Member Avatar for VanessaGisel

Does the repair/recovery disc for Windows xp need any sort of installing before I can format my hard drive with it? My computer has a virus that doesn't allow installing of programs. I want to know before I order it from eBay.. I don't know much about this sorta thing

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There are two realistic paths here: try to repair and remove the infection while preserving your files, or back up personal data and do a full format + clean reinstall. ’s symptoms — the reported “Windows Installer service could not be accessed” error and broken double‑click behavior — point to either badly damaged system files or a persistent malware infection. Replies from , , and correctly point at recovery media and scanning; below are concrete, practical steps that fill the gaps those answers left open.

First priority: preserve irreplaceable data and the product key. From a healthy computer, create a bootable rescue USB (a Linux live image or Windows PE) and use it to boot the infected PC. Copy the entire user folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures), browser profiles, and any Outlook .pst files to an external drive and verify the copies on the healthy machine. Check the case for an XP COA sticker (that’s the product key you’ll need for a reinstall). Do this before attempting repairs that could make recovery harder.

If a repair attempt is wanted, try re‑registering the Windows Installer service from an elevated Command Prompt (may fail if malware is present or system files are corrupt):

msiexec /unregister
msiexec /regserver
net start msiserver

Run those as administrator; if any command errors or the service won’t start, move to backup + clean reinstall.

When reinstalling, match the exact XP edition on the COA (Home vs Professional). OEM recovery media from the manufacturer is the safest source; generic or unknown discs (including random eBay listings) can be the wrong edition or unlicensed. After reinstall, apply Service Pack 3 and device drivers before connecting to the internet. Finally, note that Windows XP is no longer supported by Microsoft, so consider upgrading to a supported OS once files are recovered.

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Member Avatar for Rik_

What computer have you got? Have you checked to see if it has a recovery partition?

Member Avatar for silvercats

Why do you say it is a virus? what happens when you try to install? what are the programs you tried to install?

usually windows XP CD will give you an option to repair if you boot from the CD . No need to buy a seperate CD to repair

Member Avatar for caperjack

becarefull what you buy on ebay ,do you have a friend or family member that has a copy of winxp[must be same version as yours ] you could borrow and use, just useing your key to install winxp

Member Avatar for VanessaGisel

It's a windows xp, don't know what recovery partition is.

It has a virus because I installed programs(they're gone now) on it with no anti virus & since that I cannot move things in the desktop or get them open from double clicking(I have to left click) but that's not really a problem although its part of what the virus does; I also can't install anything, it says something like "the windows installer service could not be accessed, this can occur if you're running windows on safe mode, or if the windows installer is not correctly installed"
I'm not on safe mode. Before installing those programs I talked about, none of this ever happened.

I don't have any CDs that came with the computer, that's why I'd have to get them through eBay

Member Avatar for silvercats

You can download Kaspersky virus removal tool. or Avast or anything. Then go to safe mood by pressing F8. And install Kaspersky virus removal tool(free) or Avast free. Scan for viruses in safe mood. It should fix everything. Then intall a proper anti virus.

OR

you can go to safe mood and try to restore your computer to an earlier state(to a date you didn't intall that program yet). Not sure if recovery is enabled. If disabled,you can't do it.

I am telling you to go to safe mood and scan for virsues using kaspersky virus removal tool or anything good.

Member Avatar for silvercats

you don't need ebay or other CDs. just internet

Member Avatar for alexalbert

How you know that your system is infected If you have some dought that your system is infected by some kind virus so i advice you to install antivirus on your system and run a full scan with antivirus remove infected files your system will be safe you also get help from the " Antivirus Service " of your antivirus

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