WIndows XP question

[Nukem]

I recently built my first confuser. Everything went very well as hardware goes. Even the software load up went well... I loaded XP onto a newly formatted 20GB HD I had and everything went smooth. Now I wanted to put my 160GB already existing HD into the new build, but I get the flash of blue screen of death, then a reboot F8 window asking what mode to boot in. The actual question I have is this:

I want to keep all the settings, folders, profiles, etc... that are on the 160GB, but would I be able to do a fresh load of XP on an already existing one, but not get rid of any extras... I know I'll have to redo a lot of settings in windows, but I'm afraid I'll lose all my other items if I do this. Kind of like doing a hard recover. It'll bring everything back to factory specs so to speak and I want to avoid that. any help would be MUCH appreciated!

Thanks,
Craig :bald:

 

[Win2kpatcher]

Hey Craig! Just to clarify a couple of things..

On the 160GB hard drive you have Windows XP loaded on that already? Is that where all your profiles and data and such are located that you want to keep?

What will happen to the 20GB hard drive with the fresh install of XP?

I got a bit mixed up thanks!

 

[Nukem]

Yes. Correct. The 160 is from a computer that I had purchased as a package deal. XP was already loaded on it as is. The 20 GIG Will either stay or go... don't know yet. I know it's not THAT big a deal to keep the profiles and what now on the 20 and just use the 160 as a utility drive, but if I have everything already on it why go thru the trouble again to move and download it all again. Work smart, not hard.

 

[Apokalipse]

make sure the jumpers are correct
also, it might be trying to load the OS from the 160GB drive (which was obviously from another computer with different hardware)
check the boot order in the BIOS, and make sure it's booting from the 20GB drive

 

[Win2kpatcher]

Aghh yess. Well if they are the same version meaning XP pro and XP pro you can simply run a REPAIR on the drive to reinstall all the system files and leave the all the profiles and data in tact. That is why you are getting the BSOD most likely related to INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DRIVE or some crap like that. I repair on the OS will fix you right up.

 

[Win2kpatcher]

Also note I am assuimg that you are ONLY leaving this drive in the system as the master and the 20GB isnt even in the picture right now..otherwise as mentioned there can be a boot order confilct.

 

[Nukem]

I can boot from the 20GB no problem... What I want to do is be able to boot from the 160 as I would if it was in my old confuser. but it won't let me. I think it's due to specific setting that were from my old one that isn't compatable for whatever reason in the new machine. My thinking is I would be able to load XP fresh on my old hard drive and keep all my folders, etc... and then I would be able to reset all my windows settings. But I'm afraid if I do this, I'll end up losing almost 30 gb of music, all my router and internet settings, and a couple of other programs that are on it. But now like I said... I am of the mind. "Work smart, not hard" so why go thru all the trouble of moving and downloading it again if I don't have to. but is it possible to do what I want without much trouble?

 

[Apokalipse]

then just do a repair-install of XP

 

[Nukem]

SO a repair will most likely work... AWESOME!!!! thank you and when I get home from work I will try it and then post reseults... So if it doesn't I can let the world know what NOT to do if they run into a similar situation.

 

[Win2kpatcher]

Yup you will be good to go. Just remove the 20GB all together, I dont even want to talk about it anymore..lol..then install the 160GB as the MASTER.

Boot off the Windows XP CD, when you come to the first blue screen bypass the first screen ( do not hit R at that first screen as it will launch the "recovery console" which is not what we want) then the next screen accept the EULA, then it will search your drive for an XP installation and "SHOULD" come to a screen that says "Windows has found the following installation C:\WINDOWS-Would you like to repair this installation?" At this point you hit "R" for repair and will begin the repair process. Again so long as you never hit FORMAT anywhere in this process your data will stay in tact.