winXP home, sp2 installing, re-installing

I have XP home running now but i do not have the MS WinXP (Update) CD, just
some chopped-up cd's from the PC seller (gateway). These cd's only contain
SP1.

Question: If i purchased a real MS WinXP (Update) CD, could i use the recovery
console from it to do a recovery (without doing a re-install)?

Question: Could i use the MS WinXP Update (with SP2) CD to do a completely
clean install of XP (since i dont have a OS cd to prove previous ownership of
MS windows)? i.e., Formatting C:

thank you,
savagcl

 

In most cases vendor recovery CDs are customised versions of Windows and have scripts that rely on things being in certain places and with certain versions of files.

With a normal straight XP CD, you can copy it onto another CD and streamline SP2 update into it, but in the case of recovery CDs, i doubt you can streamline a new Windows copy into the recovery routine. If you can, it is likely to be very technical and hard to do. I havent heard of anyone doing this successfully. Best to just use the original gateway CDs and run windows update when installed to get SP2 on your PC.

If you buy a new SP2 version of Windows, you wouldnt use the recovery CDs at all, except for the occassional driver if they are available on the CD in a seperate folder and you need them. Most drivers should also be available on the web for download if you need them. Also if you buy a new Windows CD, you will need to use the new CD Key and not your gateway issued numbers as they wont work. Just as the new Windows CD key wont work with your gateway version of windows.

BEWARE: Recovery CDs are most often disk images that when run will wipe your hard disk clean and your data will go bye-bye! See many caught by this so back up before you run a recovery CD!

 

clif,
How you doin?
I'm guessing you mean 'upgrade' CD not 'update'. An upgrade version of XP is a complete version and includes the recovery console (installed separately or you can boot to it). The only difference is that for a clean install it will ask you to insert the 'disk of a previous version' to verify qualifying for the upgrade. The copy you would buy should have SP2 included, but there is no guarantee that someone isn't still selling SP1. Just be careful where you purchase it, the information should be on the carton.

B

 

Hi, Mr. B, keeping warm i hope!

Right - upgrade is what i meant.

Problem is weather or now, the clean install will accept the gateway OS CD
as proof of a prior ownership....'disk of a previous version'. My WinME CD went
with the old PC to my daughter's house.


clif

 

I don't know if Gateway restore CD will work or not, I never tried it. Maybe someone else and can comment. If not... maybe you can get the WinME CD back from your daughter and do the install that way. Later.

B

 

Hey savagcl: Can't tell you if the Gateway CD would work, but I was able to use an IBM Aptiva recovery CD to validate my upgrade to XP.

I have purchased full versions of XP Home OEM versions online for less than $100.US, and personally, I would recommend that anybody who is interested in upgrading, spend the extra $ if any.

Martin

 

Martin,

I did just that. Bought the full version (more than 100 bucks tho).
Now i just need to find out where the SATA Drivers are located and download them.

thanks,
savagcl

 

If you have the full version, then you don't have to worry about the Gateway CD. I just finished doing a clean install of XP with a full version on a friend's Dell, but I wiped out everything that Dell had put on there before doing the install. It also wiped out the ability to use the Product Key from Dell. If you do that you may not have the correct drivers for the onboard hardware if any. I had to really work to get those for the Dell.

Not sure what will happen to the Gateway stuff, but if upgrade install, it should be ok.

Most all on this board would recommend a clean install though, but maybe you should wait for some more input before going forward, since neither you nor I know exactly what's going to happen.

Good Luck,

Martin

 

bought the full version, have to skip a couple of meals and "other" things. Well,
at least until "She" cools off some.

Up and running now.

thanks for the support,
savagcl

 

Up and running, that's great. Glad you tamed that beast. But, I sure would like to know a couple of things.

Clean install or upgrade?
If clean, were drivers available for onboard hardware?
Did you wipe the Gateway partition?
Did install program find old install?
If upgrade, did you need/use Gateway or XP disc product key?

Anyway, Congratulations!

Martin

 

Martinr,

I did a "Clean" install.
I did have the MB chipset from Intel. Thought maybe
they would have latest (if any) changes. This file
created the floppy for the F6 part of the install.
Formatted C: so nothing there to find.

I used the Full version of XP (not the upgrade) so
Gateway didnt come into the install. GW CD's and
product key was not needed. I did keep the monitor
and BIOS files on a different drive just in case.

Like i said, up and running but still seem to have the
speed reduction - i'll find it someday (then kick my b*tt
because it took so long).

savagcl

 

Hmmm, odd it would be slow. You might want to check device manager, see if all drivers OK. Other than that, I can't think of anything on a clean install that would slow XP down, other than hardware, bad drive, Video card, memory?

Maybe somebody on the board???


Please post back when you find the problem.

Take care

Martin