XPost: alt.windows-xp   
   From: johnwilliamson@btinternet.com   
      
   Pfsszxt@aol.com wrote:   
   > On Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:23:56 +0100, John Williamson   
   >  wrote:   
   >> How up-to-date are your backups?   
   >>   
   >  Very -- but none far enough back to precede the problems   
      
   The reason for the data backups is to let you wipe Windows totally and   
   then restore all your data when you've re-installed XP. You don't use   
   them to restore Windows if the built in System Restore program hasn't   
   worked.   
      
   >> to a CD will let you   
   >> mount a USB drive if the hardware's working.   
   >>   
   >   
   Have you tried a Linux live CD yet? If not, then do so and report back.   
   >   
   >> Once your data's safe, then you can nuke XP using either a restore CD   
   >> bought from Acer   
   >   
   > I have restore disks but that would install the original Win XP Pro   
   > before SP1,2,3 etc.   
   >   
    This is not a major problem. I have just had to do exactly   
   this to an Asus EEE PC, starting with an upgrade copy of XP Home SP1.   
   The Asus Windows re-install took about 5 hours in total, including   
   finding and downloading the drivers from the Asus website. It now has a   
   clean, faster installation of XP customised to suit my needs.   
      
   You need to do a clean install of XP from your recovery discs, add any   
   drivers you need and have available, install a security suite, and   
   connect to the internet (In that order, this is important). Let XP   
   connect to the Windows update site, enable automatic updates, and you   
   will, sooner or later (A few hours with a decent broadband connection)   
   and after a number of reboots, depending on how fast your internet   
   connection is and how fast your computer is, have a fully up to date,   
   virus and malware free, copy of XP SP3 installed. Then you can start   
   re-installing your applications from the install media which you have,   
   of course, carefully stored along with the activation keys.   
      
   Alternatively, admit you've totally screwed up the system beyond your   
   and our ability to restore and get your wife/ girlfriend/ significant   
   other to take it to your local friendly computer store along with a   
   credit or debit card and look sorry for themselves.   
      
   --   
   Tciao for Now!   
      
   John.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)