My XP(sp3) Is screwwed up, how can I install Vista with the cd?

#1
toxifyshadow

Posted 21 August 2010 - 09:52 AM

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My XP is screwwed up so when I turn on the computer I get the following error:
"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe.
Please re-install a copy of the above file."
So how do I get it to run my Vista Home Preimium dvd so I can just install Vista?

#2
Alexander

Posted 21 August 2010 - 10:20 AM

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Put your Vista dvd in and restart your computer, it should start up the Windows installer. Within the installer it should provide an option to back up the old Windows partition (as long as you choose to not format the drive) so your files will still be there, yet the Vista is installed. (XP's Windows folder will become windows.old etc.)

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#3
toxifyshadow

Posted 21 August 2010 - 07:29 PM

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Like turn on then get the error and turn off then back on?

#4
toxifyshadow

Posted 21 August 2010 - 08:04 PM

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Ok, here's what I did, First I turned on my laptop, then inserted my dvd, then got the error so I pressed a key so it would restart, and it restarted then I got the error.

#5
toxifyshadow

Posted 21 August 2010 - 08:38 PM

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I now can make it to the menu that has:
"Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking etc..."
by pressing F8 at the toshiba splash screen but with almost all the links all I get is the error along with Multi(0)etc..
and before I get error I get choose os but it only says XP Home Edition

#6
Alexander

Posted 21 August 2010 - 10:52 PM

It's Science!

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Location:Vancouver, Eh! Cleverness: 200

You need to go into your BIOS (before the OS loads) and configure your boot order so the DVD drive loads before the the harddrive, this will allow the Vista CD to load setup before you get into the Windows XP splash screen, it should say "Press any key to start up from this CD" or similar if you got it right.

From there you can install Vista as you would anything, just remember not to reformat drive C if you wish to keep your files, install it over your current partition.

Be sure to read the updated FAQ! || Health is achieved through the same 10,000 steps.
If a suggested code/method fails, informing us is less important than telling us why or what errors occurred.

#7
toxifyshadow

Posted 22 August 2010 - 01:21 PM

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Thank you so very much!!!!! I got it to work!!!! Thank you!!!!

#8
Guest_johnny.dacu_*

Posted 25 August 2010 - 07:38 AM

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Hi there! Even if you solved somehow, i think one more solution for others cannot harm anybody. sometimes when XP cannot boot and it shows a message like that (corrupted files or registries) try an install disk=> open recovery console. In your windows folder installation you have another folder called /repair/. There you can find clean copies of windows files and regs. Just overwrite them. Last week I had a similar problem. I've fixed in less than 5 minutes.