Seems like a new desktop!!!!!!????

I was using my PC yesterday and everything was going fine
and I was using it with no problems at all!
I booted up today and I was told to put my installation
disc in and run it which I did ......now it seems like I
have a totally new desktop with all the shortcuts that I
had on before but not able to use them .....when I click
the add/remove button in the control panel all there is
there are the systems that were reinstalled so I cant
uninstal anything either ....I have two questions :
1 how do I revert back to the way my system was?
2what has happened? am I looking at formatting my H/D?

Please help as this is my line to the outside world!
regards
Pat

"Pirate" wrote in message
...
I was using my PC yesterday and everything was going fine
and I was using it with no problems at all!
I booted up today and I was told to put my installation
disc in and run it which I did ......now it seems like I
have a totally new desktop with all the shortcuts that I
had on before but not able to use them .....when I click
the add/remove button in the control panel all there is
there are the systems that were reinstalled so I cant
uninstal anything either ....I have two questions :
1 how do I revert back to the way my system was?
2what has happened? am I looking at formatting my H/D?



what you did was install windows in a new folder
to get back to your original installtion you will need to reinstall windows
and *watch* very carefully...you will be asked where you want to install
windows...
do *not* go with the default...but instead specify your *original* windows
folder

....usually just C:\windows ...


if all works ok you can then delete your second installation which is
probably windows.000