Uninstall Remove Windows XP and XP Home Edition

Hold on -
You have got it a little wrong.
When we spoke of erasing partitions, you did not , at the time, let us know that E:, and F: are cd, and dvd rom drives - YOU DO NOT ERASE THEM, THEY STAY.
You have two partitions, C:, and D:
Don't run registry and cleaners for at least a week- give the computer time.

 

Save anything you can. Then,
Go into C: partition, and then to start, run, Right click My Computer, click manage, then click Disk Management.
Then Right click the D: partition, left click on properties, and then tools, and click the first 'error checking'- check now button. It should check the D: drive from there, without needing to shut down, but, If asked to do so, You may have to shut down, and restart.
If you do not have to restart after that while still in that box Then Right click the C: partition, left click on properties, and then tools, and click the first 'error checking'- check now button. If asked to do so, You may have to shut down, and restart, for it to check the C: drive/partition.
If you want reinstall, When you restart, you can go to the same disk management, and instead of clicking properties, click Format on the D: drive/partition.
You can try putting your cd into the other rom drive, if it will not load at startup.
Then try the Windows Professinal cd, to install it on D:
If XP Home is on C:, and Professional is on D:, you may find it works better, as XP Professional could be considered a newer/better version of Windows, and , generally later versions work better, if put into the pc after earlier versions.
If XP Pro will not instal, then, it could be damaged cd's, or possibility the hard drive might be getting faulty.
To format the C: drive , you will have to do that by the XP Home disk, if XP Professional will not load.
Come back for more help, we want to see you up, and running. Never too many questions, and someone else may offer help, too.

:duck

 

Hi,
I have done all of the following, except putting the XP Pro on D; and leaving Home Edition on C;

I was the one that messed up D:...when in BIOS or DOS mode I tried to follow suggestions and accidentally made changes that I do not know how to reverse. Perhaps that is why Netscape keeps loading on F:.

I never did try to erase E: or F:

There must be something I can do to stop using Windows XP Home Edition, and load just Windows XP Pro. If I don't do something soon, I am going lose custody of my kids because most of my income comes from using a PC, and just cannot afford another, or to take it to a actual repair tech.

I haven't given up yet, but getting close to it....nothing seems to work. If only I could remember what changes I made, perhaps I could reverse them and it would be back in working order again.

I will check this in a few hours, and then try formatting C: and D: again and reload Windows XP Home Edition once again.

Thank you for your continued help!

 

As TimW says-
When you starup, press del/f2, or, whichever to get into the Bios.
ON THE FIRST PAGE YOU SEE, YOU WILL SEE A LINE-- LOAD DEFAULT SETTINGS, OR VERY SIMILAR WORDING, CLICK TO LOAD DEFAULTS, PRESS F10, CLICK Y, CLICK ENTER, AND YOU WILL BE BACK TO ORIGINAL.
It will restart automatically.
Also, IF it fails to start from cd rom, remember that you go to the boot tab, to change the first boot item to cdrom, BY USING THE PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN BUTTON.then click f10, click Y, and then enter.
I will look in again tonight , for another hour , or , two, and TimW might be about, so keep trying, come back when you need us.

 

Her is my suggestion that might well help to ensure that Netscape installs on the correct partion, as you have not much experience, and before you pull your hair out.
When ready to install Netscape - DON'T.
Instead put the CD into the cd rom drive, hold down control as you insert the cd, or exit the disc, if it starts.
Then LEFT click on My Computer, RIGHT CLICK , on the cd drive showing Netscape, click COPY, then on desktop, right click paste.
Remove cd from the cd rom drive.
Go to desktop and click on the Netscape folder to instal from there- It should then setup correctly, on the partition you are in.

 

I cannot understand why you keep using Registry checkers, so soon after a reinstal. You should not. The main thing is to have your firewall, and antivirus installed before you go on-line.
Too many people run these programs, and you have to be very careful, as the fixes can cause more problems, if you allow everything, without really knowing what you are doing.

 

Hi...So sorry about the registry checkers....The PC is just running so slowly after so many continual installs, that I was told to I had to remove all of the leftover junk files, missing targets, etc...I did not know I was making it worse. --This of course was told to me by the actual owner of all of the Windows OS. Should have known better...

I will try and attempt what you and Tim offered, however in the BIOS...which is where I made the changes, there is no CD rom listed under the boot section. That is what confused me and where I screwed it up. I hope that resetting defaults will accomplish what I need, as well as the way you described installing the Netscape.

I have a few drivers that are extremely out of date...Are there updates for them somewhere?
Lucent Win Modem
Linksys NC 100 fast ethernet adaptor
default monitor and Yahmaha game port

Plus with everything I attempt to load, I get the 'corrupted files' error, such as in the case of pcinspector to recover lost photos and text documents for school. It ran for over 24 hours to recover some files from D: drive as it said it was deeply corrupted.

I will check back a bit later before I try what you and Tim said to see if anything else I may need to know before I reinstall, k?

Thanks again for your patience!

 

The links to the Dell site give you the drivers, just click the little plus signs on those links and you will see Dells latest drivers for your system. - and as the modem worked in XP Home, leave it until Netscape shows up in correct drive.
All other driver updates might be better to do once you are setup properly - including, if you want, the Bios- but as I said leave that for now.
Monitors are usually picked up by XP, and rarely need other drivers.

 

Hi....embarrassed to admit I am back again....I was trying to let the system 'settle' as I think you phrased it. I tried loading the Windows XP and it would not work again, then tried the Home Edition, and then it wouldn't even let me delete one of the partions, so Home Edition is partially loaded on one partion, and the full version is loaded on the other.

Can I just load Windows 98 since that is what was fist installed, or do I attempt something else? This reloading of HE every 28 days is messing up my hard drives.

Is the only way of obtaining a Windows OS software by purchasing, or can you get one from another person, etc.? ---I know that sounded like a stupid question, but have heard both, and figured you guys would know.

Anywaythanks so much, and I appreciate any suggestions!

 

Please pardon, as I'm only jumping in to offer suggestions as baklogic asked all geeks to! To me, it would seem that your MBR is corrupted! I have went back and read this thread three times. If you attempted a format from within Windows on C: drive while it was running, that was the beginning of your problems. Windows can't reformat a drive on which it is running, I learned this early in my computer usage. From the remainder of the posts, I gather that XP Pro won't fully install because of unreadable files. Are these XP Pro CD's pressed originals or burned copies? Only asking this as I have had issues with the earlier versions of Nero 7 and burning disks.

If I'm not mistaken, a regular reformat doesn't overwrite the MBR. So, I would recommend downloading this, http://www.majorgeeks.com/Dariks_Boot_and_Nuke_d4596.html. This is an iso. file which is an image file and will need to be burned to a CD using burning software that does so. This will result in a bootable CD that will "0" your hard drive to an as manufactured condition.

Please make sure that you have all files saved that you deem as necessary/critical before running this, as they will be gone after you do.

After this, using any Win XP disk shouldn't be a problem unless they are corrupted. Baklogic and Tim W have both given great advice!

Hope this helps!

 

Hi Novice!
The only time I tried a format was when I was re-installing OS....Windows seems to load on both my C: and F: ---F is actually a CD rom, Netscape loads on E:
Consequently I cannot format except when I re-install.

Yes, both copies of Windows XP are burned cd's and Home Edition is original.

Now, my only problem is I cannot burn a cd.

Oh, btw, is MBR a motherboard? Sorry, kinda lost here, but learning.
Thanks!

 

Greetings STUDIOPRO.

MBR is the master boot record of your hard drive, and not the motherboard. There shouldn't be any problem with reinstalling Win98 as that as what your system came with. Is your copy of Win98 a restore disk that came with your computer or a retail or OEM copy of Win98?

First a few questions. Why do you insist on using Netscape? Is this the CD provided by your internet service provider, or do you just like it? Why the upgrade to XP in the first place?

When you open My Computer, what drives are shown and what are they labeled as?

As you can't burn a CD, that sort of rules out my DBAN suggestion, but all can be accomplished with your Win98 CD if it is a bootable one. If not, download this, http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm. Actually download the one for Win98SE OEM. When downloaded this will be a self extracting file that will require a floppy disk for creation.

Before going any further, let me know how the above went.

 

My apologies, studiopro, but I hope you are now sorted.I appreciate Novice's trying to help, as I have been devastated bythe sudden loss of a son, and am unable to help for a while.
Please reread the thread, the answers are mostly there, if you are still struggling,- I don't like to leave a thread unsolved, like most geeks -If you are still struggling , perhaps start a new thread, and more help might come from more geeks - good luck- I am afraid I will not be on-line for a little while.