Install XP over itself possible?how?

[AOK]

without having to do reformat

[Nicholas]

Visit http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm and click
on "How to Run a Repair Install".

You'll need your original Windows XP Pro CD, and the Product Key that
came with it, in order to perform a repair.

Afterward, you'll activate XP in the same manner as you did originally.
If activation is unsuccessful, use the "activate by telephone" option.


--=20
Nicholas

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

"AOK" > wrote in message: =20
.com...

| without having to do reformat

[mrtee]

Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP =
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=3Dkb;en-us;Q315341 is =
how.

--=20
Just my 2=A2 worth
Jeff
_____in response to_____
"AOK" > wrote in message =
.com...
| without having to do reformat
|=20
|=20


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[Jim Gramm]

But my understanding is that this will only work with a
retail version of XP. If it is an OEM version, then you
will have to wipe the HD clean and fight with MS to
reactivate. I heard it is a horror story.

>-----Original Message-----
>Visit http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm and
click
>on "How to Run a Repair Install".
>
>You'll need your original Windows XP Pro CD, and the
Product Key that
>came with it, in order to perform a repair.
>
>Afterward, you'll activate XP in the same manner as you
did originally.
>If activation is unsuccessful, use the "activate by
telephone" option.
>
>
>--
>Nicholas
>
>-----------------------------------------------------
>
>"AOK" > wrote in message:
.com...
>
>| without having to do reformat
>
>.
>

[Jupiter Jones]

Jim;
You answered your own question.
This is a horror story just like you see on TV every Friday
night...and just as much fiction.
Some OEM CDs can not perform a Repair Installation.
Some can.
Those that can have absolutely no more trouble activating than Retail
Windows XP.
Worst case for both is a 5 minute toll free call to Microsoft.

--
Jupiter Jones
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


"Jim Gramm" > wrote in message
...
> But my understanding is that this will only work with a
> retail version of XP. If it is an OEM version, then you
> will have to wipe the HD clean and fight with MS to
> reactivate. I heard it is a horror story.
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Visit http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm and
> click
> >on "How to Run a Repair Install".
> >
> >You'll need your original Windows XP Pro CD, and the
> Product Key that
> >came with it, in order to perform a repair.
> >
> >Afterward, you'll activate XP in the same manner as you
> did originally.
> >If activation is unsuccessful, use the "activate by
> telephone" option.
> >
> >
> >--
> >Nicholas
> >
> >-----------------------------------------------------
> >
> >"AOK" > wrote in message:
> .com...
> >
> >| without having to do reformat
> >
> >.
> >

[John]

"Nicholas" > wrote in message
...
Visit http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm and click
on "How to Run a Repair Install".
Hey GREAT resource thnaks
You'll need your original Windows XP Pro CD, and the Product Key that
came with it, in order to perform a repair.

Afterward, you'll activate XP in the same manner as you did originally.
If activation is unsuccessful, use the "activate by telephone" option.


--
Nicholas

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

"AOK" > wrote in message:
.com...

| without having to do reformat

[Ron Martell]

"Jim Gramm" > wrote:

>But my understanding is that this will only work with a
>retail version of XP. If it is an OEM version, then you
>will have to wipe the HD clean and fight with MS to
>reactivate. I heard it is a horror story.
>

That depends on the specific type of OEM version you have.

The ones that come with no CD at all, just a hidden "recovery" partition
on the hard drive, cannot do a Repair Install. Neither can the majority
of those that come with a "system recovery" or "system restore" CD.

The ones that have the generic OEM CD (no computer manfacturer's name or
logo on the CD) can do a Repair Install with no problems.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

[Alvin A Brown]

Hello

Yes you can

Doing a clean install of Win XP without reformatting
You can install XP over itself. This is called a "Repair Install". It
will
install XP in it's original state without effecting your data or
programs
installed. This was called a dirty install with Windows 9X, however with
XP,
this is actually a very clean install. You will have to reapply SP1 and
any/all updates from Windows Update.

Alvin


AOK wrote:

> without having to do reformat

[Alex Nichol]

AOK wrote:

>without having to do reformat

Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard disk, then boot the XP CD, start
Setup (do not take 'Repair' at this stage), then after the license
agreement take 'Repair Installation'. This will retain your existing
software installations and most settings. But Updates will have to be
run again, especially SP1; and if you have drivers that only arrived
with that, like USB 2 ones, you will need to update drivers for the
devices concerned. You may find that things like virtual memory
settings and some aspects of appearance have reverted to defaults

This should retain your activation status, though if you have never
registered you may have the setup suggest it now (don't bother). But
just in case, a good idea is first to back up the activation files,
windows\system32\wpa.dbl and wpa.bak - if it complains on activation,
restore them (they fit on a floppy) after and reboot.

--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows - File Systems)
Bournemouth, U.K.