Look for System Restore - it's under Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools (I think), and can try to restore the machine to a point in time. Pick a time just after the last software install that was done - hopefully that's a month ago or some similarly long period - and it will try to reset the registry and copy back key system files that it knew were safe at that time.
Something else to try - the Windows XP CD, if left to boot by itself, will recognise that there's a copy of Windows on the machine and offer to repair it. It does this by resetting some key registry settings and copying all the files back from the CD. This could be helpful, as you KNOW That the copies on the CD can't have been changed. (Well, not without a black & decker - and that tends to show up!)
Both these methods can help if you've had some key system files overwitten - which, by the sounds of your copy & paste experiments, you may well have. I'd try the System Restore method first.
If possible, data should be backed up of course. If that's not possible (and that's why you're trying to burn CDs), then the owner of the computer is about to find out why we bang on about making backups... Hopefully nothing will endanger the data. But the worst case for both of these actions is a computer that won't boot. Your data is still there, but inaccessible unless you stick the hard disk in another machine to copy if off...
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Date: 2004-11-29 08:48 am (UTC)Something else to try - the Windows XP CD, if left to boot by itself, will recognise that there's a copy of Windows on the machine and offer to repair it. It does this by resetting some key registry settings and copying all the files back from the CD. This could be helpful, as you KNOW That the copies on the CD can't have been changed.
(Well, not without a black & decker - and that tends to show up!)
Both these methods can help if you've had some key system files overwitten - which, by the sounds of your copy & paste experiments, you may well have. I'd try the System Restore method first.
If possible, data should be backed up of course. If that's not possible (and that's why you're trying to burn CDs), then the owner of the computer is about to find out why we bang on about making backups... Hopefully nothing will endanger the data. But the worst case for both of these actions is a computer that won't boot. Your data is still there, but inaccessible unless you stick the hard disk in another machine to copy if off...