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Reinstalling XP

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by puppybreath

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I have what Micro$oft considers to be an illegal copy of XP Pro. I just received a new copy (with a different key) from our Corporate office. I want to reload XP Pro to make it a valid copy but don't want to have to reinstall all of my other programs.

When I try to do the load into the same folder as the original installation, it prompts me that all of my user info and programs will be lost. This is unlike Win2K that would allow you to reload into the same folder and not lose your registry settings.

Is there a way to do a reload without losing everything? Is this simply a matter of getting the existing XP software to recognize a different key?

8 replies

by why me worry?

Basically, you need to perform an in place repair of your XP system.

Start off by booting the machine with the new XP CD and proceed with the installation as you normally would

at the text portion of the install, you will see an option to perform a repair of the current Windows XP install located at C:\Windows

"DO NOT perform a new install, as this would blow away your current partition and you will lose everything"

As you perform a repair, XP will be refreshed with the files from the CD and you will have to put in the new CD-Key

Once the reinstall is done, run Windows update to pull down any patches/fixes as needed

Your old apps will remain in tact and Windows XP will be fully activated and legal

by dawgit

Hey Puppybreath, How are you? (other than with this problem..) I haven't seen you here in a while. (could I have been sleeping again?)
Anyway, to your problem. In theory, you are correct, it 'should' do that. But, form what I've seen and heard out of M$ lately, I would NOT count on it. Back-up everything to either an external HD or CD. (I said back-up, but copy every thing as well... meaning here the different formats, or extentions.) I really don't know if it will make any difference that M$ has declared your old version as 'Pirated' or not. ?:| With what they are pulling now, they could have planted a 'Bug' in your machine, :0 to ensure that you 'Bought' a 'new' version. If that is the case, it's wipe and re-install. :_| Anagin, that would depend on where you are, and which version you are useing. (That has been found to be 'Il'legal here in Europe, and in Germany especially. I had to find out the hard way, as it happened to me also. But M$ got nailed.)
As for the different key... yes to that. And, you must be on line to do so. (There is another way, but again tricky. PM me if being 'on-line' is a problem for you. I'll explain the stepps.)
I could write a book on this... (maybe I should ?:| ) but I think that you'd rather get on with it.
My tip would be, after you have all your date copied, and 'backed-up. Have a really good catalog of the programs that might / will be needed to be re-installed, including the sourses. (and web sites or CD's where they can be found easily) Is to do an install, let it walk you through the process, activate, and register, and in general do the 'Hand-shake' with M$. Than when it asks you if you want to bring your data into the system, do so from your (try the HD first, if it is still available, if not the CD's in which ever format it will acept) With any up-dates needed from M$, it should take about 4-6 hours, so leave yourself enough time to do it right. (will save time in the long run.) All together total time might take a whole 8 hour day. (and with-out interuptions)
I hope that helps you. If not maybe HAL will drop by. (or one of the other fine folks here.) or just PM me. -d

by why me worry?

That would be the last resort approach to this, but an inplace repair as I suggested should fix the problem.

by puppybreath

Yeah, I've been around when I can but mostly just lurking. Been on the road for what seems like forever so I don't get to spend as much time here as I used to. Mostly just reading posts that may help me with problems in the field. How goes it with you?

by dawgit

at least I haven't seen my name in the Obits yet, and no-one has 'Oficialy' informed me of my death, :p YET.!. :^0 This being Germany, everything must be done properly with all the correct paper work done, and stamped by all in the Government, I think that I would have to be notified of my death at least a year in advance. So, all-in-all, I'm fine. Good to see you around from time to time. -d

by jimmuse

I have a Motion Computing tablet that fell backward while running... the hard drive suffered a head crash and wouldn't boot.

We recovered all of the data from the disk (using Linux, no less), and I am now trying to figure out how to re-install windows xp on a new drive and get all of my programs back on without re-installing everything.

We downloaded the files on to the new drive and went through the recovery process (basically a full install) which merely moved all of the existing data to a "new folder". It seems everything is there, but, of course, is not in the registry.

I didn't do the recovery except watch the first screens, but I don't think that I saw anything about importing stuff.

What am I missing (except 60 gb worth of programs).

Thanks,

Jim

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