Microsoft is going to hate me bcz im going to do this, Windows-XCOPYing

[gaouser]

My old PC has its Windows XP broken(bootloader works properly!) Since bootloader works, Can I install SAME WINDOWS XP VERSION to VM aaaand theeen copy windows and program files folders(PC is x86 so only program files needed) to the real machine with dock, will it work (PC has CD-ROM unplugged and lost, has no USB BOOT and floppy broken, I have no LAN cables and ports so dont even think about network boot which no one uses)

[jaclaz]

It greatly depends on what is "broken".

The \Program Files folder in itself is pretty much "portable", it is (mainly but not only) the Registry and drivers that are linked to the specific install/machine, generally speaking, bar the standard default files in a pristine install, it is difficult if not impossible to recreate (in a VM or on real hardware) an "exact" copy of the \Program Files folder (some programs that were installed on the old machine might be missing, or you may add by mistake some other versions and the old Registry entries won't be valid.

I am not sure to understand how you plan to operate, what do you mean by "dock"?

Depending on the size of your hard disk, how much space you have, etc. it would probably make more sense to install a second instance of XP on another volume/partition and then try to do the copy/paste of the missing/broken files, i.e. make first a dual boot system, and then use the second instance to source the files for the old install, but it is a looong, complex repair attempt without any possibility to know the chances of success unless first the reason why the old XP install has "broken".

I mean if the disk/partition has issues and caused the error(s) corrupting files or making them disappear, it is not likely that by copying them over the OS will be any better.

jaclaz

 

[awkduck]

I also don't know what dock means.

This may or may not help; I don't know what the entire situation is.

If the drive is good (no corruption), and just the O.S. integrity is lost, maybe you can just copy the XP setup files to the drive.

This is assuming you have another computer you can connect the drive to. If so, you can system format the drive as a FAT32, with a Win98 boot disk or cdrom. Copy SMARTDRV.EXE and the XP setup folder i386 over. Reinstall the drive into the original machine. Boot it up, then run SMARTDRV.EXE before running i386\WINNT.EXE.

After setup is complete, I think you can convert the drive to NTFS. I am at the edge of my Windows experience, when it comes to XP.

[gaouser]

On 8/27/2023 at 12:58 PM, jaclaz said:

It greatly depends on what is "broken".

The \Program Files folder in itself is pretty much "portable", it is (mainly but not only) the Registry and drivers that are linked to the specific install/machine, generally speaking, bar the standard default files in a pristine install, it is difficult if not impossible to recreate (in a VM or on real hardware) an "exact" copy of the \Program Files folder (some programs that were installed on the old machine might be missing, or you may add by mistake some other versions and the old Registry entries won't be valid.

I am not sure to understand how you plan to operate, what do you mean by "dock"?

Depending on the size of your hard disk, how much space you have, etc. it would probably make more sense to install a second instance of XP on another volume/partition and then try to do the copy/paste of the missing/broken files, i.e. make first a dual boot system, and then use the second instance to source the files for the old install, but it is a looong, complex repair attempt without any possibility to know the chances of success unless first the reason why the old XP install has "broken".

I mean if the disk/partition has issues and caused the error(s) corrupting files or making them disappear, it is not likely that by copying them over the OS will be any better.

jaclaz

 

Dock is a tool that lets you use a HDD like a USB, what broken is Windows XP(system) and default programs, 

[gaouser]

On 8/29/2023 at 2:16 AM, awkduck said:

I also don't know what dock means.

This may or may not help; I don't know what the entire situation is.

If the drive is good (no corruption), and just the O.S. integrity is lost, maybe you can just copy the XP setup files to the drive.

This is assuming you have another computer you can connect the drive to. If so, you can system format the drive as a FAT32, with a Win98 boot disk or cdrom. Copy SMARTDRV.EXE and the XP setup folder i386 over. Reinstall the drive into the original machine. Boot it up, then run SMARTDRV.EXE before running i386\WINNT.EXE.

After setup is complete, I think you can convert the drive to NTFS. I am at the edge of my Windows experience, when it comes to XP.

Yea I have an another computer which is required for the Dock

[jaclaz]

I see, by "dock" you mean a IDE-to-USB or SATA-to-USB adapter/converter, i.e. a device that allows you to access the hard disk of the "dead" computer from another PC.

What I don't understand now in your question is if you want to repair the (broken) install on the hard disk of the "dead" PC or if you want to have a new install of XP on it.

The first may be possible or not, if the issues on the install are only in \Program Files you can copy the folder from a VM install, NOT the \Windows folder, as - as said - it contains a number of files that are "specific" to the install/hardware, the second can be done with WINNT32.

The syntax is (example):

E:\I386\winnt32.exe /syspart:D: /tempdrive:D: /makelocalsource /noreboot

where E: is the CD-ROM or the drive where the XP installation files are and D: is the drive letter temporarily assigned to the disk partition (on the USB connected disk of the "dead" PC).

The command will execute first part of the setup, and copy the source files, you then disconnect the disk and put it back on the "dead" PC, it should boot to second part of install.

But this will be an entirely new install, no idea if it would suit you.

jaclaz