Thread: XP Recovery
View Single Post
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 05/05/06, 09:44
syphus's Avatar
syphus syphus is offline
Administrator
  
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Far away
Posts: 2,034
syphus is on a distinguished road
Send a message via ICQ to syphus Send a message via AIM to syphus Send a message via MSN to syphus Send a message via Yahoo to syphus
Re: XP Recovery
The success of Windows repair is a mixed bag. I've already voiced my ideas on this matter here

Quote:
Post-note to anyone deciding to perform a Windows Repair operation.

Generally speaking, Windows Repair will fix most issues with Windows, but should be used with some discretion. Repair will reinstall all original versions of the Windows system files and re-register them with the system registry. Windows Repair will not remove any files or modify any regions of the registry which do not relate specifically to the core OS. This is essentially a Windows re-installation, but with the dual effect of retaining installed programs and user files.

There are multiple side effects however.

* Software that is malfunctioning will simply replicate the issue. If the malfunction is resulting in the damage of Windows core components, you're back to square one.
* System files that have been updated by 3rd party software will not be repaired, and can be replaced with older versions. Windows NT5 and later (2000, XP, 2003) uses a system called COM/OLE, which enabled the co-existence of multiple versions of a system files (as opposed to Windows 4.x (95, 98, ME), which only permitted one version of any system file) and enforces the maintenance of obsolete interfaces. However, an old system file may end up accidentally unregistering the newer version. This usually causes program unpredictability.
* Windows repair will reinstall WHQL drivers, but it will not remove them first. This means, if an attached software component has malfunctioned or the registry has become corrupted, the drivers will not return to their original state.
* Windows repair cannot deal with a corrupt registry, excessively large registry hive file or a corrupt file system. For some stupid reason, although it is well within the reinstall program's power, it does not perform any consistency checks and can simply make matters worse.


Windows Repair has been successful in this circumstance (so far), but I would not normally recommend this course of action in this circumstance, due to Windows Repair's relatively poor success fixing driver related problems. Following a Windows Repair, always reinstall the latest Service Pack and perform a chkdsk c: /f.
If you're dead set on a Windows repair, follow these steps prior to performing it:
  • Uninstall all Drivers that appear in Add/Remove Programs. Avoid rebooting between.
  • From the command prompt (Start, Run, type cmd), run chkdsk c: /f. It will ask if you want to schedule one for the next reboot; hit Y.
  • Reboot
  • The system will reboot, perform a scan and reboot again. Once complete, reboot into Safe Mode (By choosing Safe Mode from the boot menu, accessible by hitting F8 just prior to the Windows logo appearing during boot)
  • Once in Windows, choose Yes when asked if you want to use Windows in Safe Mode (as opposed to using System Restore).
  • Open the Device Manager (Start, Run, type devmgmt.msc), expand the System Devices group and find the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System, right click on it and choose Uninstall. This can take several minutes, as it involves uninstalling the entire device tree. When prompted to restart, do not.
  • Reboot with the Windows XP disc in the drive, and begin the repair. Do not allow the system to boot straight back into Windows, or you will have to sit through a lengthy driver reinstallation procedure and repeat the removal step again.
  • After repairing Windows, perform another chkdsk then reinstall Chipset and Graphics drivers followed by the latest service pack.

I originally developed this procedure to allow the extremely risqué business of replacing a motherboard - even with a different chipset - without reinstalling Windows, in situations where customers really didn't want a reinstall. It will avoid many of the serious performance and stability issues that can occasionally happen as a result of a repair on a 'well used' Windows installation, and is almost fool proof.

It's still not as desirable as a fresh 'clean slate' reinstallation.
Reply With Quote