How do I reinstall XP?

[Glenn Jarvis]

The subject is not as simple as it sounds. Hopefully my explaination
doesn't confuse anyone :-)

My sister is quite new to computers. Her system had XP Home on it, and
it seems that a virus infected her system. She fiddled here, fiddled
there, friends of the kids got involved, and you just imagine what the
end result was after it was all over. One system that is a complete
disaster. Anyway, she shipped the thing to me (over 400 miles) and here
it sits... the drive had been formatted. Wonderful, no O/S on the
system. This is a great start. Her Windows XP cd is MIA since she moved
and she can't locate it, much less remember where is was in the first
place. Ah wonderful... can it get any worse? Yep.. I live in a small
community in the middle of nowhere (the nearest city is about 2 1/2
hours away). Now what the heck do I do... Then I thought, hey, XP has a
product actviation thing with it ( I run 98SE here on my systems, please
don't shoot me, it's not related to this problem<g>). So I checked over
the case of her system and sure enough, there is that funny sticker
showing the Product Key. Mmmm, okay, maybe I can work something to get
the thing running and surf over to Microsoft, enter the information and
re-obtain her O/S so I can re-install it for her. No such luck, at least
not that I can find on their site.

Anyone have some suggestions? She's a little short in the cash division
now since it cost her an arm and leg to ship the thing here. Since she
is the registered person for that Product Key, why can it be re-obtained?

Thanks in advance
Glenn

[Cerridwen]

Glenn Jarvis wrote:
> The subject is not as simple as it sounds. Hopefully my explaination
> doesn't confuse anyone :-)
>
> My sister is quite new to computers. Her system had XP Home on it, and
> it seems that a virus infected her system. She fiddled here, fiddled
> there, friends of the kids got involved, and you just imagine what the
> end result was after it was all over. One system that is a complete
> disaster. Anyway, she shipped the thing to me (over 400 miles) and
> here it sits... the drive had been formatted. Wonderful, no O/S on the
> system. This is a great start. Her Windows XP cd is MIA since she
> moved and she can't locate it, much less remember where is was in the
> first place. Ah wonderful... can it get any worse? Yep.. I live in a
> small community in the middle of nowhere (the nearest city is about 2
> 1/2 hours away). Now what the heck do I do... Then I thought, hey, XP
> has a product actviation thing with it ( I run 98SE here on my
> systems, please don't shoot me, it's not related to this problem<g>).
> So I checked over the case of her system and sure enough, there is
> that funny sticker showing the Product Key. Mmmm, okay, maybe I can
> work something to get the thing running and surf over to Microsoft,
> enter the information and re-obtain her O/S so I can re-install it
> for her. No such luck, at least not that I can find on their site.
>
> Anyone have some suggestions? She's a little short in the cash
> division now since it cost her an arm and leg to ship the thing here.
> Since she is the registered person for that Product Key, why can it
> be re-obtained?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Glenn

The answer is simple (and I'm surprised the MS site didn't tell you this).
It came preinstalled, ergo is OEM and, therefore, all responsibility for
support (including replacement keys and media) lies with the manufacturer
and/or vendor. MS does not, will not and, indeed, cannot assist with OEM
supplied software.

What were you expecting, pray, to be able to download the entire OS?!

Your sister would have been better (and if you knew anything about anything,
you should have advised her correctly in the first place) to have called the
manufacturer's TS dept and had it out with them.

Ship it back, and tell her to call them. If they attempt to tell her that
it's a Microsoft problem, she's going to have to stand her ground, because
it isn't. It's /their/ responsibility. If all else fails, she's just going
to have to purchase a new copy (full licence, unless she has a qualifying
product - 95 (clean install only), 98 or ME. Windows 2000 is /not/ a vaild
qualifying product for Home, nor is NT).

[Lil' Dave]

"Glenn Jarvis" > wrote in message
...
> The subject is not as simple as it sounds. Hopefully my explaination
> doesn't confuse anyone :-)
>
> My sister is quite new to computers. Her system had XP Home on it, and
> it seems that a virus infected her system. She fiddled here, fiddled
> there, friends of the kids got involved, and you just imagine what the
> end result was after it was all over. One system that is a complete

Too many cooks spoil the soup.

> disaster. Anyway, she shipped the thing to me (over 400 miles) and here
> it sits... the drive had been formatted. Wonderful, no O/S on the

How did this get formatted? Oh, forgot, the small vendors use FAT32 vice
NTFS version 3 used for XP.

> system. This is a great start. Her Windows XP cd is MIA since she moved
> and she can't locate it, much less remember where is was in the first
> place. Ah wonderful... can it get any worse? Yep.. I live in a small
> community in the middle of nowhere (the nearest city is about 2 1/2
> hours away). Now what the heck do I do... Then I thought, hey, XP has a
> product actviation thing with it ( I run 98SE here on my systems, please
> don't shoot me, it's not related to this problem<g>). So I checked over
> the case of her system and sure enough, there is that funny sticker

This for using in concert with the restore CD which you said she does not
have. So?

> showing the Product Key. Mmmm, okay, maybe I can work something to get
> the thing running and surf over to Microsoft, enter the information and
> re-obtain her O/S so I can re-install it for her. No such luck, at least
> not that I can find on their site.
>
> Anyone have some suggestions? She's a little short in the cash division

Is this supposed to be a reason for not purchasing something if its a
requirement?

> now since it cost her an arm and leg to ship the thing here. Since she
> is the registered person for that Product Key, why can it be re-obtained?

Registered with whom?
What is "it"?
Who made "it"?
Who supplies "it"?

>
> Thanks in advance
> Glenn

[Brian]

"Glenn Jarvis" > wrote
> The subject is not as simple as it sounds. Hopefully my explaination
> doesn't confuse anyone :-)

Makes sense to me. However, despite the fact that its OEM windows you might
have a chance. Provided its a "generic" PC and not a major brand-name system
like Dell or Compaq or something, you might be able to borrow an XP CD from
a neighbour or someone and install their copy on your system, but entering
the license number that came with your computer. ITs a bit of a reach, but
it might work if they are both the same version.

[Cerridwen]

Brian wrote:
> "Glenn Jarvis" > wrote
>> The subject is not as simple as it sounds. Hopefully my explaination
>> doesn't confuse anyone :-)
>
> Makes sense to me. However, despite the fact that its OEM windows you
> might have a chance. Provided its a "generic" PC and not a major
> brand-name system like Dell or Compaq or something, you might be able
> to borrow an XP CD from a neighbour or someone and install their copy
> on your system, but entering the license number that came with your
> computer. ITs a bit of a reach, but it might work if they are both
> the same version.

It doesn't matter whether it's branded or not. An OEM key won't work with a
retail version and vice versa.

[Mike]

IF your sister had read the manual supplied with the PC, she would have
found out that the cd should have been kept SAFE, that in the event of a
complete system failure, the cd is REQUIRED to get the PC back to factory
default.. in the event of loss, she should CALL THE VENDOR.. letting
everybody in the neighborhood try to FIX problems on the basis that they
have a computer at home is SHEER madness..

SHIPPING it 400 miles to get it fixed by another party who does not have
ACCESS to the original software in the hope that it can be fixed on the
cheap has proved to be a FALSE economy.. and of course there is no OFFICIAL
website where you can type in a keycode and download XP in its entirety..
there is worse to come..

OEM recovery cd versions of XP are not just XP installation files.. they
also contain drivers that XP might otherwise not PICK up on.. each
manufacturer has its own versions of sound, modem, network files.. A Dell
OEM recovery cd would not work on an IBM, HP, or Compaq machine.. BORROWING
a retail version of XP would not work because the KEY would be wrong..

Ship it back and advise your sister to take it back to where she bought it
so that they can fix the thing..

"Glenn Jarvis" > wrote in message
...
> The subject is not as simple as it sounds. Hopefully my explaination
> doesn't confuse anyone :-)
>
> My sister is quite new to computers. Her system had XP Home on it, and
> it seems that a virus infected her system. She fiddled here, fiddled
> there, friends of the kids got involved, and you just imagine what the
> end result was after it was all over. One system that is a complete
> disaster. Anyway, she shipped the thing to me (over 400 miles) and here
> it sits... the drive had been formatted. Wonderful, no O/S on the
> system. This is a great start. Her Windows XP cd is MIA since she moved
> and she can't locate it, much less remember where is was in the first
> place. Ah wonderful... can it get any worse? Yep.. I live in a small
> community in the middle of nowhere (the nearest city is about 2 1/2
> hours away). Now what the heck do I do... Then I thought, hey, XP has a
> product actviation thing with it ( I run 98SE here on my systems, please
> don't shoot me, it's not related to this problem<g>). So I checked over
> the case of her system and sure enough, there is that funny sticker
> showing the Product Key. Mmmm, okay, maybe I can work something to get
> the thing running and surf over to Microsoft, enter the information and
> re-obtain her O/S so I can re-install it for her. No such luck, at least
> not that I can find on their site.
>
> Anyone have some suggestions? She's a little short in the cash division
> now since it cost her an arm and leg to ship the thing here. Since she
> is the registered person for that Product Key, why can it be re-obtained?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Glenn

[Glenn Jarvis]

Sharon F wrote:

>
>
> You didn't mention brand for the computer but one route to try would be
> contacting the OEM for replacement of the original media that came with the
> PC.
>

Thanks Sharon. It's a no-name, but there is a sticker on the back
showing where her ex-husband bought it from. I'll contact them and see
what I can do.

[Brian]

"Cerridwen" > wrote
> It doesn't matter whether it's branded or not. An OEM key won't work with
a
> retail version and vice versa.
Right. I wasn't specific about that, sorry. When I said the same version, I
meant it would have to be somebody else who has an OEM version. For the most
part, "clone" retailers all buy the same OEM Windows CDs from MS. So there
is a chance it might work.