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Windows XP Professional Repair Problem

I am trying to do a repair install of Windows XP Professional when i get to the partion section i am looking for a repair option and all i get is

ENTER = INSTALL D =DELETE F-3 = QUIT
I am using the guide on this site, and i can't get past step six, can anyone help?
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which service pack you had on your computer?
Are you using the same XP service pack for repair?
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Originally installed SP2 but with updates it now has SP3 however my CD only has SP2
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How are you installing?  Off a CD?

Does your install procedure look anything like this http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx or if not where does it differ.
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Yes installing off of a CD

It looks like this however according to this "Part 1: Begin the installation" i can't get past part six, again i want to repair not clean install, this looks like a clean install, i just want a repair.
is this the guide you use ? (the best i know)  http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
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Nobus that guide looks slightly confusing i was using this one, this is not bad right? >>http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxprepair1.htm
If you've got to the partition screen you've gone past the repair option.

The repair option should be showing on the first blue screen on this page http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx

The partition option is the 3rd blues screen on this page http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
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Yes however if you please take a look at my guide,  http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxprepair1.htm it states to press enter at the blue screen in the guide your referring  me to http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
ok, in short :
boot from cd, and follow and accept all screens till the EULA (as you did i believe)
and select in step 6 (where it asks for an install or repair) R

that should start repair
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<<<Use Nlite(www.nliteos.com) to slipstream SP3 on to an xp cd and try again.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=5b33b5a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&displaylang=en >>>

Jamietoner but in step 3 of my guide it clearly says this "Toward the beginning of this process, a message will appear that says Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver.... As long as you are doing a repair installation from a Windows XP SP2 CD, this step is probably not necessary. On the other hand, if you're installing from an older version of the Windows XP installation CD and you have an SATA hard drive, you will need to press F6 here to load any necessary drivers. The instructions that came with your hard drive or computer should include this information.

For most users though, this step can be ignored."
=======================================================
<<<ok, in short :
boot from cd, and follow and accept all screens till the EULA (as you did i believe)
and select in step 6 (where it asks for an install or repair) R

that should start repair>>>

Nobus what is EULA the Licensing Agreement?


If you are running sp3 and run a repair with a sp2 disc  it can and usually will cause serious issues, if you can get it to run at all. Adding sp3 has nothing to do with 3rd party storage drivers. Also the guide you are following is how to instal xp not repair it. Nobus posted a link with the correct way to run a repair install.  Here's my shortened version
Step 1 boot from os cd
Step 2 press enter after cd load s
Step 3 press f8 to agree to eula
Step 4 press r to repair
If you don't get the option to press r after the eula then your installation has some major issues.
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My guide is wrong cause it states Windows XP Repair I will slip stream SP3 later tonight and give it a shot thanks.
The guide thing was my bad for some reason my phone's browser was sending me to the Microsoft link in that post instead of the guide. Now im at my desktop I can see the link is indeed for a repair install. So what are you seeing after you press f8 to agree to the eula(step 5)?
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ENTER = INSTALL D =DELETE F-3 = QUIT

That's it
Ok so the disc is not recognizing the previous installation. If this still occurs with an xp w/sp3 cd, then we have an issue that may take a bit more to fix. What is the system doing(or not doing) that made you try a repair install?
Does the BIOS in this machine recognise the hard disk?

And is this disk SATA or IDE?
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<<<Ok so the disc is not recognizing the previous installation. If this still occurs with an xp w/sp3 cd, then we have an issue that may take a bit more to fix. What is the system doing(or not doing) that made you try a repair install?>>>

Upon boot up i get this error message  > "Windows could not start because the following files is missing or corrupt
<Windows root>\system 32\hal.dll."

By the way
Specs
Machine Dell Latitude C540/640
Model No PP01L
OS Windows XP ProSP3
Processor Mobile Intel Pentium 4 - CPU 2.00GHz
BIOS Version A10
RAM 512 MB
Hard Disk 50GB
===================================
<<<Does the BIOS in this machine recognise the hard disk?

And is this disk SATA or IDE?>>>
Dbrunton yes BIOS does reconize drive, and i don't know if the drive is Sata or IDE i am new to laptops sorry.

IDE hard drive.

First you need to run diagnostics on this computer.

From Dell

Turn off the computer.
If the computer is docked, undock it.
Connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
Turn on the computer. When the DELL® logo appears, press F12  immediately. If you wait too long and the Microsoft® Windows® logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
When the boot device list appears, highlight Diagnostics and press  Enter.

Run the memory and hard disk diagnostics and see what they tell you.
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Start DSI Short Test
Test Results : Fail
Error Code: 1000-0146
Msg: Unit 0:DSI Log contains previous errors

Its wants Dells drivers and utilities to continue, i don't have their CDs
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I can't run hdat2 the machine won't boot, i have gotten this error message in past but was ablew to press F-1 and it would boot >

"Hard Disk Read Failure
No bootable devices strike F1 to retry boot F2 for setup utility"
The disk may or may not be bad with that error.

More testing required.

Get the UBCD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Download links are the icons at the top of the page above Overview.  Browse the page and see what utils are there for you.  Check the memory and hard disk utils especially.

Burn the file you download as an ISO image to a CD.  If you need help with this step post.

Boot from the CD and test the hard disk with the correct manufacturer's util for your hard disk.  Do the long test.  That will most likely tell you if your disk is corrupt.

I'm unsure who exactly made the hard disk in your Dell so you may have to try a range of the hard disk testing utils.

Report back the result.
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Ok will try, gonna try and slipstream first, the drive needs testing regardless will get to it shortly thanks Dbrunton
Can you burn a file to a CD?

nobus's link leads to files which uncompress to CD ISO images.  So does my link.

These images can be burnt to CDs.  They are also bootable from CD drives once made.



If you were getting this message "Hard Disk Read Failure" then quite likely the hard disk is dead even though it is seen in the BIOS.
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Yes I have a working desktop I can burn files, what will these files do?

I will by a new hard disk later on and you folks can help me install!
then connect the disk to a pc on which you you install hdat2 to test..
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<<<then connect the disk to a pc on which you you install hdat2 to test.. >>>
You are suggesting take the bad disk out of the laptop and connect it to a PC  with hdat2?? I would need some serious help with that one.
=======================================================
<<<The UBCD can be used for testing purposes.  It will give a better diagnosis of your hard disk.

The hdat2 is another util for testing hard disks and fixing bad sectors.  I've never used it but nobus has suggested it.

If you haven't got a util for burning ISO files to CDs then try IMGBurn http://www.imgburn.com/  Excellent tutorials can be found on the site on how to use. >>>
I have ImgBurn

Whew, let me increase the point value on this one.
>>  You are suggesting take the bad disk out of the laptop and connect it to a PC  with hdat2?? I would need some serious help with that one.

You'd need a converter to do that.

Just test it where it is with either or both of the CDs we've recommended.
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Ok i get it, in mean time can somebody tell me why i cant slipstream, SP3 I am using this command in the command prompt C:\XPSP3.EXE /integrate:C:\XPSETUP

and all the files are in my C: Drive
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I am not concerned really that much in losing data, but i still want to run a test then maybe try clean install, if that does not work i have no choice but to get a new HDD
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Slip stream failed to work, i am running Hdat2 then will run UBCD. In the meantime, when and if i get a new HDD, how do i nknow which one to purchase?
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According to Hdat2 this thing has over 300 bad sectors, please help in finding the right HHD thanks, i am stopping scan now
note : your disk can be bad, or the controller
how are you testing the disk?  on another pc?  then yes - it looks bad, but let hdat2 run first..
aso - did it tell you it REPAiRED sectors? if yes - plse leave it running
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Your disk has lost 300+ sectors.  A clean install is foolish.  The disk has proven to you that it destroys data.
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Nobus the Hdat2 frooze on scan, repair was never an option. Now the computer won't start at all, it lights up for a few seconds and shuts off. Cannot test it on another PC. Why did this happen?
=========================================================
Dbrunton thanks for the links but MASQUERAID is refuting your suggestion, now i am confused.
========================================================
Dlethe clean install is not even an option anymore.
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UPDATE:

After several tries computer fires up again i am running UBCD
I said it is foolish, using that disk for anything but copying off what you can is what you need to do, as I stated at the beginning.   Replace the drive, recover what you can.    These tools can only re-read sectors in an attempt to get what they can ... you can't "repair" a disk.
dlethe - i had several disks repaired like that - none came back...just my opinion ..
>>  Dbrunton thanks for the links but MASQUERAID is refuting your suggestion, now i am confused.

I had to go back and look at the links.  The first one is definitely wrong.  Although it describes it is for your model laptop it is a SATA drive which is definitely wrong.

Your laptop as MASQUERAID said should take a 2.5" IDE/ATA drive.  Specifications I've seen indicate any size up to 250 Gb.
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<<<I said it is foolish, using that disk for anything but copying off what you can is what you need to do, as I stated at the beginning.   Replace the drive, recover what you can.    These tools can only re-read sectors in an attempt to get what they can ... you can't "repair" a disk.>>>
Understtood Dlethe thanks.
=============================================
<<<Please don't buy the SATA disk in the link above - the C540/640's have IDE interfaces.

Any 2.5" IDE/ATA drive will fit. They were originally shipped with a variety of Hitachi Travelstar drives ranging from 6-80GB.
Drive removal (if you haven't alrady located it) is by releasing the small screww on the base edge next to the PCMCIA slots
Slide down the slot and pull free - unscrew the drive and attach the replacement and simply reverse the process.

One word of caution though is although these machines were corporate workhorses they are now getting on for 8 years old and the systemboards, once they start to fail, tend to produce multiple problems.

If the simple drive replacement works then great but if the controller is playing up you are cetainly better off cutting your losses.>>>
MASQUERAID thanks for instructions on removing drive!
=============================================
<<<I had to go back and look at the links.  The first one is definitely wrong.  Although it describes it is for your model laptop it is a SATA drive which is definitely wrong.

Your laptop as MASQUERAID said should take a 2.5" IDE/ATA drive.  Specifications I've seen indicate any size up to 250 Gb.>>>
Ok thanks Dbrunton
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Dbrunton while I wait for new disk, I will still follow your advice and run scans, it can't hurt, you have always answered my posts in the past, thanks!
If there is data that you would like to recover don't run any more scans. With an obviously failing drive running further scans can damage the drive further which lessens the chances of data recovery.
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Ok got it!
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I request this question stay open till i purchase HDD. Thank you.
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Ok i put in new HDD now what steps do i take now? Again i am new to this. I think i load the Windows XP in, however where do i get mobo drivers for this thing?
>>  I think i load the Windows XP in ...

Yep.  Go ahead and see how it installs.  If it installs OK, then you go get the rest of the drivers for it.

In your case you would go to http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen

If your model has a Service Tag take that option otherwise take the Model option.

Once the drivers are installed do all of the Service Packs and updates.
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Thanks for quick response
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Ok the machine can't find the new Drive
Is this the BIOS that can't find it?
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Yes
Hard drive size?
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WD 80GB
Shouldn't be any problem with a drive of that size.

Check all connections are in properly and nothing is lose.  See if you can feel any vibration that would tell you that the drive is spinning and working.
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Check image please this is the correct way i can't understand it
photo.jpg
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Thats it in my hand
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Put old one back BIOS can see it no problem
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Now i put the new one back in and BIOS can't find it
The adapter jamietoner is referring to can be seen here.

http://www.bixnet.com/delahadrcoad.html
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Ok guys no i never took the adapter off the old drive, it's on the new one now and BIOS can see it. I am trying ti install windows now!
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Seems like the new drive was the answer and resolve, but i am having software issues now https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/26649562/Windows-XP-Pro-Product-Key-Error.html
Nonetheless you folks helped me out with this one, i am closing and awarding. Thanks to all!
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The experts answered what i needed to know but  i still have other issues. Thanks folks
tx for feedback