I got dll. errors on my windows xp that I couldn't fix, so I used my system recovery disks to re-download windows xp.(a standard recovery to keep my data) A few errors came up during the download, and when it was over My hard drive would not boot at all. It just goes to a black screen with a white prompt. I tried to download from the recovery disks again, but same result. One time it said "invalid end user agreement". I have another hard drive with a functioning version of xp, and I copied all my windows folders from the good onto the bad, but same result. I can access all my files from the non-functioning drive when I run it as a slave with the other HD. I'd like to just do a full recovery but my functioning hard drive doesn't have enough space to save my music and pictures. Is there something I missed when I did the recovery? Does the freshly loaded windows need to be activated or verified somehow?(The windows came on the computer. OEM, I believe it's called) It will go into recovery black screen with bios system commands, but I don't know enough about this mode to do much good. I guess I could always buy a big enough external hard drive to copy the data, but I hoped there was a way to just successfully copy the good version on xp over the bad.

What is the exact make and model of the computer?

What were the install errors?

The blinking cursor indicates you removed or damaged your Boot Sector.

Were you using the precise Recovery CD for this particular computer?

Yes you need your Product Key to reinstall Windows in any form.

The fact that you can get your data via slave is good. Get your data and back it up to CD's etc.

As it is an OEM Recovery CD specific from the manufacturer to this computer then there should be no problem reinstalling.

As noted above in order to save your old data you need to back it up to another drive or removable media.