Can you do a repair/install from a new WinXP CD?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Darrell S
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Darrell S

Is it possible to do a repair/install from a new WinXP CD? I have a Gateway with an OEM WinXP CD. I'm curious if I were to purchase a new WinXP CD with SP2 could I do a repair/install and retain non-system programs and files as they are?

I know there are philosophical and economic reasons not to do that. I just wonder if it would work.
 
In Darrell S <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:
Is it possible to do a repair/install from a new WinXP CD? I have a
Gateway with an OEM WinXP CD. I'm curious if I were to purchase a
new WinXP CD with SP2 could I do a repair/install and retain
non-system programs and files as they are?

I know there are philosophical and economic reasons not to do that.
I just wonder if it would work.
Click to expand...

It should work just fine assuming you've already installed SP2. I assume you
already know how to do it but here's directions:

Repair Installation of XP:
http://kgiii.info/windows/XP/general/xprepair.html

Anything like programs installed by the OEM would remain though any changes
they'd made to the OS itself - to move it away from the default
configuration - would likely be wiped out.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of
existence." - Sherlock Holmes
 
Yes, but a clean install is much better


Is it possible to do a repair/install from a new WinXP CD? I have a Gateway with an OEM WinXP CD. I'm curious if I were to purchase a new WinXP CD with SP2 could I do a repair/install and retain non-system programs and files as they are?

I know there are philosophical and economic reasons not to do that. I just wonder if it would work.
 
Clayton said:
Yes, but a clean install is much better
Click to expand...

I disagree. The repair install function in XP normally does a very good
job of retaining programs, user profiles and data files. I would
recommend at least trying a repair install before resorting to a clean
install.

Steve N.
 
Darrell said:
Is it possible to do a repair/install from a new WinXP CD? I have a
Gateway with an OEM WinXP CD. I'm curious if I were to purchase a new
WinXP CD with SP2 could I do a repair/install and retain non-system
programs and files as they are?

I know there are philosophical and economic reasons not to do that.
Click to expand...

You could save money and buy a Generic OEM release rather than a full
retail release. Does the Gateway OEM CD not have the ability to do a
repair install?
I
just wonder if it would work.

--

Darrell R. Schmidt
B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
-
Click to expand...

Yes, it will work, but as always before making any serious system
changes, backup your important data files first.

Steve N.
 
Darrell S said:
Is it possible to do a repair/install from a new WinXP CD? I have a Gateway with an OEM WinXP CD. I'm curious if I were to purchase a new WinXP CD with SP2 could I do a repair/install and retain non-system programs and files as they are?

I know there are philosophical and economic reasons not to do that. I just >wonder if it would work.
Click to expand...

I assume you are asking the question because your Gateway CD is pre-xp2?

It will work and I have to do that sometimes on machines that come into the
shop, but they usually fail to activate over the internet, because different
series of xp license keys are used by OEMs such as Gateway. My CD is not OEM,
so I have to call the MS activation ph # and explain to a human what is going
on and convince them that I'm not pirating.
 
You will be better off if you tell us what is the problem with the
system so that the correct/optimal solution is given. Sometimes repair
install is good but most of the times you will need to do a clean
install to erase all spywares and hidden rootkit type scumware that are
becoming common these days.

If you are thinking of buying a new CD for whatever reasons, Gateway
should be able to help you out. If not, I would recommend a retail
version (upgrade if you have a qualifying product such as Win2k, Win98
etc. or full version). This should ensure that you can transfer this on
to a new machine should you wish to. OEM have their own restrictions.

hth

David
 
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