Repair Windows XP Installation

Repairing your Windows XP installation isn’t as straightforward as it has been in previous version of Windows. In the past, you could simply install Windows over top of it self to correct any problems with missing or corrupt files. With XP, you need to be careful or you could end up inadvertently wiping your current installation and losing all of your applications and data. When we “repair” Windows, you are installing Windows again with the intent of keeping all of our data and programs intact.

Warning: As with any major procedure, you risk losing data. Be sure to backup any important data before you proceed with the Windows XP repair.

To repair Windows XP you’ll need a genuine Windows XP CD. Because you are essentially reinstalling Windows when you repair it, you’ll need the key code on the back of the XP CD case, so have it handy. The recovery disks for major brands like HP and Dell will not be good enough unless they have actually given you a Windows disk, which isn’t likely.

Insert the CD in the drive and reboot the PC. You will see text flash on the screen that says “Boot to CD press any key.” There will be a brief delay until Windows loads. Then you will see a screen that offers you the following options:

1. To setup Windows XP now, press Enter.
2. To repair a Windows XP installation using the recovery console, press R.
3. To quit setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

Option 2 seems like the obvious choice, but we actually want to press Enter to setup Windows. You will then be asked to accept the license agreement. Once you do that, you’ll need to select the XP installation you want to repair and then press R.

Allow XP to copy the necessary files and then reboot. You will again be asked to press any key to boot to the CD. This time do not press anything. Windows will boot to the installation screen on its own and proceed with the installation of Windows. Once done, you will need to run through the final stages of setup by inputting your Windows registration key. Then you’re finished with the repair.

Take the CD out and reboot the PC. You should find that your data and programs are still intact, but Windows has installed over itself and repaired damaged or missing files.

Device Manager Error Codes

The Device Manager in Windows XP is often the first place to look when you are having a problem with Microsoft Windows–particularly a piece of hardware that is malfunctioning. The Device manager lists the components in order, and will sometimes have a red “X” over the device, or an exclamation point beside its icon. This indicates there is a problem with the device, and if you double click the icon, you may find that there is an error code associated with the error.

Error Codes and Explanation

Code 1	Problem: This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)
	Resolution: This error could mean the device has no drivers installed or is incorrectly configured. Try updating the drive by clicking Update Driver. This starts the Hardware Update wizard. If updating the driver doesn’t work, see your hardware documentation for more info.

Code 10	Problem: This device cannot start. (Code 10)
	Resolution: First, try updating the driver for this device. If that doesn’t work, on the General Properties tab of the device, click Troubleshoot to start the Troubleshooting Wizard.

Code 19	Problem: A registry problem was detected (Code 19)
	Resolution: Navigate to the General Properties tab of this device, then click Troubleshoot to start the Troubleshooting Wizard. Click Uninstall, and then click Scan for hardware changes to load a usable driver. Restart the computer in Safe Mode, and then select Last Known Good Configuration. This rolls back to the most recent successful registry configuration.

Code 22	Problem: This device is disabled. (Code 22)
	Resolution: The device is disabled because a user disabled it by using Device Manager. Click Enable Device. This starts the Enable Device wizard.

Code 39	Problem: Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)
	Resolution: The driver may be corrupt. You should uninstall the current driver, then click scan for hardware changes. To reinstall the driver.

Error Code Summary

Some typical resolutions for Microsoft Windows error codes:

• Uninstall the driver for the device.
• Reinstall the driver.
• Try Rebooting.
• Swap out the hardware with a known good device.
• Roll back the driver.
• If all else fails, either reinstall Windows or use the recovery disks that came with the PC. Be sure to backup all data first.

Visit Microsoft Update

Unless you update your version of Windows continuously, you run the risk of your PC being vulnerable to attack when an exploit is discovered. While Windows Service Pack 2 is more secure than the original Windows XP, there are occasionally instances where a Windows update plugs small security holes in the Operating System. So unless you are a fanatic about keeping your installation of Microsoft Windows XP up to date, consider allowing Windows to automatically do it for you.

Automatic Updates

Automatic updates in Windows XP provides high-priority security updates that can help prevent your PC from being compromised by a hacker.

To enable this feature, click START, then CONTROL PANEL, then SECURITY CENTER. You can then select AUTOMATIC UPDATES.

You have a few options here, but we recommend that you stick with the Automatically Download and Install option. Otherwise, you may download the updates when they are available but either forget or neglect to install them.

If you prefer to update manually, visit Microsoft’s Update page here.

Whichever method you choose, you have the responsibility as being a member of the Internet community to keep your system up to date on all patches. If not, your computer may be the launching point of Internet attacks that spread denial of service attacks or spread viruses and worms to other computers across the world.