XP installation CD?

[Murdoc83]

I have bought a Sony Vaio FE11S. What do I need to do when my notebook asks to place the Win WP cd?

[sweetCoffee]

I think it's gonna look at the recovery partition for the i386 folder and if there is no recovery partition anymore, you'll have to use the first dvd of the recovery dvd set you made @ the beginning

[Murdoc83]

Mmm the recovery partition still exists on my HD because I didn't delete it. But I didn't make a recovery dvd when I bought the computer and now i'm getting errors that explorer.exe in windows needs to shut down. What do I need to do? Can I recover without the dvd to new status? How do you make this dvd?

Thx!!!

[rich912]

It may not necessarily be Explorer.exe that is the problem but a file that explorer is handling. Is there an error signature that accompanies the initial error message that may indicate the application that is causing explorer to become unstable?

Otherwise you can restore your machine to factory settings by tapping F10 at boot. Note that this process will format the C drive and you will loose all data and any additional software that you have installed, so backup anything you need.

[Murdoc83]

Before the explorer error message there was an error of DEP shutting down explorer.exe but I could undo this by allowing explorer in the DEP-settings in windows.
Sometimes after the explorer.exe error I get an drwtsn32.exe error. But this doesn't always happen. When it happens most of the times my computer crashes and I need to reboot.

Advice for me?

PS: F10 for recovery but where on my HD are these recovery files?

[rich912]

Although you haven’t actually mentioned it, I assume that you have carried out a scan for viruses and malware?

The recovery files are on a hidden partition. F10 will activate the HDDR and access this partition but there are no options as to what you recover – it is all or nothing…

[Murdoc83]

Yes, I did the scan and everything is cleaned up.
Someone adviced me for the explorer error to change in my boot.ini the following:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windo ws XP Home edition" /noexecute=alwaysoff /fastdetect
Now it is: noexecute=Optout
What does this mean?

So what do I need to do when my laptop asks for the winxp cd?

[Thalamus.]

Hi Murdoc83,

Did you make a copy of the Boot.ini file before you changed it, if so just replace it.

I think as you have a recovery partition, windows is installed on partition2.
Also on the multi disk line there should not be a space in the word "windo ws

[Murdoc83]

Hi Thalamus,

It's not my boot.ini, I don't have the space.
I can't select 😧 if asked for winxp cd so I need to make a dvd (or cd) with what?

Both of you masters thanks for the advice!

[Thalamus.]

Someone adviced me for the explorer error to change in my boot.ini  the following: 
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windo ws XP Home edition" /noexecute=alwaysoff /fastdetect
Now it is: noexecute=Optout
What does this mean?

Did you make any changes to the information above as per someone's advice:smileyconfused: