If i reinstall windows xp...??

[whoizbmr]

If i reinstall windows xp, will it keep all of "My Documents (music, pictures, etc)"?? currently everytime i boot up my computer, it is saying "windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <windows root>/system32/hal.dll. Please reinstall a copy of the above file. I try to reinstall the file using the Recovery disk. When i give the following command:
"ATTRIB -H C:/Boot.ini
DEL C:/Boot.ini
Bootcfg /rebuild"

It is suppose to delete it but it says "access is denied". so after i do the bootcfg /rebuild command, it scans all disks for windows installations then it brings up an error message:

"Error: Failed to successfully scan disks for windows installations. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from successfully scanning. Use chkdsk to detect any disk errors.
Note: This operation must complete successfully in order for the /add or /rebuild commands to be utilized."

So i do a chkdsk and it checks but doesn't say anything is wrong with it. All it says is that the "CHKDSK has finished checking the volume"

I have about 20 gigabytes of music files on my laptop and pictures from the Navy also in my documents that i really can not afford to loose. Can i reinstall windows xp w/o loosing all of my precious files or what? or will reinstalling windows xp reinstall windows xp and keep all of the files or if it doesn't, is there any way that reinstalling windows xp, can i some how search and save the files or what? I hope that I am making enough sense for somebody to understand. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely
Rell

 

[Sprooty]

This was happening to me when i tryed to dual boot (but i wast..) after a fresh instal windows would delete hal.ddl and i could'nt figure it out.

Im going to say there is 2 ways you may be able to get your files

===========1============
1) Dissconnect the HD all ur files are on

2) Get your old or another HD big enought to store everything u wanna keep and connect it up

2) install windows on that HD

3) Get windows all working and stuff then turn the PC off and reconnect the HD with all you files. If you have set the boot order in bios correct it will boot off the HD u put windows and and you should be able to access the other HD with all you files.

Note: Your my docs folder will be found in ?:\Documents and Settings/Username/My Documents (just incase u did'nt know)

? = the drive with all ur files.

I am %80 this will work if you havent corruped the partitions of the drive will all you stuff.

===========2===========

Take the HD out of your computer and put it in another computer.. either yours are a friends, i am sure they wont mind if u know what your doing.

If your partitions arent stuffed when you connect the HD it should be recognised and you will be able to copy your files to the other computers HD or some DVDs if they dont have enought space.

This is probably the easyer of the 2 if you dont have a 2nd hard drive somewhere.

 

[Fireheart]

If you reinstall windows (nuking windows as i like to call it) then it will be like you just hooked up your computer out of the box, all your non-window files will be gone, music and all, reguardless if it is in My Documents or not. What I did when I nuked my computer was I put all the files I wanted to keep on CD's then just dragged them back over om the new windows. Sorry bro, if you nuke windows, EVERYTHING will be gone.

 

[Sprooty]

yeah thats what when you have 1HD i suggest doing 2 partitions.. 1 for windows and 1 for everything else.