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Big problem while reinstalling XP


koukotsu

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A few months ago I kept getting messages that my virtual memory is 0, and that I should set it. However everytime I try to set it, it just resets it to 0 every time I reboot the laptop, even when i set it to system controlled VM. Also I kept getting POWER_STATE_FAILURE BSOD's everytime the laptop rebooted.

I checked for unsigned drivers using sigverif, and discovered atapi.sys was unsigned. I didn't really know what to do about it, so recently I reinstalled XP, well actually upgraded from XP home edition to Professional edition as I thought this may sort the unsigned driver problem.

However, now that XP pro is installed, the laptop doesn't actually boot properly at all. It gets to the Windows XP logo, the progress bar doesnt animate and then it BSODs straight away.

I think the atapi.sys was something to do with the CD rom drive, and may have had something to do with it as the laptop doesnt even boot to windows setup with the disc in the drive (CD-rom is 1st priority BIOS). I dont have a floppy drive in the laptop so I cant create boot disks. I dont know how to access anything with a CLI or something to type commands. I really need all the data on the HD too, so I dont want to format it or anything.

Can someone please suggest something?

Thanks

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This is what I'd do. Either use something like miniPE or ERD Commander or a boot disk you make yourself with Bart's PE, and boot to it and then, if you don't have a second partition, I'd create one where you can move your data to. Another thing you can do to preserve your data is to remove the disk from the bottom of your laptop and slave it to another machine. I use an IDE/SATA to USB gizmo and it comes in really handy - about $15. Then you can copy off the data you want to preserve.

Here's a hint. Don't upgrade. yeah, it works,...sort of, but in the end it is riskier and is more trouble than it's worth. You need to do a clean install as already noted. Get your data off the disk and then reformat it, partition it so you have one partition where you keep you OS and installed programs - make that say 15-25GB max. I try to make it just about double what the total installation is with a squidge more room. The rest is for your data. This is where you'll put your favorites, My Documents, and your email files, and anything else which you want to safeguard. This is also where your gooing to put your paging file.

Now, do a quick format (takes just a few seconds) and install XP Pro clean. Defrag, do your updates, clean out all the temp files and consider doing a registry cleaning with jv16PowerTools, defrag again. Move pagefile.sys to D: and reboot. Now install your programs. Now make a backup image and save it in a folder called Backup on D:. You can use True Image, Ghost, Drive Image, or somethin like BootIt NG ( my preferred one). Never again will you be in this predicament! :^)

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