The dets

[susandennis]

Well, the first misstep is over.  Turns out, I picked the wrong option.  I don't need to finish upgrading I needed to have picked install XP. 

That gets you to the next screen which wants the admin password.  But, turns out, it doesn't like my password (and, no, I don't have caps lock on).  I checked the password and it is correct. I changed it to be sure.  No go.  I am now rebooting to remove the password.  Then I'll try again...

Well, that didn't work and now I'm on the phone again with Microsoft support.  After an hour's wait - got disconnected once - I learned that in fact you do need to select R for repair.  BUT  the first time you are given the option of selecting R, you should not.  Hit enter instead.  Then you select R the next time. 

Really clear.

I'm not out of the woods yet but I am reinstalling at least ... it just asked me for the product key for the first time... I've been expecting that so I think I might be on the right track.

Oops not looking good.  It barfed on two dlls...  I suspect one or both are service pack issues.  I'm wondering if I'll have enough of a system left to even get to the update thingie.  fuck.  It's looking like a reformat may be required. 

Well, maybe not.  The internet connection just woke up.  Now I cannot figure out how to get Service Pack 2.  I am installing the 19 critical updates and I guess I hope that one of those is SP2 - although it is not in the list.

Ok, I never did find out if it installed SP2 because when it finally finished and came back, it wouldn't let me into the Control Panel.

So that ripped it.  Clean install.  I did not format the drive which I probably should have done.  The XP install said that it did that but who knows.  It ain't going nowhere so I can always do it if this install does not work.  I hope.  

I have most of my critical stuff on my external harddrives and my other partitions.  Although it just dawned on me that I have no idea how to even get to a cmd window so I can format the C drive.  Fuck.  Oh well.  That bridge will be there if/when I get there.

I have exactly 50 minutes left on the Microsoft telephone help clock.  It's going to be close. 

Stay tuned.