GrinchyNet

Performing a repair install of Windows XP is an easy way to solve some computer problems you may run into. Like formatting and doing a fresh install, I only recommend doing a repair install when everything else fails. Performing a repair install will cause you to have to download and install all Windows Updates and some of your applications may need to be re-installed. To totally protect you from losing important data, I highly suggest backing up anything you deem worthy to either a separate hard drive or an external device such as an external drive or a thumb drive. You could also burn your data to CD or DVD. Microsoft recommends performing the following steps to help reduce the possibility of losing data.

1. Click on Start
2. Click on Run
3. Type in cmd and press the Enter key
4. Type in del /a /f %windir%\system32\undo_guimode.txt and press the Enter key

Once this is done you can go ahead and perform the repair install detailed below.

1. Insert your Windows XP Professional media into your CD-ROM drive and restart your PC
2. The following screen should appear once you have booted into the CD
   
3. Press Enter when you reach the following screen. Do not press "R"!
   
4. Press the F8 key once you reach the following screen
   
5. At this screen, ensure the partition with the XP partition is highlighted and press the "R" key
   
6. Windows will do a quick scan of your hard drive
   
7. Windows will start deleting system files
   
8. Windows will begin copying system files
   
9. Windows will initialize your setup
   
10. Windows will reboot your system automatically or you can press the Enter key to do it manually
    
11. Windows will go through its boot routine
    
12. You will then see the familiar installation GUI
    
13. Click the Next button at the following screen unless you need to make changes
    
14. You will need to enter in the Product Key
    
15. Windows will now finish up the installation
    
16. After the installation completes, Windows will reboot into the XP setup GUI, click on the Next button
    
17. Choose whether or not you want automatic updates enabled. Click the Next Button.
    
18. Click the Finish button to continue to the desktop
    
19. At this point you should see the XP Welcome screen
    
20. You should end up at the desktop if everything went smoothly
    

Now begins the task of downloading and installing Windows updates, restoring anything you may have backed up and ensuring your applications still work.