Performing a Repair Install
There are occasions when a system will become unstable and the operating system is suspected as a likely culprit. When this happens, you can attempt what is known as a repair install. The concept behind a repair install is simple: You want to fix the operating system but keep all of your user and data files. This is accomplished by running a repair install of the operating system over the operating system already running.
Windows XP includes an option to press R during installation to repair the operating system. You see this as soon as you boot from the installation media as an option in the first text-based screen of the installation.
There are two Repair options in the Windows XP installation process. The first appears on the Welcome to Setup screen (shown in
Figure 16-1) but it doesn’t do a re-install; it opens the Recovery Console, which is a restricted option CMD prompt interface. To get to the option described here, you need to hit Enter to continue, F8 to accept the EULA, and then type R.
Adding Hardware in Windows XP
There is a difference between physically installing hardware (adding it to the machine) and logically installing the drivers that make the hardware work with the operating system. As with previous versions of Windows, there are a few options to install hardware from the OS standpoint:
- Let Windows recognize new hardware on boot-up and install drivers then.
- Use the manufacturer’s installation program.
- Manually install hardware using the Add Hardware Wizard.
When you install some hardware under Windows XP, the operating system will warn you to install software before installing the device. You will notice this requirement mainly on USB devices and some other PnP devices.
To begin installing a driver for a new piece of hardware, follow these steps:
1. Install the hardware (either insert the expansion card or plug in the device).
2. Boot the computer and wait for Windows to recognize the new hardware. If Windows recognizes the presence of new hardware, it displays a screen similar to the one shown in
Figure 16-6, which asks if you want Windows to install the driver automatically or if you want to pick the driver from a list. If you go with the default choice of having Windows install the driver automatically, Windows attempts to locate the driver in its database of drivers that come with the operating system or that have already been installed. It then proceeds to install the driver and activate the new hardware.
You may see a warning telling you that if your hardware came with an installation CD, you should insert the CD now. That way, Windows can find the driver automatically on the CD.
3. Once Windows has found the driver, it determines whether it is properly signed (and gives you the chance to stop the installation if it’s not).
4. Windows tells you that the device has been installed.
If Windows XP can’t find the right driver for the device, it will start a troubleshooting wizard to help you along with the installation.
Always check Device Manager to make sure that the device is recognized by the system and the driver is working properly! Device Manager shows a list of all installed hardware and lets you add items, remove items, update drivers, and more. This is a Windows-only utility. With Windows XP, open the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab, and then click the Device Manager button to display the tool.
