Urgently need to reinstall XP home; it is my communication aid; somehow it's got in to a basic system. I cant access any output devices ie internet, email, printer, sound etc. Tried to get it back to the last time it worked using system restore which it failed to do. Presently at Uni (40 minutes walk from home) and would be happy to pay expenses to someone able to sort this out for me.

If you are able to help please PM and we can exchange details.

Many thanks
Wendy

try to repair your Xp first.......dot he following

How To Do A Repair Install Of Windows XP

* Make sure the BIOS is set to boot from the CD (put the CD above the HD in the boot order)
* Insert the XP CD and boot to it
* When you see " To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER", go ahead and press ENTER
* You will now see an option to repair Windows by pressing "R". Do not select this option - it will only take you to the Recovery Console which is not what we want to do. Instead, choose to continue the installation
* When you see the license agreement, press F8 to agree
* On the next screen make sure your current XP installation is selected and then press "R" to repair XP
* At this point XP will begin to install on top of itself, replacing damaged, missing or altered system files. Follow the instructions on the remaining screens to complete the Repair Install. It will look very much like a normal (new) OS installation.

If all goes well your repaired XP installation will remain intact, keeping your personalized settings and installed programs as they originally were.
You should also reinstall any Microsoft updates.

Remember, choose the second repair option, not the first!.

Melthebell

Thanks for your advice. Please can we exchange contact details by PM. Think I've done all you suggested without success. Currently I'm at the Uni (St George's) using their system and when I get back home (45 minutes walk) wont have on-line access at all. Last night Demon Tech Support told me to reinstall XP which they couldnt help me to do; I've tried to do so since 6.30 am this morning; not much help because of SP2. Then used the Uni CD Rom to reinstall SP2 which wasnt any help either.

May not have done exactly as you said ie about the BIOS stuff. Will that make for further problems?

well all that does is makes your computer check and run from the cdrom instead of going straight from the hard drive and running windows.


wendy i would do it for you................if i lived near sheffield :( currently im afraid i dont, so cant get there :(
same as id have installed a cdwriter for kirky too


id also like to point out that whatever you do youll more than likely have to visit the bios and change it to boot from cd first, otherwise itll just keep on loading up the knackered windows installation

Or try pressing Ctrl + C when you boot with your XP disk in :wink:

wendy.... why dont you just do a system restore to a point when your machine was working normally?

Originally posted by Paul2412
wendy.... why dont you just do a system restore to a point when your machine was working normally?

"Tried to get it back to the last time it worked using system restore which it failed to do."

oops sorry, its late...

Many thanks to everyone on and off line for much appreciated advice and help. To cut a long story short somehow or another all device drivers disappeared, XP wouldnt repair itself and while in a totally terrified state clicked the wrong instruction to find XP allowed an uninstall/reinstall (previously blocked) and then also had to uninstall/reinstall Office Pro. Joel, hero of the day fixed my modem. Dont know how I did it and cant replicate most of it again. Just really great to be back on-line again. Very grateful to everyone. Wendy