Time to Let Go?

SledgeProne

Posts: 91   +0
Having been awhile since my last visit, the lack of XP threads is starkly apparent, and formed the topic title.

I came here seeking guidance for a Winxp boot issue, due to a missing or corrupt file;
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
but now I'm thinking about just wiping XP off altogether and installing 7.
I'm not really sure how to go about that at this point, if trying to install another OS over this current failure to boot, would necessarily be a clean one, or even if this could be a hard drive issue.
I'm trying to boot to the CD-ROM but I keep getting this missing or corrupt system file error, after changing the boot sequence, and even disabling the HD as a boot device
 
You have a corrupt registry. Bootp into Safe Mode, and use the last known configuration.
 
You have a corrupt registry. Bootp into Safe Mode, and use the last known configuration.

Hi Jobeard,
I tried that but it returned to the same error screen.
"Can attempt to repair by starting Windows setup using the original
Setup CD-ROM"2

I remember this XP install disc required the six boot discs on floppys. Would those be needed again to repair this?
 
Ok, well I Iet go, somewhat haphazardly, and things aren't going so well.
My hard drive is partitioned in half, drive C and D. I reinstalled XP on D then tried to install Win7 on Drive C which error'd on doing so. Now I'm trying to boot into XP on D but it keeps trying to boot into win7 on C.
How do differentiate which drive boots up up when they're both on the same physical hard drive?
 
If you get different errors while installing Win XP from a disk, one problem might be a failing laser in your CD/DVD drive.
I know that can happen, as I had to buy a new DVD drive for my PC, and it did cure the problem.
As you know XP is not supported by Microsoft now, so that it's a better idea to move on to more modern operating sytem if you can.
 
but now I'm thinking about just wiping XP off altogether and installing 7.

Windows 7 is two years out of mainstream support and only has three years of security patches left. Now is the time you should be starting to think about how you're going to move away from Windows 7, the time to do it for XP was a few years ago.

How do differentiate which drive boots up up when they're both on the same physical hard drive?

I'm guessing you've got a pre-UEFI motherboard? If so then it's controlled by Windows Boot Manager:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista_startup_process
 
Unless you have a good reason to use MS Windows, there are many very modern operating systems that you can get for free.
I do use Windows 10, but my spare/backup PC has Linux Mint installed, I use both, and happy enough using either.
 
Well, since my last post I've been struggling somewhat unsuccessfully with installing Win7. I've got my primary hard drive partitioned and formatted to an 80gb C drive, but Win7 is returning memory mgmt errors upon installing. I ran a mem86 test and while I'm not familiar with interpreting the results, the errors that turned up, left me all but convinced my ram is shot.
Crucial Ballistix (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Channel
 
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Yeah, if Memtest86 is producing any errors then that's a good indication of hardware failure, usually memory.
 
Thanks Endless,
I'm gonna buy some off newegg.
Most I've spoke with regarding Win10 have seemed unimpressed, and aside from XP's loss of support, I really had no interest in upgrading. I'm certain I'll overstay my welcome with Win 7, and I'm sure I'll get the value back from whatever I spend on this RAM.
I do however hope that's all I need to complete this install.
 
Well if I finally got some memory for my machine, and attempting to repair it sends it into a reboot it here's the report, not sure if anyone can cull any I formation from it
 

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Hi, The line that says; Problem Signature 05 External media.
Is that showing the problems are starting from the installation disk?
You could prove if your new RAM is ok by installing some other operating sytem, check if all the hardware is now working.
Can you try installing a Linux distro from a Linux magazine coverdisc?
You just switch your boot order in the BIOS to CD/DVD drive first in the list, put in the Linux DVD and follow the instructions on screen.
 
Actually Mike,
I figured that installation was likely corrupted pretty bad, given it was installed with that failing RAM, so I just reinstalled Windows again, and I'm up and running!
Problem now, is I want to install the motheboard drivers but looking on the install disc, they appear to be
For WinXp and Vista, not Win 7
Should I just install the Vista 32 bit drivers?
 
Hi, That's good, at least the hardware seems to be working.
Windows 7 will have many of the drivers included in the installation, but of course some won't be there.
If your Win 7 works enough to get on the internet, I would go into device manager, see what has yellow markers, and use those to search online for the drivers you need.
So right click on each problem, choose, to update the software automatically... (photo)
( I found Windows 7 had so many drivers included for my old 2006 Dell tower, I didn't need any more.)
It might not have hi-res drivers for graphic card chipset, or printer drivers etc
If your pc won't connect to the net to do this, then you would have to use another pc to download them, and transfer over after.
Fairly sure the Vista drivers won't work, you could try.
Another way is to get the make and model of your motherboard, go to the makers site, see what drivers you can download.
I use this, https://www.hwinfo.com/download.php
 

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I would agree with the fault log implicating your CD reader, and even though you appear to have installed win7 correctly, that may merely mean that the CD reader is a bit less faulty than it was to start with. For example, the read head will be a little cleaner now, due to the many passes it has had. I would suggest a replacement CD drive would be some insurance. Dont buy the latest wizzbang though, better to find a scrap PC with a working device and cannibalise that.
 
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