XP (re)installation issue

[leng]

During my so far futile attempts to rescue my main system I have reached the stage of doing a repair install from an XP SP2 install CD. Unfortunately this pops up a dialog asking me where the files for SP2 are to be found, but at this point the keyboard and mouse are non-functional.

They work fine before XP install reaches this stage, and with other bootable OS's. If anyone has any suggestions I would be grateful

Keyboard is a logitech wireless model connected via the PS2 socket. I have tried another (non-wireless) keyboard.

[GravenStone]

I recall having a similar issue (input requested while I/O devices were disabled) and it was suggested I try a USB connection.

[Raveneye]

I had this issue when I had USB keyboard and mouse plugged in. I solved it by direct connecting a PS2 KB and mouse long enough to get everything installed.

[Aananla]

I would also try a USB keyboard.

[leng]

It seems to fail with both USB and PS2 keyboards and mice.
Doesn't even work in safe mode.

[Greebo]

Have you considered doing a reinstall, deleting the old operating system directory only? I've never had luck with Windows Repair, m'self.

[leng]

Reinstall is the next step, but I had wanted to preserve my settings and installed apps.

[Greebo]

Understood, but like I said, repair has never worked for me, and an O/S dir delete and reinstall will at least preserve your app data. I'm assuming you're completely unable to log into the old version right now? So running the file settings/xfr wizard is not possible?

[leng]

I can boot into safe mode, but that throws me out again because setup is attempting to complete. Booting into normal windows attempts to complete the setup then locks up because I cannot respond to a dialog (keyboard is also disabled in safe mode). Currently I am backing everything up with Acronis True Image then I am going to overlay the current setup with the uncorrupt files from the broken disk and see if that will boot. Alternatively, I may stick the boot disk in another system unit and see what happens if I boot it there. If I can get it running long enough to get the settings wizard to run then I'll be ok.

[Greebo]

With XP, putting the boot disk (assuming you mean the system boot disk/hard drive) in another system will probably cause you more problems than you'll fix unless your hardware configurations are remarkably similar. XP doesn't react well to changes like "new motherboards and cpus"...

[Prescient]

Windows will not boot on another motherboard unless one of two things occur:

1. If you have Windows installed on an IDE hard drive, you change the IDE chipset drivers to Generic/Standard instead of the chipset specific ones. If you are able to boot into safe mode you can do this. If you're using a SATA hard drive, there is no way to change the drivers.

2. The new motherboard must have the same chipset family as the old one (ex. Intel 865, Intel 915, ,VIA, SiS). We've successfully done this many times since we sell the same model motherboards to most of our customers. Not 100% of the time, but most of the time it works if the chipsets are close enough.

If either of these can't be done, Windows will blue-screen when it begins to load because it doesn't have the proper drivers to load the OS from the hard drive.

[leng]

This goes from bad to worse.
I installed a fresh version of XP home on a spare partition but nothing I can do will make it talk to the network. I know the hardware is fine as linux works fine.
I attempted to restore an old DiskImage backup but the system claimed the image was corrupt, after destroying the active partition.
I attempted to boot my Acronis DiskDirector CD to fix the active partition issue but that won't boot.
I did something else (can't remember what) and ended up with a Windows Professional startup screen before it blue-screened on me. This machine has never had Windows Professional on it.

I truely, deeply, madly LOATHE windows.

[attriel]

This goes from bad to worse.
I installed a fresh version of XP home on a spare partition but nothing I can do will make it talk to the network. I know the hardware is fine as linux works fine.
I attempted to restore an old DiskImage backup but the system claimed the image was corrupt, after destroying the active partition.
I attempted to boot my Acronis DiskDirector CD to fix the active partition issue but that won't boot.
I did something else (can't remember what) and ended up with a Windows Professional startup screen before it blue-screened on me. This machine has never had Windows Professional on it.

I truely, deeply, madly LOATHE windows.

every time i install XP, i have to use another system to download network drivers for my card so i can install them and do updates

might just not have the driver

[EricStratton]

every time i install XP, i have to use another system to download network drivers for my card so i can install them and do updates

might just not have the driver
What atty said. In fact, whenever I reinstall Windows I usually need so much stuff from another computer I keep meaning to make an "install" disc w/ everything I need so I don't have to keep re-downloading everything.

[leng]

This is, of course, entirely my own fault. My normal strategy is to ensure I have up-to-date diskimages of my boot partition, but for various reasons that has not happened recently and hence I am in a mess because I would like to rescue my setup & configuration.

I have to admit that I have never installed XP from scratch before and the experience has not endeared itself to me. I had assumed it would be at least as competent as the more popular linux distributions in finding hardware and setting up a basic working system, but this is simply not the case. Every linux distro I have ever used has at least set up wired ethernet for me.

[EricStratton]

This is, of course, entirely my own fault. My normal strategy is to ensure I have up-to-date diskimages of my boot partition, but for various reasons that has not happened recently and hence I am in a mess because I would like to rescue my setup & configuration.

I have to admit that I have never installed XP from scratch before and the experience has not endeared itself to me. I had assumed it would be at least as competent as the more popular linux distributions in finding hardware and setting up a basic working system, but this is simply not the case. Every linux distro I have ever used has at least set up wired ethernet for me.
This is b/c Windows is for *real* computer users. Linux is for wimps, it's too easy. :lowrazz:

[Zyzzyx]

Hmm... I must've missed something in the few weeks I was away.

Leng, what the hell are you doing with Windows!??!

[leng]

Hmm... I must've missed something in the few weeks I was away.

Leng, what the hell are you doing with Windows!??!
I still have several apps I can't translate to linux ... including EQ2:*

[Serani]

Have you considered Cedega? (http://www.transgaming.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=29)

[attriel]

Have you considered Cedega? (http://www.transgaming.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=29)

actually, it's the devs that need to use it from what i read a couple weeks ago.

[leng]

Have you considered Cedega? (http://www.transgaming.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=29)
I looked at Cedega (it is actually a commercial version of Wine) but it seems to be a neverending fight to keep things running under it. WoW is not too bad, EQ will run after a fashion but EQ2 is a non-starter and Oblivion is a lottery. Given the poor results I have had with Wine in the past, I decided to give it a miss.

For those not in the linux ciruit, Wine is a way of running (some) windows programmes under linux using a wrapper/fixup techology to provide a windows compatible API. Wine is a recursive acronym, Wine Is Not an Emulator.