Repair Windows XP Pro installation without re-installing entire OS

[d33tech]

I've got a client with an XP machine and her issue is that within the last few months, it started giving out blue screens at random. She doesn't do anything major on the computer, besides checking emails, browsing the web and printing/scanning documents.

I downloaded a program called BlueScreenView to analyze the dump files and it almost always points to the same set of files:
mfetdi2k.sys — Anti-Virus Mini-Firewall Driver
netbt.sys — MBT Transport Driver
ntkrnlpa.sys — NT Kernel & System
srv.sys — Server Driver

I looked online and there are several tech websites and blogs that detail how to simply repair Windows using the setup disc. Basically, once you boot up the disc and you're in, you pass the main page, then the Licence Agreement and then there should be a page that begins by saying the following: “If one of the following Windows XP installations is damaged, Setup can try to repair it.” Here's my issue though. The original disc that came from HP doesn't work on the computer. It's never been used and has no visible damage to it, yet when I try to boot from it, I get an error message from the CD itself, telling me it cannot boot up any further and then it allows me to eject the disk and reboot.

What I've done to mitigate this is download an image (.ISO) copy of Windows XP Pro SP3. I'm now presented with another issue. There's different kinds of XP setup discs — e.g. Retail, OEM, etc.. I've downloaded two different images for the same version of Windows and none of them give me the option to repair the current installation. I was reading up on a website and was told that for the Repair option to be visible, it has to be an OEM disc. In order to do that, you have to modify the setupp.ini file in the I386 folder. I tried that numerous times and nothing came of it.

At this point, I'm not sure what else I can do. I'm trying everything I can to avoid nuking the machine and re-installing Windows. Here's my reason: This machine originally came with Vista, but the client who bought the machine told them to downgrade it back to XP, because she heard that Vista was awful. Now that XP is officially obsolete, I'm worried that it will be a nightmare to activate it.

The only thing I can think of at this point is to replace the driver files that seem to be the culprit. Though methods like that haven't worked in the past, I'm just about open to trying anything.

 

[Elizabeth23]

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-perform-a-windows-xp-repair-install-2624915

https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Windows-XP-"Repair-Install"

above has some pictures to clarify, when the cd is inserted and the screen to install or repair or exit is up, then you push enter, do the eula, and then on the next page is when you will push R for repair, if you push R on the first page you will get the recovery console this is not what you want to do a repair, also please note that if you use a cd with sp2 and the installation is at sp3, all the files will be place back to sp2, so use a cd with sp3 slipstreamed into the cd. otherwise a lot of programs will not work properly as the OS is out of date, also note that if the os is 64bit you do not need sp3, 64bit stops at sp2.
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you should use an oem disk if that was used when xp was installed, if a retail disk was used then you can use that, as long as you have the product key.

I have a Dell, and I use a dell oem xp pro install disk, if I used any other disk I would need a new product key.

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I would uninstall the antivirus, and also, go to device manager,/ view tab/ show hidden drivers
and delete the driver that pertains to that particular antivirus firewall.

 

[Elizabeth23]

reply 2:

some things you should do first:

run chkdsk with the /r parameter, at least twice to insure no errors are found, if there are any kb in bad sectors, then the drive is going bad.

run memtest 86+ on each memory stick separately to insure memory is good

and run malwarebytes free with a full scan to insure there is no malware.

THEN see if you still need to run repair

 

[litk]

run memtest 86+ on each memory stick separately to insure memory is good

That's right, first of all you should check your hardware, RAM with memtest, or harddrive conditions using for example CrystalDiskInfo.

 

[Sixthofmay]

If I have a dead or troublesome box that an Acronis reimage doesn't fix, I replace the RAM with some known good RAM (put the old RAM in a maybe bad bag), and unplug/replug all cables and cards. If that doesn't fix it, I reset and check BIOS settings. If still messed up, reflash the BIOS if possible. Don't spend too much time trying to fix it. XP boxes can be readily found on eBay with valid licenses. You can still build new- watch some of the videos on Youtube- search for Ultimate XP Gaming Computer, watch some of the vids and take notes.

If still messed up, I pull the drives, replace the machine, put the pulled drives one at a time in to an external drive adapter and copy over anything needed. Save the drives in case you miss anything (tell your client to hang on to them). Have your client purchase a license for Acronis True Image and make a USB stick for them. Make a backup image, name it appropriately (include the date) and save it to the second drive.

I always build with 2 drives minimum, different size drives, just for simple boot drive imaging purposes. Reinstall and configure stuff, then make a new full Acronis image (don't bother with incremental for sanity sake). Teach your client how to do periodic Acronis snapshots. Note I use the term "Acronis" generically. Use whatever imaging program you like best (I prefer Acronis on a USB stick as it's simple to use and just works).

I haven't had any issues with activating a new build (did one last year). I think Microsoft will keep this working until at least 2019 when POS2009 support ends. I did read sometime ago that MS would release an official patch that removes WGA and activation requirement when they turn off the activation server.