Old COmp want windows again ~help~

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dark_legacy2006

New Member
alright so im fixing this computer for my dad, its a pretty bad computer but it is windows xp, so all i want to do it get another 256mb ram (make it 512) but thats not what i need help with, i was wondering if there is any way i could find my serial number for windows xp already installed, i have copies of windows but there not legal (so i dont want to use them)i was wondering if i could just keep this windows and reinstall it somehow, or format my computer only keeping the OS and lose drivers and everything... i wanna clean computer
can this be done
thanks
 
alright well if i put on a non updateable copy is there a way ic ould copy the updates that it has got so far, or is a program like autopatcher better for that....
 
If you want a clean system for your dad buy him a legal copy of XP and use that to install a fresh copy of Windows on it. Then you can use the MS validation tool to download and install the updates. Need a tool to recover a lost product key? http://sniptools.com/toolsreviews/find-lost-product-key-for-microsoft-office-and-microsoft-windows

Is it possible to backup the entire Windows installation? you asked. Acronis believes they have one answer by creating a disk image to burn onto cd-rs in small increments or dvd-rs onto one disk. http://www.acronis.com/oem/company/inpress/2005/03-23-infopackets-trueimage.html
 
You won't be able to use that key with other then the original installation cd. The tool there is for recovery the product key if the label on the original disk falls off or is somehow damaged where the number can't read. The Acronis creates a full disk image for write to a removable media. It will split the information onto different cds if you don't have a dvd burner.
 
well im not worried about any of the ifo on the actually HD, but im not as happy any more :( lol, so even if i get the cd key its not gonna help me unless i have the original cd, which computers installed with windows xp dont come with.
 
With the acronis you could create a disk image where you pick and choose what you want to save then burn to disk. There you could restore the current installation onto a freshly formatted drive. It's too bad but more common then you think where complete systems are sold without a recovery disk for them. There is usually a hidden recovery partition on them.

The best way to always go is to have a full install disk and never have to worry about reinstalling Windows if a drive fails, is hit with a virus, or you simply buy a larger one. With Vista coming out soon the prices on an XP disk have fallen sharply. Look around for a good price on one.
 
well, if his xp still boots use belar advisor. it will tell you pretty much everything about your computer: www.belarc.com. oh yea, if you want a windows xp cd, go to my computer/C:\windows and there should be a folder named i386. burn everything in this folder to a disk and run winnt32.exe or winnt.exe if you are running a startup disk/dos.
 
Last edited:
jamesb21222 said:
well, if his xp still boots use belar advisor. it will tell you pretty much everything about your computer: www.belarc.com. oh yea, if you want a windows xp cd, go to my computer/C:\windows and there should be a folder named i386. burn everything in this folder to a disk and run winnt32.exe or winnt.exe if you are running a startup disk/dos.
Click to expand...

A full installation disk would allow a drive to be freshly partitioned and see a clean install of Windows where you can easily open an iso image to retrieve files saved from another drive. Most of the time when Windows needs to repair or replace a missing file it will ask for the installation disk. This was seen even when copying the I386 folder onto the hard drive. With Vista coming out at the beginning of 2007 you can find XP with SP2 for less then $80 at various online vendors. In the long run you are better off having a full install disk onhand.
 
the serial number can also be copied if you use norton ghost on the other pc, you may need to re-install drivers if its a different pc.
 
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