How Do I Get A "Real" XP Pro SP2 Disk? (OEM XP Pro Disk Isn't Worth Squat!)

[Viðarr]

I bought a terrific machine (A8N-SLI Deluxe - FX-55) a year ago that
regrettably came with a disposable PSU and some kind of stupid OEM (Magnell)
version of Win XP already installed. The installation since seems to have
become corrupted, and I want to create a BartPE disk (or some other method)
to troubleshoot the problem, and possibly re-install the OS.

The "Repair" option on my OEM disk threatens to End The World As I Know It,
and as might be expected, I'm quite reluctant to carry through on that. The
problem is that I can't create DVD back-ups of my user files because XP Pro
managed to destroy (or at least corrupt) those as well as some other
drivers. Flash RAM is an expensive but possible option. (I believe the
problem is a defective PSU. The replacement I ordered will arrive on
05-Jun-06, but even after I successfully and correctly install it, it may
only prevent future problems, not solve any that already exist.)

Other online forums tell me that as I want to use it, the OEM (Magnell) Win
XP disk is for all intents and purposes a coaster. Is it at all possible
that I could entice Micro$oft to part with a FREE REAL Win XP Pro disk (I
already paid for the #!%& thing!) that would allow me to create a bootable
DVD version of Win XP to repair or re-create my current installation? I
understand I'd need to download the subsequent security fixes and "updates",
but I'd at least have a usable OS (and therefore a usable computer). Right
now, I don't. (I have all the latest versions of the ASUS mobo drivers,
other peripheral drivers, and have updated the BIOS. Reinstalling these
helped, but obviously didn't solve all my problems.)

If possible, how would I go about requesting and getting such a (usable)
*FREE* Win XP Pro disk? I have all my relevant data, including the
activation codes the M$ Robot Voice read to me when I tried to reinstall
("Repair") it earlier. (The subsequent warnings early in the "Repair"
process scared me from going further.)

Help??

Thanks!

-- Viðarr

I'll check back here on the newsgroup, but for e-mail purposes, I'm
[[starstrider {{-at-}} earthlink {{-dot-}} net]].

 

[Robert Moir]

Viðarr wrote:
[snip]

Other online forums tell me that as I want to use it, the OEM
(Magnell) Win XP disk is for all intents and purposes a coaster. Is
it at all possible that I could entice Micro$oft to part with a FREE
REAL Win XP Pro disk (I already paid for the #!%& thing!) that would
allow me to create a bootable DVD version of Win XP to repair or
re-create my current installation?

That's on the list of things that pretty much are not going to happen. Your
options are pretty much limited to trying that with the OEM to see what they
say.

Not what you needed to hear, I know, but to say anything else would be
wasting your time. Sorry.


--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP
Blog Site - http://www.robertmoir.com
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ - http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html
I'm always surprised at "professionals" who STILL have to be asked "Have you
checked (event viewer / syslog)".

 

[Guest]

Whats the beef with "repair"....Repair might solve the problem,a power supply
probably wont help...Either way,its not microsofts issue,its you and the oem,
why not simply purchase a retail copy of xp,in the long haul you'll be glad
you did.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

(I already paid for the #!%& thing!)"
Actually, no you didn't, you paid for and received the OEM media from the
manufacturer.
That is one of the many reasons you paid less.
The OEM is your only source for a replacement CD (at least free).
Microsoft will not give you a retail CD, retail would not work with your OEM
Product Key anyways.
Possible but not likely you can ask for different media from the computer
OEM.

You can try temporarily installing the hard drive in another computer and
copying the data that way.

In the future it is always a good idea to have current back-ups of all
important data to help prevent this type of situation.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org

I bought a terrific machine (A8N-SLI Deluxe - FX-55) a year ago that
regrettably came with a disposable PSU and some kind of stupid OEM
(Magnell) version of Win XP already installed. The installation since
seems to have become corrupted, and I want to create a BartPE disk (or some
other method) to troubleshoot the problem, and possibly re-install the OS.

The "Repair" option on my OEM disk threatens to End The World As I Know
It, and as might be expected, I'm quite reluctant to carry through on
that. The problem is that I can't create DVD back-ups of my user files
because XP Pro managed to destroy (or at least corrupt) those as well as
some other drivers. Flash RAM is an expensive but possible option. (I
believe the problem is a defective PSU. The replacement I ordered will
arrive on 05-Jun-06, but even after I successfully and correctly install
it, it may only prevent future problems, not solve any that already
exist.)

Other online forums tell me that as I want to use it, the OEM (Magnell)
Win XP disk is for all intents and purposes a coaster. Is it at all
possible that I could entice Micro$oft to part with a FREE REAL Win XP Pro
disk (I already paid for the #!%& thing!) that would allow me to create a
bootable DVD version of Win XP to repair or re-create my current
installation? I understand I'd need to download the subsequent security
fixes and "updates", but I'd at least have a usable OS (and therefore a
usable computer). Right now, I don't. (I have all the latest versions of
the ASUS mobo drivers, other peripheral drivers, and have updated the
BIOS. Reinstalling these helped, but obviously didn't solve all my
problems.)

If possible, how would I go about requesting and getting such a (usable)
*FREE* Win XP Pro disk? I have all my relevant data, including the
activation codes the M$ Robot Voice read to me when I tried to reinstall
("Repair") it earlier. (The subsequent warnings early in the "Repair"
process scared me from going further.)

Help??

Thanks!

-- Viðarr

I'll check back here on the newsgroup, but for e-mail purposes, I'm
[[starstrider {{-at-}} earthlink {{-dot-}} net]].

 

[Viðarr]

Viðarr wrote:
[snip]

Other online forums tell me that as I want to use it, the OEM
(Magnell) Win XP disk is for all intents and purposes a coaster. Is
it at all possible that I could entice Micro$oft to part with a FREE
REAL Win XP Pro disk (I already paid for the #!%& thing!) that would
allow me to create a bootable DVD version of Win XP to repair or
re-create my current installation?

That's on the list of things that pretty much are not going to happen.
Your options are pretty much limited to trying that with the OEM to see
what they say.

Not what you needed to hear, I know, but to say anything else would be
wasting your time. Sorry.


--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP
Blog Site - http://www.robertmoir.com
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ -
http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html
I'm always surprised at "professionals" who STILL have to be asked "Have
you checked (event viewer / syslog)".

Thank you. I actually bought a copy of Win XP Pro (pre-SP2) for my other
(much older) machine (upgrade from Win Me it came with). It developed
problems after a defective thumb drive partially fried its USB subsystem.
Is there a way I can entice M$ to let me transfer that copy of Win XP Pro to
this machine? With appropriate downloads and updates, it should work,
right?

TIA,

Viðarr

 

[Guest]

Whats the beef with "repair"....Repair might solve the problem,

Quote:

that.
Unquote.

a power supply
probably wont help...

Yes it will. It took me a long time to troubleshoot it this far. (My
knowledge of and expertise with hardware significantly outstrips my
knowledge of Win XP.)

why not simply purchase a retail copy of xp,in the long haul you'll be
glad
you did.

Simple. I’m not in Bill G’s league when it comes to disposable income.


Viðarr

Whats the beef with "repair"....Repair might solve the problem,a power
supply
probably wont help...Either way,its not microsofts issue,its you and the
oem,
why not simply purchase a retail copy of xp,in the long haul you'll be
glad
you did.

I bought a terrific machine (A8N-SLI Deluxe - FX-55) a year ago that
regrettably came with a disposable PSU and some kind of stupid OEM
(Magnell)
version of Win XP already installed. The installation since seems to
have
become corrupted, and I want to create a BartPE disk (or some other
method)
to troubleshoot the problem, and possibly re-install the OS.

The "Repair" option on my OEM disk threatens to End The World As I Know
It,
and as might be expected, I'm quite reluctant to carry through on that.
The
problem is that I can't create DVD back-ups of my user files because XP
Pro
managed to destroy (or at least corrupt) those as well as some other
drivers. Flash RAM is an expensive but possible option. (I believe the
problem is a defective PSU. The replacement I ordered will arrive on
05-Jun-06, but even after I successfully and correctly install it, it may
only prevent future problems, not solve any that already exist.)

Other online forums tell me that as I want to use it, the OEM (Magnell)
Win
XP disk is for all intents and purposes a coaster. Is it at all possible
that I could entice Micro$oft to part with a FREE REAL Win XP Pro disk (I
already paid for the #!%& thing!) that would allow me to create a
bootable
DVD version of Win XP to repair or re-create my current installation? I
understand I'd need to download the subsequent security fixes and
"updates",
but I'd at least have a usable OS (and therefore a usable computer).
Right
now, I don't. (I have all the latest versions of the ASUS mobo drivers,
other peripheral drivers, and have updated the BIOS. Reinstalling these
helped, but obviously didn't solve all my problems.)

If possible, how would I go about requesting and getting such a (usable)
*FREE* Win XP Pro disk? I have all my relevant data, including the
activation codes the M$ Robot Voice read to me when I tried to reinstall
("Repair") it earlier. (The subsequent warnings early in the "Repair"
process scared me from going further.)

Help??

Thanks!

-- Viðarr

I'll check back here on the newsgroup, but for e-mail purposes, I'm
[[starstrider {{-at-}} earthlink {{-dot-}} net]].

 

[Viðarr]

Microsoft will not give you a retail CD, retail would not work with your

OEM Product Key anyways.

I was sort of hoping M$ had a fix for that problem?!

You can try temporarily installing the hard drive in another computer and
copying the data that way.

I think I’ll take my chances with a DVD-RW. Besides, copies are less of a
problem than “exports” from things like Outlook and such.

In the future it is always a good idea to have current back-ups of all
important data to help prevent this type of situation.

Gee!! I never thought of that!!


Viðarr

(I already paid for the #!%& thing!)"
Actually, no you didn't, you paid for and received the OEM media from the
manufacturer.
That is one of the many reasons you paid less.
The OEM is your only source for a replacement CD (at least free).
Microsoft will not give you a retail CD, retail would not work with your
OEM Product Key anyways.
Possible but not likely you can ask for different media from the computer
OEM.

You can try temporarily installing the hard drive in another computer and
copying the data that way.

In the future it is always a good idea to have current back-ups of all
important data to help prevent this type of situation.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org

I bought a terrific machine (A8N-SLI Deluxe - FX-55) a year ago that
regrettably came with a disposable PSU and some kind of stupid OEM
(Magnell) version of Win XP already installed. The installation since
seems to have become corrupted, and I want to create a BartPE disk (or
some other method) to troubleshoot the problem, and possibly re-install
the OS.

The "Repair" option on my OEM disk threatens to End The World As I Know
It, and as might be expected, I'm quite reluctant to carry through on
that. The problem is that I can't create DVD back-ups of my user files
because XP Pro managed to destroy (or at least corrupt) those as well as
some other drivers. Flash RAM is an expensive but possible option. (I
believe the problem is a defective PSU. The replacement I ordered will
arrive on 05-Jun-06, but even after I successfully and correctly install
it, it may only prevent future problems, not solve any that already
exist.)

Other online forums tell me that as I want to use it, the OEM (Magnell)
Win XP disk is for all intents and purposes a coaster. Is it at all
possible that I could entice Micro$oft to part with a FREE REAL Win XP
Pro disk (I already paid for the #!%& thing!) that would allow me to
create a bootable DVD version of Win XP to repair or re-create my current
installation? I understand I'd need to download the subsequent security
fixes and "updates", but I'd at least have a usable OS (and therefore a
usable computer). Right now, I don't. (I have all the latest versions
of the ASUS mobo drivers, other peripheral drivers, and have updated the
BIOS. Reinstalling these helped, but obviously didn't solve all my
problems.)

If possible, how would I go about requesting and getting such a (usable)
*FREE* Win XP Pro disk? I have all my relevant data, including the
activation codes the M$ Robot Voice read to me when I tried to reinstall
("Repair") it earlier. (The subsequent warnings early in the "Repair"
process scared me from going further.)

Help??

Thanks!

-- Viðarr

I'll check back here on the newsgroup, but for e-mail purposes, I'm
[[starstrider {{-at-}} earthlink {{-dot-}} net]].

 

[Robert Moir]

Thank you. I actually bought a copy of Win XP Pro (pre-SP2) for my
other (much older) machine (upgrade from Win Me it came with). It
developed problems after a defective thumb drive partially fried its
USB subsystem. Is there a way I can entice M$ to let me transfer that
copy of Win XP Pro to this machine? With appropriate downloads and
updates, it should work, right?

As long as it isn't an OEM disk, you can move it from one machine to another
just fine. OEM stuff aside, the restriction is "Only one computer at once
per licence", not "only one computer ever", if you see what I mean.

So you should be ok to just install it if it's a retail copy. At activation,
if the old machine was last installed a long time ago ( I think the interval
is either 120 or 180 days but I am not sure) then you should be able to just
install and activate and go on with no problems. If that interval isn't over
you'll need to be able to 'activate by phone' and explain that you're
transferring the licence. It shouldn't be a problem, I've certainly done
this before just fine.

On the "Pre SP2" thing, while we're here, this article and the utility they
point to should help you combine your old XP disk with SP2 so it installs
with SP2 built in from the start, which might save you a lot of time.
http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49

good luck


--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP
Blog Site - http://www.robertmoir.com
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ - http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html
I'm always surprised at "professionals" who STILL have to be asked "Have you
checked (event viewer / syslog)".