[Archive] How to repair Windows XP

Windows Tutorials: Written and Organized by Evan Omo.

Special thanks to Arie Slob and Bill Bright for providing advice and suggestions.

*** This tutorial is no longer being updated due to end of support. ***

In this tutorial, I will show you how to repair Windows XP so that your computer will work properly again. Following these steps will most of the time solve various common problems such as Windows Updates failing to install, features of Windows missing or not working, and other 3rd party programs not installing completely due to permission problems.

1. Download the portable version of Windows Repair (All In One) from here, Windows Repair (All In One). Save the zipped folder to your desktop.



2. After you have downloaded the zipped folder to your desktop, make sure you boot the computer into Safe Mode with Networking BEFORE you run the program which will give you the best results. If you need assistance with booting the computer into Safe Mode with Networking then follow the instructions here, How to start Windows in Safe Mode.

3. Once you boot the computer into Safe Mode with Networking, right click the zipped folder and click Extract All. After the folder has been extracted open the regular folder. Then double click on the Repair_Windows.exe program to run the program.

4. After the program opens, click on the Step 3 tab and click the Do It button to have the program run Check Disk on the file system.



5. After the computer finishes running Check Disk, start the program again and proceed to the Step 4 tab.

6. Click on the Step 4 tab and click on the Do It button to allow the program to run the System File Checker to find and fix any corrupt Windows files.



7. After the System File Checker finishes, proceed to the Step 5 tab.

8. On the Step 5 tab go ahead and create a new system restore point before starting the repair by clicking on the Create button under the System Restore area.



9. Once that is done click on the Repairs tab.

10. On the Repairs tab click on the Open Repairs button.



11. The Windows Repairs window will open. Now ensure that ONLY the following checkboxes in the program are checked as indicated below:

Reset Registry Permissions
Reset File Permissions
Reset Service Permissions
Register System Files
Repair WMI
Repair Windows Firewall
Repair Internet Explorer
Repair MDAV/MS Jet
Repair Hosts Files
Remove Policies Set By Infections
Repair Start Menu Icons Removed by Infections
Repair Icons
Repair Winsock & DNS Cache
Remove Temp Files
Repair Proxy Settings
Repair Windows Updates
Repair CD/DVD Missing/Not Working
Repair Volume Shadow Copy Service
Repair MSI (Windows Installer)
Repair File Associations
Repair Windows Safe Mode
Repair Print Spooler
Restore Important Windows Services
Set Windows Services to Default Startup
Repair Windows ‘New’ Submenu
Repair Performance Counters


12. Then when those checkboxes are selected, click on the checkbox that says Restart/Shutdown System when Finished. Then choose the Restart System option and select the Always On Top checkbox.

13. Now click on the Start Repairs button to start the repair process.



14. The process could take some time so please be patient.

15. After the repair process finishes, the computer will be rebooted.

16. See if your computer has been successfully repaired after performing the above steps.
If the Windows Repair All in One tool does not repair your issue with Windows XP then you will need a Windows XP CD that is of the same service pack level as your Windows XP installation.

Once you have a Windows XP CD follow these steps to repair your system:

1. Boot the computer from your Windows XP CD. When you boot from the CD you should see some text on the screen saying press any key to boot from the CD. Press any key on the keyboard to allow the Windows XP CD to boot. If you do not see the text to press any key to boot from your Windows XP CD then you will need to enter your motherboards BIOS setup menu and set the boot order so the CD/DVD drive is the first boot device.

2. Once you have booted from your Windows XP CD follow the instructions in this link to access the Windows XP Recovery Console, How To Enter the Windows XP Recovery Console.

3. Once you are in the Windows XP Recovery Console type the following commands, exactly as written below, in the order in which they are presented, and press enter after entering each command:

• fixboot
  
  
• fixmbr
  
  
• chkdsk /r
  
  
• exit

4. You may be asked to confirm an action after typing in the commands. Type Y and hit enter to confirm an action if you are asked.

5. If after rebooting the computer, the machine still does not work properly then you will need to perform a repair install of Windows XP but make sure you backup your data first. Follow the instructions in this link, How to Perform a Repair Installation of Windows XP.

6. Hopefully Windows XP will now be repaired but if not then the final solution will be to perform a clean installation of Windows XP which will remove all of your data on your hard drive so make sure you backup your data. Follow the instructions in this link, How to Perform a Clean Installation of Windows XP.

All the Best and Good Luck! 

The WindowsBBS Team