how can I install windows xp in the hard drive?

Question

here is what happened, my computer is not working properly, it seems that it has some kinda viruses or spywares, so i got really pissed off.

i deleted everything in the "windows" directory, then i copied all the files from another computer's windows directory, and some files from the program files/common files directory.

i installed the hard drive back, but it didn't work? how come?

it keeps telling me that it can't find some file from windows/system32/config/system directory.

so are there any extra files that i should copy to the old hard drive?

as for now, even though the hard drive has most of the files, it won't even get to the safe mode.

so how can i solve this problem now?

thanks.

Answer 1

Hello. I do Windows troubleshooting quite often as a PC Tech, and to be honest with you, you won't be able to resolve this problem without re-installing (or repairing) your current Windows installation. What I mean is that until you get your hands on a Windows XP Install CD (or DVD) you won't be able to boot in Windows AT ALL. No safe mode, no nothing. For the record, how did you ever delete the contents of the Windows directory? A lot of folders must've not let you delete them, you should figured that out. Did you empty the recycle bin after doing this? Did you try booting to "Last known good configuration"? Anyways . . .

So, here's what you have to do:



1) Get a Win XP Install CD

2) Put the disk in, and turn on your computer. Press F2 as soon as your BIOS screen comes on, go into the Boot Order inside your BIOS, usually called "BOOT" and be sure your CD drive is higher on the boot list than your hard drive. It probably already is, this is just to BE SURE!

3) So you're going to "Boot from CD". Then wait about 5-10 whilst Setup loads the Windows files. Once the disc loads the content, it'll ask you to do one of 3 things, install Windows, repair a current Windows installation, or exit. You want to press R for repair.



If repairing doesn't work, you'll to re-install from scratch, and if you don't want to lost any of your documents, you'll need to either install to a new partition, or create a new partition and install to that. Otherwise you'll just overwrite everything. Oh, and NEVER EVER DELETE ANYTHING FROM THE WINDOWS FOLDER, OR ITS SUB DIRECTORIES AGAIN!

Answer 2

Do a fresh install. Insert the cd into the Drive and restart the computer. Then hit any button when asked to boot to the cd. You want to make sure that you delete the old partitions if you want everything erased. Then create a new partition using the whole drive size which for 40 gb would look something like 40000 mb. Then run the format but do not do quick format as this will only delete the registry I think. And follow instructions to install.

Answer 3

First off... windows XP is not just a program its an Operating System... So you cannot just copy and paste things like that...



There is something called the registry, this will contain important information and is not copy/pastable to any other place. Then you get the kernel that is the core part of the OS...



So you will need to reinstall Windows XP... follow the steps i got for you.

1. Put a bootable windows XP CD/DVD into the drive.

2. It will ask if you wanna install XP so hit enter

3. Then you get lieance agreement press f8

4. It will ask you if you want to install or repair - do not repair only install.

5. it might say another OS found you need to tell to replace it....

(I don't remember the exact wordings as I haven't reinstalled XP for a long time)



So at one screen it will ask "This will delete your existing windows folder and replace it" yes or no.... go yes and it should be done



However since you sopy pasted it, i don't think the bootable cd will recognized it as an installed version. so just tell to install but format the partition first.

Answer 4

If you can hook the Harddrive to another PC, thoroughly scan it for spyware and viruses, then backup any and all data before you reformat. You can also try a windows repai with the XP install discs. but if your going through all this you might as well format and do a fresh install. Your PC will run faster not having the junk you've been collecting in it too.

Answer 5

You cannot transfer windows system files over from another hard drive. They need to be installed from the windows cd



you can either



A. insert the windows cd/dvd, boot from it and reinstall windows over the existing installation. ( you will still have the virus/spyware problems)



B. format and reinstall all of windows fresh (you will loose all your data on the drive)



I would go for option B. Unless you have data on the drive you cannot re download / reinstall

Answer 6

first of all bad thing to do, the reason its not working: the files you deleted have special information that a lot of other things work off of that are specific to the installation....



anyways you could try ~ Start


use that and try to restore your computer to a date before you did that if possible, if not, format your drive like that other guy said or just reinstall windows

Answer 7

dude, do the easy thing, get on another computer, put your hardrive in there, then format your hardrive



you know how to do that??



if not, just google, and type in how do you format your hardive