Accessing The  Different Methods of Repair Available in Windows XP

By the very nature that XP is substantially more complicated than an amoeba, chances are good that at some point it will need repairing. This page looks at a number of different 'repair' options that are frequently mentioned in forums and self-help websites. Understanding what options are available and how to access those options makes the repair scenario less daunting and increases the chance of the repair being successful. This is not an in-depth guide to the nuances of each different repair option, but more of a roadmap to the available options that can assist in repairing an XP system. Often times half the battle is knowing what tools and methods are available and where to find them. Use this guide when someone says "pop in the CD and select the repair function" and you have no idea how to get to what the person is talking about.

Backup: Utility supplied with both Windows XP Home and Professional, although in Home it is not installed by default.

• In order to use this option the file(s) in question must have been backed up previously and stored on any number of different mediums for retrieval at a later date.
• See Back Up Using Backup Wizard for screen captures and information on using Backup Wizard.
• See Back Up Using Advanced Mode for screen captures and information on using Advanced Mode Backup.

Device Driver Roll Back: Used to remove a newly installed device driver and 'roll back' the system to the previously installed driver. Unfortunately, one of the most problematic issues are printer drivers and Device Driver Roll Back does not support rolling back printer drivers.

To access Device Driver Roll Back:

• Click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System.
• On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.
• Right-click the device for which you want to reinstall the previous version of the driver.
• Click Properties.
• Click the Drivers tab.
• Click Roll Back Driver.

Disable A Device: This is very similar to Device Driver Roll Back except it disables the device and the driver that you suspect may be causing a system problem.

• Click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System.
• On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.
• Right-click the device suspected of causing the problem and click Disabled.

Add or Remove Programs: This is basically the software version of Disable A Device listed above. If you suspect a software installation is causing the problem, use Add/Remove Programs to remove the program from the system.

• Click Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
• Allow the list to populate and then select the program to be removed.

System Restore: Here is the Microsoft definition of System Restore; "Restores all system and application settings back to those that were in effect at a point in time you specify. Restores key application, driver, and operating system files changed since that time. Does not affect data files."

If after using the previously mentioned repair options and no success has been achieved, System Restore might be the best 'next' option available. Even if you have made changes to data since the last restore point was created, turning the system back will not impact those changes. Changes to applications will be impacted, but it's likely those changes are what you're trying to reverse anyway so it becomes less of an issue.

There are two methods of accessing System Restore; one from within XP when the system will boot normally and another method known as Safe Mode and System Restore, accessed from the Windows Advanced Options Menu.

• Access System Restore from Within XP - Click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance. On the left side of the screen under See Also, click System Restore.
• Access System Restore from Safe Mode - See the Safe Mode section below for how to start XP in safe mode. Once the system has been booted, click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance. On the left side of the screen under See Also, click System Restore.

An Essential Location - Windows Advanced Options Menu

One of the most frequently used options when attempting to repair an XP installation is Safe Mode. Before you can use Safe Mode you have to actually get to where it's located and that's on the Windows Advanced Options Menu. To gain access, boot the computer and watch for Please select the operating system to start to appear on the boot screen. When it does, press F8 and you should be taken to the Windows Advanced Options Menu screen.

If for some reason you miss the screen, let the machine boot normally, then shut it down and try again. On the boot screen, you can start repeatedly tapping the F8 key as soon as the detection of the hard drives is complete and virtually ensure success in finding the Windows Advanced Options Menu. Once it opens you have access to a number of different options.

Last Known Good Configuration: Starts the XP system using registry information and drivers that Windows saved at the last shutdown. Any changes made since the last successful startup are lost. Use this option only if a part of the system has been configured incorrectly. Last Known Good Configuration has no ability to repair or replace corrupt or missing files and drivers.

Safe Mode: This is often thought of as a singular item, but in reality it's actually three different items as the screen capture below illustrates.

• Safe Mode - Starts XP using only basic files and drivers including mouse (except serial mice), monitor, keyboard, basic video, mass storage devices, default system services, and no network connections.
• Safe Mode with Networking - Includes all items listed under Safe Mode plus network connections.
• Safe Mode with Command Prompt - Includes all items listed under Safe Mode. Once logon has been accomplished, a command prompt is displayed rather than the Graphical User Interface (GUI).

Recovery Console: In the progression of repair items for XP, Recovery Console is the next logical step if Last Known Good Configuration and Safe Mode have failed in allowing the system to boot. As Microsoft states, "This method is recommended only if you are an advanced user who can use basic commands to identify and locate problem drivers and files."

• Access the Recovery Console: Start the computer with the Windows XP installation CD in the CD drive. When prompted during text-mode setup, press R to start the Recovery Console. See screen capture below.
• Rather than go through the process of booting from the XP CD to get to the Recovery Console, it can be installed to the hard drive so it will appear as an option each time the system boots. If you frequently access Recovery Console it can be a great timesaver. Click Instructions and Screen Captures for directions.

Automated System Recovery: Before you arrived at the screen shown above, if you had been watching the gray bar at the bottom of the window you would have seen another possible choice for XP Pro users. ASR is not available for XP Home users.

• F2 - Pressing F2 allows running Automated System Recovery (ASR). See the screen capture below.

I think the Microsoft explanation of Automated System Recovery pretty much says it all. In talking about ASR and when you might want to use it on a damaged system, they state, "After all other attempts at recovery fail, or if you have replaced a damaged system hard drive. You must have previously used Backup to create an Automated System Recovery set." There you go; not exactly a confidence builder in my opinion, especially since very few users I know actually use Backup that's included with Windows XP.

Windows Installation CD - Repair Current Installation: The process begins by booting the system with the XP installation CD. The CD drive must be set as the initial boot device in the computer BIOS. There are a number of different ways to access the BIOS, but pressing Delete on the initial boot screen is one of the most common methods. Watch the boot screen and it normally displays a message with the appropriate key sequence to grant BIOS access.

The boot sequence will continue. Again, watch the screen for a message to appear that the system is looking for a bootable CD ROM. Watch the monitor for the message that the CD has been auto-detected, followed by the “Press any key to boot CD” message. Don’t fall for the old joke about looking for the “Any” key and just hit the spacebar or any other key that’s convenient within the five second time span the message will be displayed. The screen shown in Figure 01 will appear while Windows inspects the hardware configuration.

Once the inspection is complete, files will start to load from the CD to begin the installation. Eventually the screen shown in Figure 02 will be displayed offering three options. This is the point where the majority of confusion occurs about repairing a current installation. The second option asks if you want to repair an XP installation using Recovery Console. In some situations this may be the desired course of action, but in this case we want to repair XP without using Recovery Console. Rather than the second option, select the first option to set up Windows by pressing Enter.