Windows repair install won't work

[cm108kph]

Since I don't want to pay $35 to get help from Microsoft, I hope someone here can help me.

I'm doing a repair installation to my Windows XP Professional. The problem happens after the blue screen that says something like "Continuing installation............" that comes on after the PC is restarted. After that, the screen goes black with a mouse cursor in the center, and after a few secs the computer restarts, only to do the same thing again. Can I fix this with out losing everything on my HDD?

Can someone help me here, ortell me where to get help? (MS won't let me cuz I have an OEM copy of Windows)

 

[LoudMusic]

You could do a reinstall without formatting. It would appear as a new computer with all your old files in place. Applications would have to be reinstalled as you would have a new registry.

 

[cm108kph]

Ok, so now I have two installs of XP on my computer, and it won't let me access the files in the My Documents of the previous install.

 

[Danoff]

You can get it if you mount the drive under linux.

I'm not really sure what else to tell you.

 

[LoudMusic]

Originally posted by cm108kph
Ok, so now I have two installs of XP on my computer, and it won't let me access the files in the My Documents of the previous install.

You'll have to "take ownership" of the old folder.

Go to "c:\documents and settings" right click the folder you want to "own" and go to Properties. In that window go to the Security tab. From there click Advanced. From there go to Owner. Highly the user you want to give ownership to and check the box that says "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects", then click Apply.

You should have access.

 

[cm108kph]

Alright that works. Thanks!

Now I just gotta reinstall everything...