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Comments

[Galeon]

You should only overwrite the files that are corrupted. Registry files will be overwritten if you'll do this (resides in C:\Windows/System32/config), which means all the settings, drivers, viruses, product keys, licenses, etc. of your friend will be copied. Those product keys, when copied, means pirating. Its impossible that 2 computers will have the same C:\WINDOWS folder, even if you they have the same model. Hard drive partitions have serial numbers which Windows uses for your copy to be validated, but overwriting the registry will overwrite this. Then they will no longer match. You won't be sure if your friend's computer don't have viruses, even antiviruses might not be able to detect some. Dynamic Libraries (*.dll) have different versions, overwriting them with a different version can cause a DLL hell. Before overwriting DLL files, check the version, you may also download it from the internet if they are not in the Windows CD. Still, the best way is to have a backup, the repair option in the Windows CD might overwrite the registry, which means all programs not included with Windows needs to be reinstall.

[GameNox]

Okay. Here is the problem: How can you start your computer without the files? You can't expect it just to pop-up somewhere.

[RMConstruction]

Warcraft! D-: Joking... Nice and straight forward 'ible!

[hammerhead]

I always have a copy of the entire WinXP disk on a separate harddrive incase Windows asks for drivers. (Too lazy to bring out the actual disk). Next time I'm doing a complete reinstallation I'll copy the Windows folder there aswell. I assume you need to disable the file copy protection system for this to work?

[hintss]

the windows install is tied to each motherboard.

anyway, my main box is a netbook, so I keep a disk image (made using dd) on a separate 16GB flash drive which I keep by my desk

[flymudpie]

I have never run into a copy protection.

[hintss]

or use linux. downloading all the crap in sight on limewire won't have an effect :D

[Arbitror]

What virtual drives do you use? I use Virtual Clone Drive.

[hintss]

the mount command (linux)

[Arbitror]

It's free.

[Nos4ah2]

I'm sorry to be a hater, but I think this is a really bad idea and I strongly disagree with calling it a "fix". I think it's really dangerous to present this information to a n00b as a way to completely fix up any error message they come across. At best I would say that if you had a 3GB flash drive sitting around that had no useful software on it, and you had no internet connection available, it MAY be a last-ditch effort way to temporarily resurrect a downed machine. But I would only use it as a means to recover any irreplaceable data on my machine- and then I would put a steak through it's heart and start from scratch. Once I had retrieved that information - say by copying it to a huge thumb drive after booting off of a Linux live cd or even a Windows-based PE cd and then copying whatever I wanted to keep to the left over space on the thumb drive, I would immediately (sing along with me, kids!) FDISK, format and reinstall that sucker! (dooo daa, dooo daa) And don't install a bunch of crap you don't need right away! And don't delete something if you don't know what it is! And don't copy something from a friend's machine to your machine if you don't know what you're doing! Who knows what evils lurk in your friend's Windows folder? Once again, not trying to hate man. I'm just sayin. Don't be silly. There are safer and better ways to go.

[digitrunner]

@ Nos4ah2 I totally agree with you 100%....cool handle btw

[Arbitror]

You should publish that song!

[nf119]

Wouldn't it be safer to use the repair option on the Windows installation disc? I mean no two WINDOWS folders are alike, not even after a fresh install. You will probably overwrite files with older versions / overwrite configuring files and etc. I feel that this will just make more problems.

[flymudpie]

This is why you use the EXACT same operating system to copy from as i made clear.

[digitrunner]

You would be better off copying your own windows folder to a usb drive then use that if a problem arises say a month from now. That way youre not importing someone elses settings, prog random files, viruses etc. plus the headache of trying to replace the existing windows files Better off to use an external hard drive or dvd burner and do a system backup, that's the only reliable safety net

[Arbitror]

Even if you do, you are still going to overwrite drivers! If your friends computer's specs are different (which they almost always are in every situation), even if he has a different amount of RAM, configurations will be overwritten! This is a bad way to go...

[nf119]

True and even if everything is the same (which can't be due to hardware serial numbers) the WINDOWS folder my not the same if security keys are randomly generated. But really use the no risk repair option on the Windows installation disc. At least this step won't make the WINDOWS folder unrepairable.

[nf119]

But the contents of WINDOWS folder is different for every system. This is because the following differs. 1) Each OS has multiple builds & releases 2) Hardware configuring 3) Hardware hashes 4) System configuration 5) Service Packs 6) Minor updates 7) Applications (Registry) Again you should use the repair function of the OS install disc which is much more safer. It does the same thing really except its doesn't do a blind overwrite.

[flymudpie]

Lol thats why i used the term "EXACT" and you should make sure you are updated. Its just an idea mate dont get too fired up.