Format and Re-Install

[RobFDB]

My computer has a problem starting up at the moment that can only be fixed by re-installing windows. The process itself isnt too bad.. i've got an unattended install for Win2k Pro SP4, but it's re-installing all the games and applications etc that's a complete bitch.

I've got my computer setup so that the Windows partition is a 10gb partition on it's own, with only stuff that HAS to go into program files in there. Otherwise it's all on other drives. The way i see it i have two options. I just re-install windows over my old copy. Or i format the drive and start fresh on it (probably the best option). First way means everything is left on there (except obviously everything in \winnt) however can i export the registry on my current system, install windows (either way) and then import my registry, and voila, i dont have to re-install all my games and apps (and there is A LOT of both)?

 

[corkyg]

Have you tried System Restore to a date before it got fubar'd? Have you run a good anti-spyeware scrub?

 

[montag451]

Could also clone the drive as soon as you get the system how you like it.
That way - all you do is restore the image and it all goes back to the beginning of funfunfun.
Recommend Acronis True Image for that, but am sure there are some freebies out there - wouldn't trust 'em too much though.

 

[RobFDB]

@corkyg: Tried a system restore but no joy. And don't worry, i run Ad-Aware, Spybot and MS Anti-Spyware on a regular basis as well as doing a virus scan.

@montag451: That's what i'll do this time round, but it doesnt fix my current predicament

 

[corkyg]

Another thing you can do is to go into MSCONFIG and uncheck all the Startup options. Then reboot and see what happens. If that happens faster, then you can start adding them back one or two at a time until you find the driver or drivers that are slowing you down.

 

[RobFDB]

I know exactly what the file is. I posted about the problem in here a while ago. The file is l_intl.nls and is roughly the 6th file to be loaded on boot (on the black boot screen not the graphical screen). Obviously the file is a fairly fundamental system file. I've replaced it with a copy off my CD and a friends installation and done a windows repair from the CD but no joy. I need to re-install windows, the question is can i export my registry and then import it and have all my programs working?

Edit: By the way the "start up problem" is that the machine locks when it hits the file i mentioned above, and requires a restart. Then after between 2 and 50 restarts the system will make it into windows.

 

[montag451]

What languages are you running?
What language is your xp cd?

Just a guess for now. Are you trying to run different locales on your system?

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: RobFDB
@corkyg: Tried a system restore but no joy. And don't worry, i run Ad-Aware, Spybot and MS Anti-Spyware on a regular basis as well as doing a virus scan.

Err, you posted your on W2K, which doesnt have system restore? (confused...)

 

[RobFDB]

Assumed that corkyg was getting mixed up with restore and repair as I stated I was using Win2k. Like bsobel pointed out im not using WinXP, i'm using Win2k. I'm running English UK and have been doing so since i started using the machine, roughly 40 weeks ago. The problem started about 10 weeks ago when i installed a new DVD-ROM and DVD-RW (and yes both are jumpered and cabled correctly and no i dont have the old drives).

 

[montag451]

Can you narrow it down to one optical drive - have you tried one at a time? As master/slave?
If you take the drives out, does the problem stop?
Wouldn't think so, but worth a try.

 

[RobFDB]

Tried just about everything I can think of, but nothing fixes it. I need to re-install windows basically. Just depends if i'm going to need to re-install every damn program on my computer too.

 

[dclive]

If you swap out your old registry (from c:\windows\repair) with the current one (after making a backup) from within recovery console, does that resolve your bootup problem?

 

[RobFDB]

As far as i can tell there isn't a back up registry in there.