XP corrupt - files were user passworded

[chazza55]

Hello,

My friend's computer with XP has gone corrupt and requires re-installation.

Her worry is that she will lose her files as she had an xp user & password on the system.

Will the files be readable once reinstalled or will they be encrypted? (they were on a seperate partition)

I think she knows the password, but will a new copy of xp accept that as it is a new version of that user account?

I am also aware that there are bits of software out there that you can pay for to "remove" user passwords.

Your advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Charlie.

[ChuckFickens]

as long as you don't format the partition the files are on they will be fine they are not encrypted as standard (if she has manually encrypted them you may have a problem)

[VHG]

If you do a full install of Windows this usually entails a format of the hard drive WHICH WILL DELETE EVERYTHING ON THE DISK.

Some installs offer a REPAIR option which only replaces certain Windows files, but even that could go wrong and she may lose personal files.

If I were her I would try and get the personal files OFF the disk before doing any sort of Windows install or repair.

If she cannot start Windows from that disk I suggest she takes the disk out the PC, puts it in an external hard drive case, plugs it into another PC that works, and copies the files from the hard drive onto the "spare" PC.

Then put the hard disk back in the original PC and THEN do a Windows reinstall or repair.

[chazza55]

hi - additional to this, i mentioned the files were on another parition so the files should not get deleted when a format/reinstall of the windows partition is done.

Ok, we will first try the repair of the windows installation, but in the event that does not work, do you thnk she is likely to still be allowed access to those files from the fresh install (which are kept on a seperate partition to windows)???

thanks

[ChuckFickens]

You can try a repair but they very rarely actually work in my experience.

a fresh install will still be able to read the files on the other partition no problem. that Said I would still recommend you back them up elsewhere just in case you make a mistake and delete them during the install!! Be very careful during the partitioning and formating part of the install to get the correct partition.

[ACtheTROLL]

repair bad ... backup good

agree with chuck

also agree with VHG
don't try a repair
do backup the files before doing a reinstall

you can use the ultimate boot CD or a cd distro of knoppix or ubuntu to copy the files to a USB hdd