How would you restore to XP Service Pack 1 if System Restore doesn't work?

[eSDee]

One of my PC's seems to need service pack 1 drivers installed or else it gets BSoD. I have tried to use System Restore but it always fails. I was thinking about trying to install a Windows XP Service pack 1 disk over this version of Windows, although I am not sure it will work. The only reason that I don't start from scratch is because the computer has some software that we got for free (legally) that costs $10k but we can't get an installation disk from the company. I was also thinking that there might be a way to use the Recovery Console, but right now I am just brainstorming. Can anyone think of another way to get back to Service Pack 1?

TIA.

[mechmike0034]

Image the machine before messing with it too much...

You're at SP2 now? Add/Remove Programs, uninstall SP2.

Can you roll the driver(s) that are giving you problems back individually?

Just throwing stuff out - dunno if it'll work...

[eSDee]

I was imaging as I was typing in the message ;)

Rolling back drivers didn't work, I even tried to manually put the drivers in the windows\system32\drivers folder and they were overwritten. Never tried that before, obviously it's not a solid idea.

Add/Remote SP2 - I didn't know you could do that. I'll give that a shot first thing in the morning. Thanks!

I'll give up an update. Thanks for the good ideas.

[DarkFury]

So basically you are saying that you weren't using "Norton Ghost" on this machine with such an important piece of software eh?

:2far:

Not good.... not good... :2far:

[mechmike0034]

Dunno why I didn't think of this last night, but...

Do a repair install of XP to remove any service packs. If you want SP1 as the final result, slipstream your pre-SP1 XP CD with SP1 using AutoStreamer (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4444.html) and then use it for the repair install.

I think there's also a way from the command line to overcome Windows File Protection if you want to pursue just rolling the offending drivers back. It'd probably take some Googling to find.

edit - maybe SFC could be of help - a quick search for SFC and Windows File Protection found:

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-22-5427227.html

http://www.updatexp.com/windows-file-protection.html

[zero2dash]

If you just need to backup the program(s) so you can clean install XPsp1, you could also burn the folder of the program + backup your registry to a file and then save both the program folder + the registry backup. Once you reinstall with XPsp1, copy the program folder into the Windows "Programs" folder, and double click/apply the backed up registry to your current machine (to re-gain your file extensions, serial/registration info, etc).

Although - if you backup the registry, you might want to edit that file with Notepad and delete out anything that doesn't pertain to the program(s), because you could just copy over the problems that you're having (if it's something in the registry at least).

[eSDee]

So basically you are saying that you weren't using "Norton Ghost" on this machine with such an important piece of software eh?

:2far:

Not good.... not good... :2far:

First of all, I wasn't aware of this software until after it broke (the company shipped and installed the computer in our clinic without my knowledge). Secondly, I don't have the budget to install Norton 100 PC's.

I am uninstalling Service Pack 2 now.

/crosses fingers

[DarkFury]

First of all, I wasn't aware of this software until after it broke (the company shipped and installed the computer in our clinic without my knowledge). Secondly, I don't have the budget to install Norton 100 PC's.

I am uninstalling Service Pack 2 now.

/crosses fingers
Aiight man.... no need to get "testy" with me. :heh: Most folks don't have 100 PCs and you didn't make that known in the original post (you mainly spoke of the one PC)

Good luck and hopefully the uninstall works for ya.

[eSDee]

Just letting you know man ;) I'm kinda pissed having to clean up after other peoples mess all the time so that what more of a vent about my job in general.

Uninstall worked, next is attaching it to the microscope and seeing if it works.

/rubs a buddah belly

p.s. I also support about 75 macs, which rarely have problems :hehehmm:

[eSDee]

Unistalling Windows Service Pack 2 worked!!!! The computer is back up and running again!!!

Mechmike, you are the man. Zero2dash I was going to try your idea next, but thankfully didn't have to. However now I have that idea in case something like this pops up again. If any of you guys ever come to Diego, beers will be on me. No joke. :cheers:

Woohoo!

[mechmike0034]

I am happy it worked out for you.

Last time I was in SD, we stayed up in Escondido. A colleague of mine and I rented Harleys from Eagleriders. We did downtown SD, profiling, on Saturday night and then rode out through Julian and out towards Brawley through the desert on Sunday. Broke my heart to see Julian on the news with the recent wildfires.

I'm liable to get out that way again - damn straight we'll hook up. I got the second round!

[eSDee]

If you drove out to Brawley you probably drove through my hometown of El Centro. I know it's not too nice on the eyes (or nose when the cows are running) but it's awesome during the winter :thumb:

Let me know when you're coming out :)

[DarkFury]

Unistalling Windows Service Pack 2 worked!!!! The computer is back up and running again!!!

Mechmike, you are the man. Zero2dash I was going to try your idea next, but thankfully didn't have to. However now I have that idea in case something like this pops up again. If any of you guys ever come to Diego, beers will be on me. No joke. :cheers:

Woohoo!
Now go sneak a copy of Ghost and make a backup of the system while it is working so it doesn't happen again. :D

[SpikeDig]

If you drove out to Brawley you probably drove through my hometown of El Centro. I know it's not too nice on the eyes (or nose when the cows are running) but it's awesome during the winter :thumb:

Let me know when you're coming out :)

Nice moves all! Now here's a nice challenge...what to do w/the wife's PC which had Millenium Edition installed? Upgrade to XP after a full backup? Or just get a second hard drive w/XP & migrate the files over? She's got all these precious pictures & albums that I've already backed up onto my XP system, but there's still a directory structure of her docs that is all screwed up.

Re: El Centro & Brawley...I just drove 5 hours roundtrip to Calipatria today. Oy! "Visited" the State Prison for work stuff. Wish I had time to check out the Salton Sea or take a hike out there. Pretty cool & different take on the San Diego I'm normally used to: beach & surf.

[Jeffbx]

Second hard drive!

Remove the original drive entirely - load up XP & all of your apps on the new drive, then pop the old drive back in as a secondary & transfer your files back. Once you're sure you have all of your files, format the old drive & use it either as a dedicated data drive or as a backup drive.

[Markel]

I agree with Jeffbx. Never try to perform an "upgrade" installation of a MS OS (where it tries to "merge" the new OS into where the old one was). To do so is asking for trouble. Note: you can use an "upgrade" edition of XP for a clean install as long as you have the original CD (or can get your hands on one) for an OS that is listed on the upgrade box (for XP, that means 98, ME, NT, 2000) that the installer can "snif" at the appropriate time during the installation.

[mechmike0034]

Yeah, what they said...

Clean install on a second drive and move the data is the only way to go...

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard how-to:

http://aumha.org/win5/a/fast.php