Can an OEM disk do a Repair Install?

[rory]

Based on some posts from the past few days, I am wondering:
Can an OEM (full XP) CD be used to perform a repair install (on its own
machine, of course)?
And if not, is it for the same reason that it can't be used for an upgrade
install?

 

[T.C.]

It depends on which company's OEM CD it is. Some do, and some don't. A
client had a Dell OEM Windows XP CD, that came with a year old system.
Since the system was badly trashed, I figured it wouldn't matter if it
wouldn't do a repair install. If it wouldn't, a clean install would have to
be done. So, I took a chance and crossed my fingers. To my surprise the
install found the existing version of Windows XP, and did give an option to
repair, and things worked out fine. Like I said though, not ALL OEM
versions will do this.

 

[rory]

Thank you. I bought mine with a new HDD, so I will trust that, should the
need arise, it MAY come through for me.

It depends on which company's OEM CD it is. Some do, and some don't. A
client had a Dell OEM Windows XP CD, that came with a year old system.
Since the system was badly trashed, I figured it wouldn't matter if it
wouldn't do a repair install. If it wouldn't, a clean install would have to
be done. So, I took a chance and crossed my fingers. To my surprise the
install found the existing version of Windows XP, and did give an option to
repair, and things worked out fine. Like I said though, not ALL OEM
versions will do this.
--
T.C.
Pay it forward...
t__cruise@[REMOVE]hotmail.com
Delete [REMOVE] from email address to respond by email

Based on some posts from the past few days, I am wondering:
Can an OEM (full XP) CD be used to perform a repair install (on its own
machine, of course)?
And if not, is it for the same reason that it can't be used for an upgrade
install?

 

[Mark]

Yes, you can do a repair install using OEM Windows XP
operating system CD by following these steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP OS CD into the CD-ROM drive and
restart the computer.

2. The Welcome Screen will display the following message:

"This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
Windows XP to run on your computer.

- To setup Windows XP now, press Enter.

- To repair a Windows Installation using Recovery
Console, press R.

- To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press
F3."

3. Press Enter to continue
4. Press F8 to agree to the terms and continue.
5. A screen with the following message will appear:

"If one of the following Windows XP Installations is
damaged, Setup
can try to repair it. Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys
to select an
installation.

- To repair the selected Windows XP installation,
press R.

- To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP
without
repairing, press ESC."

6. Press R to continue.
7. The next screen will allow you to customize Windows XP
for
different regions and languages. Select Next to
continue using
defaults listed on the page.
8. Type the product key, which is located at the bottom
of the
Certificate of Authenticity, in the available fields
and select
Next to continue. The welcome screen introduces the
user to the
help wizard and thanks the user for purchasing the
Compaq system.
9. Press Next to continue
10. The registration screen will now appear. As
registration is
optional, Select "No, not at this time" and select
Next to continue.
11. Enter your name in the "Your Name" field and select
Next to
continue.

NOTE: Additional user names can be added at a later
time.

12. Select Finish to continue
13. The next screen will prompt you to reactivate Windows
XP. You will
have 30 days to reactivate Windows XP. To reactivate,
click Start,
select Run, type oobe/msoobe /a and click OK.

 

[Jim Macklin]

There are three kinds of OEM XP cds...
1. The OEM XP CD supplied from Microsoft and so labeled, is
basically identical to the retail XP full install CD, except
that it will not do an upgrade install, it will only install
on a clean formatted drive without an OS present. It will
do a repair install. This is what you buy from a company
such as New Egg www.newegg.com along with so hardware, such
as a new hard drive, mobo, CPU or a dongle.
2. A computer manufacturer, such as Dell or Gateway,
supplies (so I'm told) a slightly modified OEM XP CD which
will have changed splash screens and say Dell instead of
Microsoft, but it is very close to a Microsoft XP CD. It
may be BIOS locked so it will only install on a Dell
supplied mobo (for example).
3. A restore CD supplied by HP/Compaq (if you get one at
all, they like to put a compressed hidden partition on the
original drive, hope it doesn't fail). These CDs are so
modified, basically they are images of the installed files
and lack the installation programs needed to do a repair.


| Based on some posts from the past few days, I am
wondering:
| Can an OEM (full XP) CD be used to perform a repair
install (on its own
| machine, of course)?
| And if not, is it for the same reason that it can't be
used for an upgrade
| install?
|
|

 

[rory]

Thanks Jim. Mine is Type #1, fortunately.

 

[Jim Macklin]

Mine too. But our old HP 6465 with 433 Celeron came with two
HP restore disks which will not do a clean install or work
to use as proof for an upgrade. That's one big reason I
built this computer rather than buying something off the
shelf.


| Thanks Jim. Mine is Type #1, fortunately.
|
|
in message
| | > There are three kinds of OEM XP cds...
| > 1. The OEM XP CD supplied from Microsoft and so
labeled, is
| > basically identical to the retail XP full install CD,
except
| > that it will not do an upgrade install, it will only
install
| > on a clean formatted drive without an OS present. It
will
| > do a repair install. This is what you buy from a
company
| > such as New Egg www.newegg.com along with so hardware,
such
| > as a new hard drive, mobo, CPU or a dongle.
| > 2. A computer manufacturer, such as Dell or Gateway,
| > supplies (so I'm told) a slightly modified OEM XP CD
which
| > will have changed splash screens and say Dell instead of
| > Microsoft, but it is very close to a Microsoft XP CD.
It
| > may be BIOS locked so it will only install on a Dell
| > supplied mobo (for example).
| > 3. A restore CD supplied by HP/Compaq (if you get one at
| > all, they like to put a compressed hidden partition on
the
| > original drive, hope it doesn't fail). These CDs are so
| > modified, basically they are images of the installed
files
| > and lack the installation programs needed to do a
repair.
| >
| >
| > | > | Based on some posts from the past few days, I am
| > wondering:
| > | Can an OEM (full XP) CD be used to perform a repair
| > install (on its own
| > | machine, of course)?
| > | And if not, is it for the same reason that it can't be
| > used for an upgrade
| > | install?
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|

 

[rory]

From what I have read in this NG, I would NEVER buy off the shelf.
The expression "a pig in a poke" comes to mind.

http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/bulletin_board/16/messages/461.html

 

[Jim Macklin]

Caveat Emptor

Study the specification sheet, talk to the sales staff and
get everything in writing. Off the shelf can be a good buy
because they have more volume and lower prices. Just know
what you want and demand what you want. Dell and Gateway
are easier to deal with than HP or Compaq (same now). But a
big company such as General Motors can get what they want
because they will order 1,000 identical computers.

The retail stores like Office Max or Wal-Mart can order what
they want. But since they sell to the "ignorant public" you
tend to get somebody else's idea of the "best computer."
That includes hard and software.


| From what I have read in this NG, I would NEVER buy off
the shelf.
| The expression "a pig in a poke" comes to mind.
|
|
http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/bulletin_board/16/messages/461.html
|
|
in message
| | > Mine too. But our old HP 6465 with 433 Celeron came with
two
| > HP restore disks which will not do a clean install or
work
| > to use as proof for an upgrade. That's one big reason I
| > built this computer rather than buying something off the
| > shelf.
| >
| >
| > | > | Thanks Jim. Mine is Type #1, fortunately.
| > |
| > |
| > | "Jim Macklin" <p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm>
wrote
| > in message
| > | | > | > There are three kinds of OEM XP cds...
| > | > 1. The OEM XP CD supplied from Microsoft and so
| > labeled, is
| > | > basically identical to the retail XP full install
CD,
| > except
| > | > that it will not do an upgrade install, it will only
| > install
| > | > on a clean formatted drive without an OS present.
It
| > will
| > | > do a repair install. This is what you buy from a
| > company
| > | > such as New Egg www.newegg.com along with so
hardware,
| > such
| > | > as a new hard drive, mobo, CPU or a dongle.
| > | > 2. A computer manufacturer, such as Dell or Gateway,
| > | > supplies (so I'm told) a slightly modified OEM XP CD
| > which
| > | > will have changed splash screens and say Dell
instead of
| > | > Microsoft, but it is very close to a Microsoft XP
CD.
| > It
| > | > may be BIOS locked so it will only install on a Dell
| > | > supplied mobo (for example).
| > | > 3. A restore CD supplied by HP/Compaq (if you get
one at
| > | > all, they like to put a compressed hidden partition
on
| > the
| > | > original drive, hope it doesn't fail). These CDs
are so
| > | > modified, basically they are images of the installed
| > files
| > | > and lack the installation programs needed to do a
| > repair.
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > | > | > | Based on some posts from the past few days, I am
| > | > wondering:
| > | > | Can an OEM (full XP) CD be used to perform a
repair
| > | > install (on its own
| > | > | machine, of course)?
| > | > | And if not, is it for the same reason that it
can't be
| > | > used for an upgrade
| > | > | install?
| > | > |
| > | > |
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|

 

[David Candy]

#2 . While certainly Dell appears to do this is the US, but both here and
some US people say

1. Genuine OEM Disk
2. Dell Restore CD
3. Dell Driver CD
4. Recovery partition
5 Installed on the Hard Drive
For both XP and Works.

Prior to XP they just did 1, 3, and 5.

 

[GSV Three Minds in a Can]

Thank you. I bought mine with a new HDD, so I will trust that, should the
need arise, it MAY come through for me.

Yes, if it's what I call a 'retail OEM' copy, made by MS, then it will
do anything except an upgrade.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Based on some posts from the past few days, I am wondering:
Can an OEM (full XP) CD be used to perform a repair install (on its own
machine, of course)?

You just can't say, without knowing the origin of the particular disk.
All OEM makers are *required* to do is provide a means of restoring to
ex-factory state. Some of the big ones therefore provide a disk that
will do precisely that and no more. Others (Dell for example) provide
something near the same as a retail disk, with just a different setup
program (to handle the 'BIOS lock' type activation. Others (Sony for
example) provide a disk that will do a full restore *or* a repair, but
will not provide the 'recovery console' level that a retail one does. .
..
ONe you buy 'retail' - ie with some qualifying hardware - is most likely
to be one of the ones to small makers, that is essentially a retail disk
with a different setup again; but even that cannot be guaranteed