when i do xp install repair will i need to have a password to do it and will there be any problems as the current xp on my system came installed from the makers gateway.also when do i exactly press "r" to do repair install as looking on this site it tells me to do it at after pressing f8 to accept the agreement/or after second attempt at install please help ian mc thanx

1. Boot the computer using the XP CD. 2. When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft Windows XP to run on your computer: To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER. To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R. To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3. 3. Press Enter to start the Windows Setup. DO NOT!!choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", 4. Press F8 to accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations. 5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair. Goodluck.

I tried to do repair install but I wasn't able to get the options you are talking about. After I hit enter to start windows setup, it asked me to select a partition I wanted to install xp on. I chose current partition, which was the only offered anyway. After that I was warned that chosen partition already has c:\WINDOWS folder and it asked whether I wanted to oeverwrite it (which it said it would affect all the applications and files) or to create a new one. This is where I stopped cos I didn't know what implications would either of the choices had. Would option to repair current instalation follow after this. Help, really confused with this.