Solve : Dumb enough to need some advice on XP install?

1.	Solve : Dumb enough to need some advice on XP install?
Answer» Dummy updated to XP SP2, held F5 down by mistake instead of F8 for safe mode, and can't get desktop screen to open at all. Any body have any ideas? Older Dell Dimension 2350 (P4 700 gig processor, I think) with 256meg of ram and 30gig HD. Originally had XP SP1 home edition and I installed a newer XP SP 2 over that. Had some resolution issues and wanted to run in safe mode while testing.Not sure i understand completely. Did the XP install finish ? ? Have you tried to re-boot ? ? Start the machine up with the XP CD in and see what happens. patio. 8-)You have overwritten Windows XP SP1 with a copy of Windows XP SP 2? Note how I say Windows XP SP2 and not just SP2.. You should really be more specific in the near future.I installed a newer version (new DISK) of Windows XP Service Pack 2 over my older version (came with the computer SEVERAL years ago) of Windows XP Service Pack 1. To patio: yes, the installation was complete, but with resolution PROBLEMS. Yes, I tried rebooting several times with no success. I also tried starting up with the installation disk in place but with no success. I don't fully understand the function of the F5 key but did read somewhere that holding it down can create a "frozen key" problem, but I dond't have a clue how to rectify that.A REBOOT should rectify the wrong key issue... Have you tried re-installing your vid card drivers ? ? patio. 8-) Quote I installed a newer version (new disk) of Windows XP Service Pack 2 over my older version (came with the computer several years ago) of Windows XP Service Pack 1. To patio: yes, the installation was complete, but with resolution problems. Yes, I tried rebooting several times with no success. I also tried starting up with the installation disk in place but with no success. I don't fully understand the function of the F5 key but did read somewhere that holding it down can create a "frozen key" problem, but I dond't have a clue how to rectify that. So you basically had two copies of Windows XP, one with SP1 and one with SP2 and you put in the disk to overwrite Windows XP SP1 with Windows XP SP2 whilst outside Windows? Or did you have an SP2 upgrade that you installed whilst you were in Windows XP SP1? If you don't mind losing your data, just format and start again.To Neil: I believe that installing XP over a previous version of XP, or windows 98 or 95 reformats the hard drive anyway. I would be happy to try reinstalling either of my versions of XP but no matter what I do, I can't get a screen display to APPEAR in order to go through the process.When reinstalling, which you should do, choose to format the disk, NOT to keep the existing file structure. You will then need to reinstall the correct drivers, all available at the Dell site.

Answer»

Dummy updated to XP SP2, held F5 down by mistake instead of F8 for safe mode, and can't get desktop screen to open at all. Any body have any ideas? Older Dell Dimension 2350 (P4 700 gig processor, I think) with 256meg of ram and 30gig HD. Originally had XP SP1 home edition and I installed a newer XP SP 2 over that. Had some resolution issues and wanted to run in safe mode while testing.Not sure i understand completely.
Did the XP install finish ? ?
Have you tried to re-boot ? ?

Start the machine up with the XP CD in and see what happens.

patio. 8-)You have overwritten Windows XP SP1 with a copy of Windows XP SP 2?

Note how I say Windows XP SP2 and not just SP2..

You should really be more specific in the near future.I installed a newer version (new DISK) of Windows XP Service Pack 2 over my older version (came with the computer SEVERAL years ago) of Windows XP Service Pack 1.

To patio: yes, the installation was complete, but with resolution PROBLEMS. Yes, I tried rebooting several times with no success. I also tried starting up with the installation disk in place but with no success.

I don't fully understand the function of the F5 key but did read somewhere that holding it down can create a "frozen key" problem, but I dond't have a clue how to rectify that.A REBOOT should rectify the wrong key issue...

Have you tried re-installing your vid card drivers ? ?

patio. 8-) Quote

I installed a newer version (new disk) of Windows XP Service Pack 2 over my older version (came with the computer several years ago) of Windows XP Service Pack 1.

To patio: yes, the installation was complete, but with resolution problems. Yes, I tried rebooting several times with no success. I also tried starting up with the installation disk in place but with no success.

I don't fully understand the function of the F5 key but did read somewhere that holding it down can create a "frozen key" problem, but I dond't have a clue how to rectify that.

So you basically had two copies of Windows XP, one with SP1 and one with SP2 and you put in the disk to overwrite Windows XP SP1 with Windows XP SP2 whilst outside Windows?

Or did you have an SP2 upgrade that you installed whilst you were in Windows XP SP1?

If you don't mind losing your data, just format and start again.To Neil: I believe that installing XP over a previous version of XP, or windows 98 or 95 reformats the hard drive anyway. I would be happy to try reinstalling either of my versions of XP but no matter what I do, I can't get a screen display to APPEAR in order to go through the process.When reinstalling, which you should do, choose to format the disk, NOT to keep the existing file structure. You will then need to reinstall the correct drivers, all available at the Dell site.

Solve : Dumb enough to need some advice on XP install?

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