Windows XP Probs

[bubenik]

I'm hoping somebody can help me here. Two Windows XP problems.

First problem: I'd like to reinstall Windows XP but my CD drive is on the blink. I've managed to copy my reinstall disk (Dell) to my hard drive through a network. Is there someway I can reinstall (repair) using my hard drive rather than the CD??

Second problem: I've got a phantom program that shows up when I close Windows. I get a "close program" window showing a program named "Sample". I don't know what this is. I searched the registry and my hard drive - no such program or file exists. I logged my shutdown and the problem occurs when I think Windows is trying to do an auto-update - something like WUAutoUpdateAtShutdown. To make things worse, it now shows up twice - whatever I did to get it there once, I must have duplicated (I went to the Windows update site and pushed a button saying I wanted auto updates turned on - maybe that has something to do with it...). Can anyone help?

Tom

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Welcome to TechSpot Forums

A solution to the first problem: Get a bootdisk (if the computer has a floppy drive) and boot to DOS, then go to the directory you copied XP files (for example, d:\i386), start winnt.exe. If the partition is NTFS you'll need a boot floppy with NTFS support.

 

[Hangman]

Ditto to the first problem.

Although, if you really want to fix both problems with a single stone (depends on how you look at it) Go to getto-mart and pick up a $16.00 (+/- a penny or two) CD drive and plug the sucker in. Create a floppy boot disk with the parameters to the cd drive, fdisk the hard drive, recreate a clean partition, format it and reinstall the OS. Couple hours tops. Best cleanup there is.

 

[Liquidlen]

Hangman is right pop in new CD drve , But don't bother with floppy creation etc .Just re-install with your Dell Cd it can perform all of the disk preparation for you.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

WU AutoUpdate is M$'s automatic updater in the background. It may indeed have duplicated itself.
As you are reinstalling, don't worry about it.

And by the way, Welcome to TechSpot.