Need Help With Reinstall Of XP

Hi All,

I am thinking about reinstalling my OS (XP Home)......I think I might have messed things up by using outdated reg cleaners on it.....System Restore will not work, the OS is running too slow, etc.....(All protection is up to date....AVG, Adaware, Spyware Blaster, etc.)

I have the MS Security Update CD that came out months ago, and I also have SP2 on CD.

Will I have to use both of these disks, or does SP2 have all the previous updates on it too?

Also, should I install the .net framework?

Thanks

 

Hi there

As far as I know SP2 has all the service packs on it so you can use that on a fresh system if you need too.

The best thing to do for the .net framework is too look at the microsoft site and decide for yourself if you gain anything from it.

http://www.microsoft.com/net/

Hope this helps you.

Regards

tel33

 

Why not post a hijackthis log in the spyware removal forum to be sure you aren't infected? May be simpler than reinstalling everything.

 

Thanks tel33, I'll check out the link too.

 

I'll post it shortly...

 

If you really do want to do a clean install, then you might want to think about slipstreaming SP2 into Windows and installing the whole thing in one go. You save time and hard drive space. Here's how to do it:

Slipstreamed Windows XP CD

You may as well install the .NET Framework, you are going to need it sooner or later now that more and more programs are being developed using .NET. I've yet to hear of any problems caused by installing it.

 

Will this work with a Dell OEM disk....w/ SP1?

 

So far as I'm aware it will work with Dell CD's. Check on the disc that you have a folder called i386 on it, if you do then you should be good to go.

 

James Martin--Slipstreaming with a Dell is not as simple as with some other PC's
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_svcpacks&message.id=283
And if you reinstall the OS, with or without SP2, you will have to go to Windows Update to get all the Critical Updates since the date the Dell CD was made (or in the case of slipstreaming with SP2, since the date SP2 was released).

 

I have SP2 on disk (Thank goodness)

What exactly is slipstreaming?

Sounds like something from Star Trek......(No pun intended)

 

James Martin--Slipstreaming is what SuperSparks proposed in post #6 above. Since I also have a Dell, I have not used it.
But since you are considering a clean install from a WinXPCD with SP2 on it, I do not think you need to worry about slipstreaming. You will however, have to get all updates from Windows Update that came out since the Dell CD was made.

 

A word about WPA...

If I erase C drive without formatting, then I will not have to reactive XP will I?

The reason I ask, is because I am using a Dell disk that came off of a broken down laptop, and I hear that it is getting harder to use OEM disks on custom built machines.

 

You're right, I should have mentioned that. It's just that it's so easily fixed I've never really considered it a problem (it's a feature not a bug ).

 

I looked into making a slipstream CD, but I only have Nero 6 OEM....Not sure if it would work.

I got lost in reading the (Slipstream) instructions in a few places, but I think I might could do it if I put my head to it.

When a person combines the XP CD, with the SP2 CD, then it makes a new, up to date version from what I read.

Does that make a reinstall go faster?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm a little worried that I may not be able to reinstall the OS (Dell OEM) after all, after reading the piece the Arie wrote. In fact, it sounds like the install that I have now may be deactivated in 3 months or so...(If I read the article correctly)

 

Nero 6 OEM will do fine. It will make the reinstall faster in that you don't have to install Windows and then mess about installing SP2 afterwards. It won't make any difference to the time to install Windows though. You also get to save some disk space as well, if that's important.

 

Thanks for the help all......I'll print off the instructions and see what I can do.