Trying to reinstall windows in order to format hdd, help

[Druid]

Thank you. I did that, but is that any different than saving your drivers folder to a disc?

Also, I took your suggestion and read the read first topic. I found your 32 bit vs. 64 bit thread. That cleared some stuff up as well. Thanks for that.

 

[KSoD]

Yes. The difference is that this method will allow the new hardware wizard to find the file it needs with a little bit of searching. If you take the whole folder it will take longer. There is really only the .inf files that are needed for driver install thru the wizard from what i remember.

 

[Druid]

I read your entire guide, but I couldn't get past booting from the cd. I have a dvd, and even when I change the boot order or go into boot setup, I cannot get my recovery disc to load from the dvd drive. You told me this would be because it is a slave drive and the cd drive, the drive I can't use because my disc is a dvd, is the master drive.

ok, thanks. Yeah, it is the recovery disc. I answered you in the other thread. I also saved the i386 folder to a disc. I can use this to get all my windows updates somehow, instead of downloading them all again, correct?

 

[KSoD]

Re: How to install xp without the xp cd.

Have you tried to switch your CD and DVD Drive? Change the jumpers for them by putting the DVD Drive as master and the CD as slave? Does that work?

How do you have a DVD? XP isnt big enough for a DVD. You say you have a Recovery CD then talk about having a DVD. I dont get it. Which is it? Is it XP or Vista? Is it a Recovery CD for XP or a Recovery DVD for Vista?

I moved the posts. I am tired or trying to respond to several threads about the same thing.

No saving the i386 folder will not help you save the Windows updates. Those will have to be downloaded again.

 

[Druid]

I have a recovery dvd for xp. You just want me to open the case, and switch the cables?

 

[KSoD]

That is up to you. I cant tell you to do it. I am just saying that is a option. It could help the process along. Could also just buy a DVD ROM and replace the CD ROM since DVD ROM's can play CD's along with DVD's. Could also just remove the CD ROM since you have a DVD Rom that can do what the CD ROM can and more.

The choice is yours. You know your options.

1. Try to create a XP CD with the information provided
2. Try to change your setup to get the DVD Drive bootable to use what you have
3. Remove the CD ROM and leave the DVD ROM in there
4. Switch the CD and DVD Drive

That is about the extent of it. The choice is yours to choose what you do.

 

[Druid]

Is option 2 one where I wouldn't have to go into my pc, or do you mean the wire setup?

 

[KSoD]

The wire setup. It would require you to go into your PC.

 

[Druid]

Ok, if I do that and then use the recovery dvd, will it put all that crap that no one wants back on my computer that the manufacturers put on when they install the OS?

 

[KSoD]

If it is a manufacturer's Recovery disk yes it will. They include that stuff with the recovery disks. It can be removed easily.

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