Repair windows

[Bill K]

Is there a way for me to repair or re-install windows xp without losing all my programs and data?

[Boris]

Have a read of this ?

http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/repair_...lation_xp.shtml

[Dencandy]

Try to back-up your data first, then try the repair. If you can't do that, you may be able to recover some data after the repair using a recovery programme like Recova.

[Mike567]

I thought that repair would remove all your programs, well last time i repaired it i never had programs left over.

[Dencandy]

As I understand it even re-formatting and repairing doesn't "wipe" a hard disk, i.e. doesn't over-write all existing sectors. These procedures only remove the directories, but leave most of the data still there. Some recovery programmes can then access them. That's what I've read, anyway. Please someone else correct me if I'm wrong.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I have to correct you here: when you say "re-formatting" - this implies formatting the HD or partition, which will wipe everything.

I have never done a repair install (which does not include a format), but I think it should preserve all installed programs and user data. But of course, taking a full backup before going about a repair is always a good idea.

However, having just read this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341, it appears that applications need to be reinstalled after a repair install. That was not the case with earlier Windows versions (9x).

[Dencandy]

One of the reasons I wrote what I wrote is because I remember reading that despite the fact that Monica Welinsky (remember her?) wiped her disk after recording some details of her encounters with Bill Clinton, the spooks were still able to recover data from it and use it in the attempt to impeach him. (By the way, I chose my words carefully there and wrote "wiped her disk", not her lips.)

[Alan2273]

I have used the guide by Powerless that Boris posted several times and it leaves all your files and folders intact all you have to do is download all the Windows updates again.

[Rick1]

I haven't tried the guide above, but I have done a repair install and lost all my data. A full backup is very good advice. Dencandy is correct that formating does not actually erase files. Data is still recoverable unless you Wipe the hard drive.