Windows XP repair question

[Wildside]

i need to repair this computer's OS. A few modules r missing n now the PC cant read CDs, DVDs, n not even the drives anymore. My dad has a Windows XP disc i can use to repair, but this PC had Windows XP on it before my dad got a copy of Windows XP, so will it still work?

do i need to back anything up before repairing? I need to get it working right again so i can fix my own computer problem, which is i have to use gparted live CD to get rid of a partion of my HDD that Vista cant get rid of when im trying to install Vista on my own computer. Some error comes up everytime i try reformating n stuff:

http://www.techist.com/forums/f9/cant-reinstall-os-error-showing-up-169494/

im gonna try to fix this computer tonight, so i need fast, good responses plz!

EDIT:

this computer is Windows XP Professional, so is the disc my dad has. The HDD is probably RAID 1, so it's like cut in half, because we got this computer fixed from viruses in the past n whoever fixed it backed everything up on one half of the HDD.

 

[KSoD]

You will need to make sure that the disc your dad has matches yoru OS. Home with Home and Pro with Pro. Can not use a Home disc with Pro or a Pro disc with Home.

A Repair jsut replaces the Windows files.

 

[Wildside]

You will need to make sure that the disc your dad has matches yoru OS. Home with Home and Pro with Pro. Can not use a Home disc with Pro or a Pro disc with Home.

A Repair jsut replaces the Windows files.

woops, ya forgot to mention that this computer is Windows XP Pro, n so is the disc my dad got.

updating first post now.

oh n ill mention this too now, the HDD is probably RAID 1, so it's like cut in half, because we got this computer fixed from viruses in the past n whoever fixed it backed everything up on one half of the HDD.

EDIT:

anything else i need to know before i start repairing tonight?

 

[KSoD]

You will need the RAID drivers on a floppy in order for XP to recognize the setup. Also make sure that the disc also has SP2 if your setup does.

 

[Wildside]

You will need the RAID drivers on a floppy in order for XP to recognize the setup. Also make sure that the disc also has SP2 if your setup does.

RAID drivers eh? To be honest, i dont know anything about RAID or how to use it. Should i back up data just in case something goes wrong?

 

[KSoD]

Well yeah i would backup. If you say it is in RAID setup and you dont know about that it would be yoru best bet.

 

[Wildside]

Well yeah i would backup. If you say it is in RAID setup and you dont know about that it would be yoru best bet.

uhh man, i need like over 70GB of space to back up n i got like 34GB on this HDD external. I'll have to check with my dad on his other external HDD to see how much space he's got on that one.

so, if i repaired without backing up anything, would i lose all my data then?

 

[KSoD]

As i stated in the 2nd post. A repair just gets rid of the old corupted Windows files an replaces those. You will not lose your data.

 

[Wildside]

As i stated in the 2nd post. A repair just gets rid of the old corupted Windows files an replaces those. You will not lose your data.

but u said this

You will need the RAID drivers on a floppy in order for XP to recognize the setup

which i dont have, n like u said, i need to back up stuff then. Man im getting kind a confused :/.

 

[KSoD]

A repair install of XP only replaces teh Windows files. The reason i said you will need the RAID drivers on a floppy is so that the XP CD can recognize your drive saince you said it was in RAID. XP by default doe not rexognize RAID Arrays. That was a newer technology and was not originally included on the XP CD's. Hence why i said you would need the drivers on a floppy to do the F6 to install 3rd party drivers during the setup phase to get the drives recognized.