Where do I start to fix this mess?

I'd like to ask for your help in solving some issues. Hopefully you will be able to point me in the right direction to help me get a bit smarter about this machine in the process.

Currently running WinXP Pro on an older Pentium III with 256mg of ram.
2 HD - the original 13Gig and a recently added 80Gig. IE6 browser and Dialup ISP. Norton System works.

The 80 gig HD was installed due to lack of space on the original. The OS on the C: drive of the original and was partioned to be about 4Gig of space. My son added the 2nd drive and reloaded Windaows to the D: drive on the old drive.

There is a (partial) copy of Windows on both drives now. He backed up all the original info to CD's prior to this operation. Not all the Window files copied it seems. The updates of Service packI are gone, along with a bunch of minor (?) items like Favorites, etc.

That's the (not to) short story. Besides the obvious need for me to learn about this stuff, I'd appreciate your input and knowledge on where to start on cleaning up this mess.

Backup suggestions prior to doing anything more?
How do I get the OS to 1 place and remove the extra?
I've downloaded all the Malware/spyware programs from the dedicated page here already - as there's a redirect something(?) creating new windows that go to some antispyware website too.

I apoligise if this is to much for one post. If so, please tell me the proper way to break it down and I will do so. I'm at a loss as to where to start and am hoping you all can point me out a map and advise me where and how to start.

Thanks. jmon

 

Welcome to MG.

The first thing you should do before anything else is to back up your personal files to DVD or CD (whatever you have on the PC).

Now you say that the OS is spread across both drives. My qusetion is why was it necessary to load the OS onto the D drive as it was apparently already working nicely on the original C drive.

It is generally best to leave the OS on the C drive and put all your own files to another partition or drive.

I am tempted to suggest that after you have backed up your data you format both drives and re-load the OS to the C drive and everything else to the second drive. That would certainly get rid of the re-direct you are experiencing.

 

It's these types of problems I get called out to fix alot.

The quickest way of doing it is a backup, as Yargwel said, of stuff to CD / DVD, and then a reformat of both drives (to NTFS) and a clean installation of XP.

That way , you also bypass the malware / spyware and virus checking hours.

My backup checklist is:
Connection Settings
My Documents and all sub directories
E-mail settings, IE favourites and config files for 10 most often used programs (cycle through the list on the start menu)
All picture, music and video files, apart from the obvious Windows ones
All saved games
I then do a 'Files and Settings Transfer' using FAST on the WinXP CD, but copying settings only and saving the file to a removable medium.
Also, run and save reports Belerc Advisor and Everest for reference.
Finally, have a quick look through the XP eventvwr for hardware problems that you can fix while the system's down.

Then format the main drive (I'd suggest the newer drive) using the WinXP installation and once that's done, format the second drive from within the disk management within XP.

Make sure the first thing you put on the new box is a virus checker before you take information back over, then bring stuff back over. If you discover you've forgoetten something, then use the FAST file and any keys will be in Belerc.

 

Thank you both for the rapid replies. The reason for the change from the original C: drive was lack of space. That was done when my son added the 2nd drive. Ended up with to much of a good thing so to speak.

I will look thru the archives here for backup info and proceed w/ that first.

How does one totally clean out a HD, by reformatting it?

Thanks again, jmon

 

Yes, a reformat will get rid of all files on the hard disk.

Have a look at the following (free) guide:

http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html

It has excellent step by step instructions on backing up, partitioning hard drives and reinstalling Windows XP. Don't be put off by the length of it (175 pages) - there are a lot of chapters about tweaking windows settings which you can ignore.

 

Thanks for the link to the formatting guide. You folks are quite helpful here.

I'm pretty tired of being ignorant about this stuff and will be around more as time goes by. Thanks again, jmon