Topic: Corrupt OS

[John R]

A laptop has corrupt XP.  i got a recovery disc(not from the same laptop) to do a reinstall.  Trouble is by the time I get to the "enter your 25 character product code", the keyboard freezes up.

So, can I:
1. format drive then still expect cd drive to be able to recognize that there's a disc in it to reinstall?
2. even use this disc without the original product code?
3. try to do the reinstall in safe mode?  not that i know the keys to press while starting up the machine...

help please.

[Bernd Out]

1st question... do you need to save any data from the machine?

2nd question... is there a sticker on the machine with the product code?   (don't laugh, it could be...)

[OFOTD]

Sounds like if you've already gotten to the product key screen that your machine has either been reformatted or you're doing an upgrade which I would not recommend ever.  Also if your keyboard becomes unresponsive it would appear that XP does not have your keyboard's specific drivers in it natevily (pretty common) so that's why it becomes unresponsive.  It'll work for a bit then stop?  That's because when XP goes to verify that it has the correct friver for the keyboard it realizes that it has a generic keyboard driver but not the right one for you so it turns the keyboard off.

If you have another computer available I would strongly suggest you download Nlite    http://www.nliteos.com

Nlite allows you to create an unattended XP or Vista install disc.   Basically what you do is run the program, it reads your XP disc to get its base and then it lets you add on certain things like CD key and drivers.

1. Download Nlite
2. Download the drivers for your laptop from the maufacturer
3. Insert your XP disc
4. Run nlite
5, Integrate your machine specific drivers
6. Make whatever tweaks you want (you'll understand when you get to the screen)
7. Enter your CD Key
8. Burn customized XP disc
9. Let it run by itself in the laptop
10. You're done

[John R]

bob, i got off what i need.  there is a sticker with my code.

XP does have the drivers, it's just when it gets to a specific point of business, everything locks up.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

When you get to the part of the XP install when you can format the drive make sure you don't choose to do the "quick format."

Also, you don't want to be re-installing XP over the old install of XP. You need to do a FRESH install. That means you need to boot from the install CD, erase your entire HD, and install XP on a clean drive.

[Bernd Out]

Can you plug in an external keyboard?
Is the recovery disc from a differnt model or brand?

[John R]

i can't plug in an external keyboard.  don't have a usb one.  the keyboard works, just freezes along with mouse at keycode prompt.  also in cmd.exe

[flipp]

have you verified the hard drive is good, ie no bad sectors?

[kskreider]

My guess is that if the PC made is as far as entering your key and it is still doing what it was doing prior to the 'repair' process the problem may not be with your OS.

[Bernd Out]

My guess is that if the PC made is as far as entering your key and it is still doing what it was doing prior to the 'repair' process the problem may not be with your OS.

OK, so why not D/L and burn a live CD of Knoppix Linux and see if it works with the KB & Mouse?
If you can run your PC with the OS on the CD Live OS version, you'll know that you probably don't have a hardware issue.
You can also mount your HD and use SAMBA to copy off the data to a USB drive.

It couldn't hurt to boot to safe mode, the Windows installer will tell you which key to use to boot to it...
I'd try another Windows disk, if the one which you have is from a different manufacturer than your laptop.

Linux fixes Windows best, in my limited experience.