-ROM. Whether you
can do an in-place upgrade with this CD depends entirely on what eMachines
put onto that CD. My guess is that it will put your computer back to the
way it was when you bought it. That is, all your applications and data will
be gone, so you will have to reinstall the apps and restore the data from
backup.
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@corridor.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
"William B. Lurie" <billurie@nospam.org> wrote in message
news:O6$AbzV2EHA.2012@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> William B. Lurie wrote:
>> R. C. White wrote:
>>
>>> Hi, Bill.
>>>
>>> What did Symantec say when you asked them?
>>>
>>> And WHY does your system have no Recovery Console? What make and model
>>> computer do you have? Or which OEM version of WinXP? The Recovery
>>> Console is on every legitimate WinXP CD-ROM.
>>>
>>> RC
>>
>> MY machine is an eMachines T2080, and it comes with two
>> CDs: One is a "Ghost" Restore CD, the other contains
>> "Drivers". MVP told me to run winnt32.exe /cmdcons but
>> that gives error messages, not RC. What that OEM fornishes
>> is not a "legitimate WinXP CD-ROM".
>>
>> Symantec hasn't answered me yet....
>>
>> Thanks, R.C.
>>
>>
> Symantec says they can only fix their software, I should hev
> Microsoft tell me how to fix XP. They have a point, in that
> there can be no doubt that Microsoft knows how to fix XP and
> Symantec only knows how to break it.
>
> But seriously, R. C., isn't there some way I can get a patch to
> fix just a portion of XP OS? Or can I do some kind of a "Repair
> Install", (bearing in mind that I have CDs for original XP Pro
> installation, and my system is already in SP2 status).
>
> William B. Lurie
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