Hi Maria

Ok the important thing here is to save the data, the operating system is
perhaps not that important. So here go the instructions: By the way you will
need the original Windows CD-ROM to do this:

1) Boot the laptop and see if you can access the BIOS to change the boot
order to CD-ROM as the first boot device. This is usually achieved by hitting
the F2 or the F12 key depending on the laptop manufacturer

2) After setting CD-ROM as the first boot device, insert the XP CD and
reboot the laptop. During the reboot, you will be prompted to probably hit a
key to boot from CD.

3) Once Windows XP loads the text setup part of the installation, choose to
install the OS on the same partition as the previous instance of Windows. Now
here's the tricky part, if you choose to overwrite the previous installation
of Windows XP, you will certainly lose the data and settings that you want to
recover. So in order to avoid this, install Windows in a separate directory
on the same partition, for example the new install directory can have a name
such as WINDOWS 2 or WXP etc, use your imagination for directory naming.
Lastly, ensure that you do not format the partition else you'll lose
everything, just leave the "File System Intact".

4) Provided that the hard disk has not developed hardware faults or bad
sectors etc, a fresh install of Windows XP will greet you after the setup.
From here on, you can log in and rescue your data and other settings....

5) If you have any other questions, please ask. Good Luck!


--
The_JAT


"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

> It is possible but by no means certain that the OP's
> disk has a flaw. Running the manufacturer's diagnostic
> program is a good idea - it certainly won't hurt.
>
>
> "Juaco" <Juaco@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:0DE381D8-8F77-4F64-AC89-74D43F66531C@microsoft.com...
> > you have a hard disk error... some sectors are bad.... run hard disk
> recovery
> > from your manufacture hdd example: powermax if you have a maxtor hard
> drive,
> > drivefitness if you have an hitachi hdd ..... better if you try with
> > hddregenerator. I´m already see this fail and y fix it with
> hddregenerator...
> >
> >
> >
> > "Pegasus (MVP)" escribió:
> >
> > >
> > > "Maria" <Maria@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > news:45756FB3-C606-4237-83A7-2FFE7D82FF30@microsoft.com...
> > > > Thanks for your response. I too was discouraged that someone had a
> > > similar
> > > > problem, resolved it, and didn't come back to say how.
> > > >
> > > > Anyway, I did try your suggestion and followed the instructions in the
> > > link.
> > > > I inserted the Windows XP CD, pressed enter when asked if I wanted to
> > > start
> > > > using CD, and waited to be prompted to press R for repair. Then got
> the
> > > > command prompt. When entering cd system32, the response back was: The
> > > path
> > > > or file specified is not valid; when entering ren kernel32.dll
> > > kernel32.old,
> > > > the response was: The rename operation failed; when entering expand
> > > > d:\i386\kernel32.dl_, the response was: Unable to create file Kernel
> > > 32.dll 0
> > > > file(s) expanded. So I typed in exit, and the loop began again. No
> > > change.
> > > >
> > > > Any ideas about the messages I received? Should I have done something
> > > > differently? Anything else I can try?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Maria
> > >
> > > It seems that you are unfamiliar with directory navigation commands.
> > > Here is a 60 seconds crash course.
> > > 1. Go to the "root" directory of your partition:
> > > cd \
> > > 2. Find out what folders you have:
> > > dir or
> > > dir win*
> > > 3. Go to the Windows directory:
> > > cd windows or
> > > cd winnt (if that's where Windows is installed)
> > > 4. Go to the system32 subdirectory:
> > > cd system32
> > >
> > > If you still don't get anywhere then you can use one of
> > > these approaches:
> > >
> > > a) Boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD (www.bootdisk.com).
> > > It gives you a Windows-like environment that lets you examine your
> > > disk in detail.
> > >
> > > b) Temporarily run the disk as a slave disk in some WinXP/2000
> > > desktop.
> > >
> > > Option a) requires some three hours to manufacture the CD.
> > > It's a very powerful tool to have.
> > >
> > > Option b) requires a $5.00 adapter to connec the laptop
> > > disk to a desktop's ribbon cable. There is a risk of connecting
> > > the cable back to front in which case you will fry your laptop
> > > disk. Be careful!
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>