Windows Installer problem

[jiminphilly]

I had a nasty virus that a guy from bleepingcomputer helped me remove. In the process I lost sound to my machine (onboard and and sound card won't work despite reloading drivers etc.) as no audio device is being detected.

I also have a problem with my windows installer. I've tried every method listed on the windows help site and I'm still getting the same error. At this point I'm close to reinstalling windows but figured I'll throw out one last call for help- anyone ever has this problem?

Here is my thread at bleeping computer:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/ ... 41-15.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jiminphilly]

Well the bleepingcomputer guy helped me as best he could and we can't find a way to get the installer to work despite following all of the recommend MS fixes along with a few others. So the next step is a window repair using my XP disc. I have also consider a full reformat.


The question I have is will my entire C: drive be reformated so EVERYTHING is gone? I'd actually prefer this as a way to start over. Or will my hardrive partition the original sector and will I lose some of my original hard drive space?

[Mister Bushice]

A full reformat will wipe it clean. All data lost.

Just get an external HD, and off load all your files first.

Hell, you could get a new 80 GB INT HD for 50 bucks or so on ebay. You should have some kind of back up anyway.

I doubt you'd need more than 40 gig to back up your files unless you have a lot of music or pics.

[jiminphilly]

I have an external that I keep music/pics/files on so my only concern was some program I had installed but most I can chase down afterwards.


I did attempt a reinstall, booted from the XP disc and my HD is not being recognized by XP - in fact I get a blue screen of death.

Any takers?

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

I have an external that I keep music/pics/files on so my only concern was some program I had installed but most I can chase down afterwards.


I did attempt a reinstall, booted from the XP disc and my HD is not being recognized by XP - in fact I get a blue screen of death.

Any takers?

Is your hard drive of the SATA variety, the kind with the thin data cable instead of the wider ribbon cable?

If so, you'll have to either load the SATA driver from a floppy during installation, or "slipstream" the drivers into your XP install disk with a program like nLite, or something.

If that's the problem, I can give you more info.

[jiminphilly]

I first created a boot disck with a program called Memtest86. Essentially it tests your RAM- good news of sorts was that 1 of my sticks was found to have errors.

I will take you up on your offer to load the drivers via slip stream.

* edit-I downloaded nlight and started the process. I am having trouble identifying what I need in terms of the SATA drivers (pretty sure I have intel SATA/RAID).

From here I will need your help. I assume I have to look in BIOS?


*edit- checked my BIOS- It loads RAID.