using Recovery Console to get WinXP up and running again

Very good - I will happily hold off for a spell! Should I start yet another thread on the subject of parallel installation, since chances are you and I are probably the only ones still following THIS thread after 3 pages...

 

Found this and I think it'll do. It's for XP Pro but should apply in this case. It goes like I said so it must be right.

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxppro/installxpcdparallell/indexfullpage.htm

 

I'm glad you didn't go ahead with the format!!!

Looks like it has a 30 gig drive with 20 gigs free. Great! Plenty of room for the Parallel install.

 

Thanks for the link - it looks perfect for me: GRAPHICAL step by step instructions! I'll let you know how it goes!

Rebecca

 

Very fine.

 

Looked harder, found one specifically for XP Home. I doubt it differs much except this one is multi-paged:

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxphome/installxpcdparallell/index.htm

 

Mission accomplished!
Now I'm wondering how to access my friend's "My Documents" folder in the previous installation - or better yet, is there a way I can simply copy the entire folder from the old installation to the new one?
I'm in the process of installing Ad-Aware, and I got a message that the computer detected a previous installation of it. Could it be detecting the program in the old installation? I had installed it for her before...
I'm going to try to download SP2 for her overnight - should I install Zone Alarm (free) so that there's some kind of firewall protection in the meantime, or does WinXP start out with adequate firewall protection as it?

 

re My Documents folder: I thought it would keep the same one in place. That's what I have always heard. Recheck please and report if you find it different and how.

You should definitely install a firewall before getting on the Internet. Zone Alarm will do fine. You have NO XP firewall until you install SP2. Even then you can choose to keep ZA or not.

Now, some of the old programs will need to be reinstalled while others will work as is. Test and see is the best method. If you reinstall any of them, be sure to direct the install to the NEW Windows system. You'll eventually be deleting the old WINNT directory entirely.

Good work so far!

 

Quoting a recent thread on parallel installing:

 

For the benefit of anyone stumbling onto this thread down the road...

If this would have been a desktop computer, not a laptop, I would have pulled out the hard drive, put it in my external hd case, and used my XP to recover the friend's pictures, and any other wanted data, then done a long format and a clean install.

Rebecca and Surferdude2 clearly have more patience than I do!

Rebecca, teach your friend how to make cd backups, or buy your friend a USB drive for Christmas. All of this agony (though, I admit, it was fun!) could have been avoided if a good back up strategy been implemented.

Congratulations, Rebecca. I underestimated your initiative and tenacity, and I won't do that again. You have a new notch on your belt tonight- up another step on the geek ladder!

Merry Christmas to all!

Johanna

 

Johanna:
Thanks for the kudos, though Surferdude's really the one who should get all the credit - all I did was follow his patient instructions!

Surferdude:
I'm mystified. Ad-Aware and Spybot both detected previous installations, but when I click on My Documents, all that comes up is "My Music" and "My Pictures ". When I click on Properties, at the General tab it shows the location as C:\Documents and Settins\Owner.BOUCHARD. Size: 11.2 KB. Size on disk: 32.0 KB.
BOUCHARD is the name I used when the WinXP installation asked for the owner's name.
If I've lost the folder, oh well - I did my best to try to keep it, but my friend had given me the go-ahead to do what needed to be done to get the laptop up and running again, and at least I've done that. But if anyone does know if the original "My Documents" folder might be located anywhere else, please instruct me how to search for it (in the WINNT folder maybe?).

 

Johanna, I hope Santa brings you a disk imaging proggy. Then you can image those unbootable drives without swapping them around. Be advised however that Acronis True Image can't do that from a boot floppy - it only does that from within Windows. Ghost would be my choice for you since I use it for that exact purpose and it does well. Full functionality from a boot diskette.

 

Rebecca, Do a search with the windows search tool using My Documents and see what gives for locations.

Normally at:

C:\Documents and Settings\<your id>\My Documents

 

Since you created a different NEW identity, the files are likely still residing in the old identity. If you find them just copy the folder contents to your new id folder.

 

AHA! Found it!
Clicked on My Computer, Local Disk C:, and a whole bunch of folders showed up, including one called Documents and Settings. Under that there are 4 folders: All Users, All Users.WINDOWS, Owner, and Owner.BOUCHARD. Owner is the original "My Documents "!!!
So now all I really need to know is how to change the current "My Documents" setting so that when you click on it, it takes you to the Owner folder, not Owner.BOUCHARD. Do-able?

 

How about just logging off as Bouchard and logging on as Owner? Edit: You won't have to move anything that way.
If all OK then go to Control Panel under User Accounts and delete the bouchard.owner identity.

 

Surferdude2- I've had Ghost for 2 years. Everytime Christer persuades me to give it a try, I find some reason not to! It's never MY computer messing up, anyway!

Rebecca, we all know know SD2 is a whiz, and that he's generous with his time and patient with his instructions. So while his contribution was necessary for a successful outcome, he's kind have spoiled us to expect it from him! YOU are the one who stuck with him and probably learned a few tricks along the way for the next time you need to pull a rabbit out of your hat. How do you think SD2 got so competent? We keep on trying...

Johanna

 

Lol, now this is funny: after spending this whole day together here, you're starting to read my mind! Either that or I'm reading yours. As soon as I posted my last entry, I saw you'd posted something along the same lines. I'm in the process of installing ZA alarm right now, but as soon as that's done I'll try moving all the files/folders, as you suggested. You're awesome! THANKS!!!

 

You learn from hard knocks until you get punchy, then you start instructing.

 

Thanks for the ride and the kind words, both of you. I must run now since I hear Santa going over and he needs some assistance I think...

Happy holidays to all!