How to reinstall Windows

[SharonIB]

First, I apologize if this subject has been covered elsewhere, and if it has, just please point me to its location. I have searched to the best of my ability, but there are thousands of posts and I am in a panic to retrieve my data before a deadline.

I have been successfully running a Windows XP Professional guest on my Mac OS X 10.6.2 system. Yesterday, I accidentally closed Windows by clicking on the close button on the OS X frame instead of the minimize button. When I tried to restart the Windows machine, I got the "one of your disks is messed up" message and the disk checking process started. Then, during the Windows load process, a message that Explorer.exe was unable to load because of a missing component: winnet.dll. Further, after that, another message that there was an error loading newdev.dll.

So, I had to shut down using the "insert ctr+alt+delete" option. I've futilely retried several times, trying to get an F8 signal through, but with no luck.

I suspect that I must reinstall Windows, but I want to be sure that I do it correctly and don't lose access to all of the work that I have saved on the virtual drive. Before I delete the machine and redo the installation using the harddrive partition that exists, I want to check with the experts.

Thank you very much for any help you can give me.

[mpack]

You could try a "Repair installation" rather than a full install. Either way you need the Windows setup CD (preferably in ISO form to be mounted in the VM). I would back up the VDI file first.

If all else fails you could probably mount the VDI in another VM to recover any data files.

[SharonIB]

Thank you for your suggestions.

I have been trying to find a way to repair the installation. I have looked through the manual and haven't found anything about it.

How do I back up the VDI? Do I use the clone command?

I have my original XP installation disk.

If I create a new VM, I should be able to mount the present VDI? Makes sense. I wish I had thought of that. I might try it.

[mpack]

I have been trying to find a way to repair the installation. I have looked through the manual and haven't found anything about it.

The VBox manual? You won't find anything about repairing XP installations in there. Just boot up the VM off an ISO of your XP install disk, and "Repair Installation" will be one of the options it offers.

How do I back up the VDI? Do I use the clone command?

You can, but it's easier to run copy the VDI file using the host OS. You can't have the original and backup registered with VBox at the same time because they will have matching UUIDs, but that's not the purpose of this backup.

I have my original XP installation disk. If I create a new VM, I should be able to mount the present VDI? Makes sense. I wish I had thought of that. I might try it.

You could do that, and try a chkdsk on it (not a full surface scan - that's pointless with a virtual drive) - however your error messages indicate that some of the OS files on the drive have been zapped, and chkdsk won't fix that. If you know which files are damaged you can copy them from the working (new) XP install into the appropriate folders in your VM. Of course, if all you want is to get out all the data files that you may decide to forget about repairing the damage.

[SharonIB]

After I sent my last reply, I got a few minutes to think and realized exactly what you've said. I haven't had a chance yet to boot up from the disk, but I did go to the Library folder and made a copy of the VDI file. I do know which files are the problem, but I haven't had a chance to think about where the files are on my Mac in order to replace them. Things are hair-raisingly hectic at the moment.

Thanks for all your help!

[SharonIB]

I hate to admit it, but this is wearing me down, and it's mostly my own fault.

I tried to repair the installation, but can't remember my Administrator password, evidently, so I can't proceed with the repair.

Then I installed a second XP VM, but I can't figure out how to mount the original one, and I'm so tired that I don't know if I'd know what to do with it if I did.

I'd like to just copy the 3 files that apper to be the problem, but I don't know what directory they're in.

Maybe by tomorrow, I'll have decided to just forget everything I have on the original VM and start over. {sigh}

Thing is, I'd really like to figure out how to do these things, because I just like to know how to do these things.

[mpack]

Then I installed a second XP VM, but I can't figure out how to mount the original one

Go to the Storage section of VM settings, add a new hard disk (this will be a second drive in that VM), click on the vdi file the GUI chooses by default, choose the correct one.

I'd like to just copy the 3 files that apper to be the problem, but I don't know what directory they're in.

A few important system files are in the root folder of the hard disk (NTLDR for example), the rest are usually in the \Windows\System32 folder. Or in subfolders of same. As a last resort you can always use Windows search to find them. XP also stores backup copies of some important system files in the \Windows\System32\dllcache folder (the latter folder is normally hidden, make sure you are set to view all hidden/system/protected folders). The way dllcache is supposed to work, if the main copy gets zapped (differs from the backup), XP automatically restores it from the backup, hence you need to make sure that both copies are the same or XP may undo your work.

Of course we already know that XP is not automatically fixing your files for you. That may mean that the files are not backed up up in dllcache, or else the restore feature requires a somewhat working system (e.g. it has to be healthy enough to be able to navigate the filesystem and copy files).

[constant]

can't remember my Administrator password

Search Google for a program called pcloginnow.
.

[SharonIB]

I've been away for a couple of days and didn't see the message about pcloginnow until just now. I'm going to find the program in case I need it in the future.

Here's what I've done:
1. Created a new VM, mounted the old vdi;
2. Copied the reported missing files from the new VM to the old, but that didn't fix it;
3. Transferred a few downloaded files that I'm too lazy to go download again; I didn't need to transfer document files because I routinely save to my Shared folder;
4. Released and removed the old VM.

Fortunately, I don't use Windows for anything except accessing one website that requires IE. I use Firefox with the IE Tab add-on. If there was a version for the Mac Firefox, I would be able to leave Windows far, far behind me.

Thank you for all of your help!