rebooting windows xp?

[Burnie Burnerson]

DABhand like you were saying I have a product key for XP. Could I use like nero or something to copy XP right off my HDD?

[DABhand]

No..

If your XP is on your hard disk it will be fragmented with your i386 folder and setup files all over your HD.

The only way of putting on the cd is to use the restore option that HP machines come with, in windows under the Start > All Programs..


If its not there then its lost.


But you did say you got a new Motherboard, so how did that windows get installed (the one you have now) onto your machine?

[Big Country]

I would bet you could get that program from HP. Might try looking on their web site or contact customer service. There is no other way to backup Windows from your computer.

[DABhand]

HP either ...

1. Keep an I386 folder, and several others on the main partition. Their backup software makes the cd's from this data.

2. They have a backup partition that a backup CD reads for information, like cd-key, drivers, other product information, and owner information.

[Burnie Burnerson]

I called HP today heres the thing they will send me a set of system restore discs for $33.00 Cdn. I only have one reservation and didn't think of it until just now. Other than the fact my tower says HP its now got an asus motherboard and I added 2x512k ram (for a total of 1536). Will their system restore discs work with this system?

[DABhand]

Good question.

I dont think it will be a normal windows disc they will send you.

It will be a generic restore CD which will try to recover data from the little partition I was talking about.


Shame you dont have anyone near you that you know has an HP, as the restore CD's are generic and work on all HP machines.

[spidross01]

It's not going to worry about the extra memory, it will only look at what is on the hard drive. Yep when it installs it will do a system check to ensure all your hardware works with xp but then it will go about it's business of reinstalling

The discs they will send you for your $33 cnd will be recovery discs only and then will use your hard drive to rebuild windows for you. I think your best bet is to buy a copy of windows XP home from a computer store, they are going for approx $80 US on ebay.

personally bought windows xp from my local computer store.

Ohhhh and format NTFS when it gives you the option mate