XP in place upgrade question

[Badtz-Maru]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/

MS points this out as a solution to repairing windows if safe mode cannot be reached. It's also a method to get windows working again if you've swapped motherboards to one with another IDE controller (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316401) (read: hypothetically not affecting SATA drives).

I'm about to undertake one of these; I'm wondering if anyone has done this before and whether or not I will have to install all my programs again when the operation finishes. I already have backed up my critical documents and emails, but the programs would be more of an inconvenience than a critical loss. The thing is, is this process supposed to wipe your drive? Nothing on MS' site says it will.

[Jiggah]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/

MS points this out as a solution to repairing windows if safe mode cannot be reached. It's also a method to get windows working again if you've swapped motherboards to one with another IDE controller (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316401) (read: hypothetically not affecting SATA drives).

I'm about to undertake one of these; I'm wondering if anyone has done this before and whether or not I will have to install all my programs again when the operation finishes. I already have backed up my critical documents and emails, but the programs would be more of an inconvenience than a critical loss. The thing is, is this process supposed to wipe your drive? Nothing on MS' site says it will.

If I remember correctly, it keeps a backup of your USER account i.e. My Documents, etc. that's all. It does not keep programs

[+allan MVC]

While you should not lose any data nor have to reinstall your programs, there's never any harm in backing up first. Even better, create an image of your system drive. And to answer you other question (has anyone done this before?) -- it's a VERY common procedure. I've done probably a dozen or more repair installs over the years and never had a problem.

[kimsland]

After running Repair install hundreds and hundreds of times on as many different computers

All your data and programs will be safe. (assuming your programs work on the service pack that you are repairing with)

Here's what a Repair does:

• Repairs Windows ;)
  Removes all MS Security Updates and Service Packs, to the date of the Windows CD you are using
  Removes activation
  

That is all :)

Here's a couple of guides that show the Repair steps with pictures:

Microsoft's Windows XP Professional Repair Install step by step

http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsre...dexfullpage.htm

Microsoft's Windows XP Home Repair Install step by step

http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall....dexfullpage.htm

[Badtz-Maru]

could I use a Pro edition disc for a Home reinstall? I can't find my Home disc for my home install.

EDIT: FOUND IT!

[kimsland]

Anyway the answer was No

Although you can use a different version of Windows (ie Pro over Home) to Repair Windows

You must also have the product key for that updated Windows version

To avoid losing your Home key (that had already been activated on your machine) use a Home disc

Anyway, you found it ;) How did it go?

By the way the Home disc you used, must also be the correct version for the Home key (C.O.A) sticker, you have

[Badtz-Maru]

Anyway the answer was No

Although you can use a different version of Windows (ie Pro over Home) to Repair Windows

You must also have the product key for that updated Windows version

To avoid losing your Home key (that had already been activated on your machine) use a Home disc

Anyway, you found it ;) How did it go?

By the way the Home disc you used, must also be the correct version for the Home key (C.O.A) sticker, you have

Oddly my XP Home disc doesn't give the option to reinstall, just install in the partition/reformat+install. Could I use a SP2 disc to reinstall an SP1 version of windows?

[+allan MVC]

Oddly my XP Home disc doesn't give the option to reinstall, just install in the partition/reformat+install.

No such thing. ALL retail and OEM XP CD's can be used to do a repair install. Here are two sites that give you step by step instructions (though it's about as easy as it can be):

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsys...stxprepair1.htm

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Omkar]

Oddly my XP Home disc doesn't give the option to reinstall, just install in the partition/reformat+install. Could I use a SP2 disc to reinstall an SP1 version of windows?

I've been using Windows? XP Professional forever, and I always wondered whatwasn't> included in Home Edition (apart from the networking). Maybe this is it!:pp

Do you mean you installed from an RTM disc, updated to SP1 and are right there as of now? If yes, then don't boot from the disc, just run the setup from Windows?. It will recommend an upgrade, go for it, enter your product key, and select the existing partition. This is same irepairing b>(noreinstalli>) the existing installation of XP.

Omkar

EDIT:+allan posted his reply as I was typing mine!

[+allan MVC]

You cannot do an in-place repair install without booting directly to the CD. And of course you can do a reinstall with XP Home.

[kimsland]

Oddly my XP Home disc doesn't give the option to reinstall, just install in the partition/reformat+install. Could I use a SP2 disc to reinstall an SP1 version of windows?

The question is a little open ended

Is the "SP2 disc" the XP Pro version you were speaking of?

If so, then yes you can repair with this Setup CD, but as I stated before, you will need a key that relates to that Setup disc.

I have seen (many times) when the Repair option is not available on Windows Setup CD bootup

In this case you may want to back up your data first, by either mounting the internal drive in another computer (as a slave, or in place to the DVD Drive) Or by using a free BootCd to recover your data.

Then do a clean install with your original XP Home SP1 disc, that way keeping your current original Home key

Please advise which option you will take, and any further help in doing this.