Re installing XP onto a laptop.

[The Old Fart]

I was thinking of doing a reinstall of XP on my wifes Compaq laptop. As
I understand it the disk that comes with a laptop & from others like
PC's from Dell are a little different from the normal CD provided by
Microsoft. Is the installation any different in any way? Is there
anything else that I should know before I start?

I also noted that this laptop still have perhaps a hundred Microsoft
updates since the laptop was installed. Can these be saved to an
external drive so that they can be reused rather than having to download
them all over again?

Thanks in advance

 

[Jim Robin]

Hi theoldfart,

You did not state WHY you wish to do a re-install of win XP.

If you reinstall then any service pack upgrades will be lost. However you
should note that only SP2 need be installed (ie SP1 may be missed) after the
XP installation. I think that you will need to re-download all of the
updates. Please check out any other answers that may contradict mine!

Best wishes,

Jim

 

[Richard in AZ]

I was thinking of doing a reinstall of XP on my wifes Compaq laptop. As I understand it the disk
that comes with a laptop & from others like PC's from Dell are a little different from the normal
CD provided by Microsoft. Is the installation any different in any way? Is there anything else
that I should know before I start?

I also noted that this laptop still have perhaps a hundred Microsoft updates since the laptop was
installed. Can these be saved to an external drive so that they can be reused rather than having
to download them all over again?

Thanks in advance

The Disk that comes with Compaq, if you got one, are quite different from any other PC, and no where
like a MS disk.
Some Compaq supplied "Restore Disks" did only a factory state restore and you lost everything that
you have created or updated to in that computer. I have seen one or two, older Compaq's mostly,
where the Restore Disk would do a non-destructive rebuild and all data, programs, etc. were
preserved.

Yes you will loose all of your updates from MS, and no there is no way to save them.

 

[The Old Fart]

The Disk that comes with Compaq, if you got one, are quite different from any other PC, and no where
like a MS disk.
Some Compaq supplied "Restore Disks" did only a factory state restore and you lost everything that
you have created or updated to in that computer. I have seen one or two, older Compaq's mostly,
where the Restore Disk would do a non-destructive rebuild and all data, programs, etc. were
preserved.

Yes you will loose all of your updates from MS, and no there is no way to save them.

So updates can't be slipstreamed?

 

[nesredep egrob]

So updates can't be slipstreamed?

Saw a great offer - acer notebook at $728 - $149 cashback. First thing I did
when I took it home was to install Acronis, generate a boot disk and then
connect to my external disk and store the acronis Image of the C: drive.
In case of break down, they can keep the instructions, Acronis can handle it for
me.
When I get it set to my liking, I shall again make an image and use the latest
image in case of trouble.

Borge in sunny Perth, Australia