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If you do a clean or custom install on top of an existing Windows installation, it will create the Windows.old folder, regardless of whether it was booted from or run from Windows.
If you do a clean or custom install on top of an existing Windows installation, it will create the Windows.old folder, regardless of whether it was booted from or run from Windows.
I've done two clean installs, one on each of my rigs, and on the first, there was a Windows.old folder, but on the other rig, there was not. Of course, in neither case was their a preexisting OS involved.
Guys, I have made an interesting development. I thought I would have one last shot at trying to fix the mess, so here is what I did.
I burned Ubuntu to a DVD
Booted into the Live CD
Navigated on Ubuntu to Windows/System32/Config/RegBack , in there there were files: SYSTEM, SECURITY, SAM and DEFAULT. They were all dated December 24th - before the problem occured.
So, I overwrote the files SYSTEM, SECURITY, SAM and DEFAULT in Windows/System32/Config with the above (still using Ubuntu)
I rebooted and magically found that I can now boot into Safe Mode (Y).
With a little more reading I found that Windows peridocially backs up the registry to that folder. So these must be registry backups from before it became corrupted.
Currently I am in Safe Mode burning many DVD's, I think I will still just reinstall but at least I have the important files incase Windows.old fails to create.
I will inform of how it all goes.
I did have a Windows.old folder on the primary installation, and it wasn't an upgrade install, nor was it installed on top of anything. However, the folder was empty, except a recycle bin file.
I did a clean install over a dual boot of XP and Win 7 RC and there was no Windows.old folder period.
Smitty
What I did here allowed me to access the normal desktop, although I could tell that Windows was damaged (no icons on desktop for a start).
I managed to retrieve all my important files (with a little help from my ipod as a mass storage device lol, 1.5 hours to burn one dvd!).
I am going to reformat and reinstall, fingers crossed I have everything of importance.
Thanks again for the help,