Windows Qs about reinstalling WinXP OEM

Discussion in 'Software' started by Darth Joules, 23 Sep 2005.

  1. Darth Joules

    Darth Joules Minimodder

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    I may have to re-install my copy of WinXP Home SP2 from scratch. It is the OEM version, not the retail version! I have heard there can be problems when re-installing from the OEM version, is this true? If so, what problems may I encounter? There shouldn't be if it's going back onto the same PC it was originally installed on?

    If I do re-install from this disk, how do I re-register my re-installation of WinXP if my current install of WinXP is already registered? :confused:

    The only alternative is for me to rewind my OS back using an ISO Image file (taken by Ghost) to when I had WinXP freshly installed with all the neccesary drivers and no additional software with exception of Norton Ghost and Zone Alarm. This way could cause a few problems. I'd rather do a fresh, clean re-installation
     
  2. Darth Joules

    Darth Joules Minimodder

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    I just found this tip on the Elder Geek site:

    Activate Windows XP from Floppy Diskette Backup

    So, I think I've answered my own question. Since I'm not changing any hardware it should work, shouldn't it? But has anyone tried this with an OEM copy of WinXP?
     
  3. cpemma

    cpemma Ecky thump

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    I did a clean install of XP Home OEM a fortnight ago, (fdisk-repartitioned the whole drive, that's really clean), finally got back online, click activate, few seconds, done, no problem.

    A different label on the boot drive, which counts 1 point off the 7(?) allowed. The different slave drive doesn't count AFAIK.
    Maybe handy if you can't get online, beats using the phone. I did have the hardware file & the old drive label just in case. ;)
     
  4. Darth Joules

    Darth Joules Minimodder

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    Is using fdisk better than using WinXP's own partitioning tool during re-installation? I remember that fdisk will only format in FAT32 not NTFS which is what my master hard disk was formatted as. I do have Norton partition Magic 8 if that helps?

    My OS sits on 10Gb primary partition on a 60Gb (master) hard disk. The remaining space is used as a logical partition for all my games. There another 120Gb slave hard disk which has a 2Gb partition for my Paging File....I guess I have to wipe that partition too before I can re-assign the Paging File from a reinstalled WinXP?

    Ummm....hardware file? :confused: Please explain? And when you mean old drive label, that's the name I gave the C: drive like "WINXP", right?
     
  5. cpemma

    cpemma Ecky thump

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    I started out with PM8 to delete partition F, make the extended partition smaller, enlarge boot partition C, adjust partitions D & E to same size... after 15 minutes shuffling files about, maybe 1% complete, I got fed up, rebooted to fdisk, which took about 5 minutes to do the lot.

    It's easy to convert FAT32 to NTFS with the CONVERT.EXE program in XP, or PM8 will do the lot.

    On an empty drive PM8 is just as fast, I used it on my new slave drive for 2 40Gb NTFS partitions, but the boot drive is still FAT32. I've no strong reason to change and I have some old programs that might fall over.
    If you view hidden & system files you can just delete it.
    The wpa.dbl file you copy back in Elder Geek method is an encoded string based on your original hardware. Every boot, XP checks it's the same as the current machine hardware. If it's changed too much, you get deactivated. :grr:

    MS aren't silly strict, you can make quite a few small changes without a problem, but with OEM you can't move it to a totally different machine. This explains it all, and links to the VOLUMEID utility that will show & change the drive volume serial number (VSN), drive label wrong word. :blush:

    The above link claims on wpa.dbl,
     
  6. Darth Joules

    Darth Joules Minimodder

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    Well, I might be looking at having to replace my primary HD completely (if it actually comes to that). So, when I re-install my WinXP OEM on the new hard disk it looks like I will be have a nice chat with the support people at M$. :sigh:

    Otherwise I'll just wipe the current HD and do a fresh re-install and hope it'll register on the Net. If not it's onto to the blower to M$. I don't think I'm gonna bother mucking around with copying the wpa.dbl and .bak, and volume ID....gonna play it safe.
     
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