Clearing my computer

[Andrew Newman]

Does anyone know how i can deal with clearing my
computer, COMPLETELY, and how i deal with the activation
of my system? Would i need to buy a new copy of Windows??

I have Windows XP, Celeron 566MHz, with 512MB RAM

Thank YOu for any help
Andrew

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Does anyone know how i can deal with clearing my
computer, COMPLETELY, and how i deal with the activation
of my system? Would i need to buy a new copy of Windows??

No. You can reformat and reinstall, and then reactivate as often
as you need or want to. Worst case, you'll have to reactivate by
voice call to an 800 number, but that's quick and easy.

 

[Bertie]

Andrew, this is no problem.

Back up your system.
Format the hard drive.
Put in your XP CD (must be full version, not upgrade).

Microsoft "knows" your hardware from when you activated,
and will compare its memory of that configuration to what
you have now. (Even if you change hardware, this can be
resolved.)

 

[Steve C. Ray]

You can do a clean install with the upgrade disk if you have a qualifying
version of Windows. Win 95, 98, 98SE and ME all qualify. Just insert one of
these disks when asked to.

 

[Otto]

Sorry this forum got hung up for a few hours!

Not to worry, you can make a fresh start and it won't cost
you anything.

-Back up all your data.

-Format the hard disc.

-Insert the XP CD.

When you originally registered your XP, MS took a
snapshot" of your system, and can recognize it
electronically. In fact, even if you want to move XP to a
different machine or change hard drives, this can be dealt
with by MS. They just won't let you run your one XP on 2
machines.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Does anyone know how i can deal with clearing my
computer, COMPLETELY, and how i deal with the activation
of my system? Would i need to buy a new copy of Windows??

You can activate as many times as you like on the *same* (or
substantially the same) hardware. So back up all data you will want
again, then reinstall the system.

Make sure you have the 25 character Product key number to hand - if not,
get the free Aida 32, enterprise edition from
http://www.aida32.hu/aida-download.php?bit=32
which is an excellent general System Info tool, and its Software -
Licenses page will tell you the one used for Windows and ones for
several other items.

Set your BIOS setup, from the hot key as you power on, to boot CD
before hard drive; then boot the XP CD direct. Enter Setup, and after
the license agreement take New Install. When it asks you to confirm
where, hit ESC; select and delete the current partition and make a new
RAW one to be formatted at the next stage

Once up and running you have the usual 30 days to check things out and
then get on the net and activate from
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Activate Windows

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Andrew, this is no problem.

Back up your system.
Format the hard drive.
Put in your XP CD (must be full version, not upgrade).

If you saying that you can not do a clean installation with an
upgrade CD, that is *not* correct.

The requirement to use an upgrade version is to *own* a previous
qualifying version's installation CD (not an OEM restore CD), not
to have it installed. When setup doesn't find a previous
qualifying version installed, it will prompt you to insert its CD
as proof of ownership. Just insert the previous version's CD, and
follow the prompts. Everything proceeds quite normally and quite
legitimately.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

no you can reactivate your copy of windows as long as its
on the same machine it was orginally installed on.

You can do so even on a completely different computer, unless
it's an OEM version. Retail versions can be moved to another
computer.

--
Ken Blake
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