Installing XP over Another XP? ... (UK)

[Bingo Boy]

Hello,

I recently bought a German Toshiba laptop. It has Windows XP on it and
obviously it is a German XP. I have been trying to make it as close to
UK spec as possible. So far I have just popped the 'Z'and the 'Y'
around and changed the keyboard to funstion as a non-german one.

I just recieved a new copy of Windows XP in English this morning. I am
hoping to get this up and running as soon as possible. However, I have
read conflicting reports on the net about intsalling XP over an
exsisting XP.

Obviousily I don't want to wipe my hard drive as there are a lot of
programmes on there that I do not have disks for. Well, then again - I
do have a Tools and Utilities disk with drivers and stuff I believe.
Is it possible to load all these drivers at once? Wouldn't the
keyborad driver be wiped if I did that and if so wouldn't that make it
almost impossible to load stuff up?

As you can see I am not that great with computers. I have a very basic
knowledge. I just want to get the English version of XP onto the
system and make the German go away The computer is a Toshiba
Satellite 5200-903 by the way.

Any help - very much appreciated.

BB

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

The only way to install the English version is to either reformat the hard drive and install that version, or to install the English version onto a separate partition and dual boot. You can't install the English version over the top of the German and hope that everything will work.

The following article will help you with a 'clean' install of XP:

"Clean Install Windows XP"
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Courtesy of MVP Michael Stevens.

Will

 

[sammy]

Do a Backup (with the xp backup) for all your important programs. After
your new installation, use the xp Restore to restore the backed up programs
to their original places.

As you can see I am not that great with computers. I have a very basic
knowledge......

For example, if you have backed up a Word document, you will after
installing XP also install Word and then Restore the word document to be
used in Word.

hope this helps.

gr.

 

[Bingo Boy]

Hi,

Do a Backup (with the xp backup) for all your important programs.

Well it's all in German so I wouldn't even be able to find how to do a
back up. Using this laptop right now is like walking around a maze in
the dark

After
your new installation, use the xp Restore to restore the backed up programs
to their original places.

I don't think that there is anything on here that I need to keep apart
from all the hardware drivers and stuff like that. Will they all
disappear when I do a fresh install?

For example, if you have backed up a Word document, you will after
installing XP also install Word and then Restore the word document to be
used in Word.

Backed up to where .. on a floppy?

Oh, I thought this would be much easier Why can't Microsoft produce
a Windows XP that you can instantly change launguages on? Such a
simole thing it seems to me.

hope this helps.
gr.

Cheers,

BB

 

[Knoj]

(e-mail address removed) (Bingo Boy) wrote in

Hi,


Well it's all in German so I wouldn't even be able to find how to do a
back up. Using this laptop right now is like walking around a maze in
the dark


I don't think that there is anything on here that I need to keep apart
from all the hardware drivers and stuff like that. Will they all
disappear when I do a fresh install?

Yes a clean install wipes out every bit of information. You can always
get new drivers from the internet for free. So just do a clean install
and then get any updated drivers you need from Toshiba. You chould have
gotten the driver disk from the previous owner.

 

[Bingo Boy]

Hi,

I installed the English XP but it seems I've messed up big time

Everything seemed fine and it installed no problem. Then I turned it
off and back on again and it asked me which XP Home I wanted to use -
it was then that I realised that the German one was still on my
laptop.

I picked the first one from the list and it was the new English
version and I thought 'what the hell' and loaded it up.

The desktop was empty apart from the recycle bin. All the Toshiba
stuff was gone - even the Toshiba console doesn't work. The sound was
fine as was the display, but no modem was found for some reason.

I got my Toshiba 'Tools and Utilities' disk and installed the Modem
driver which worked fine but while on the net the display started to
act like a wave. Scrolling down was strange looking.

So I rebooted and this time choose the second Windows XP from the
black boot screen and it was the German XP. All programmes still
intact and that's what i'm using now to access the net.

So what do I do now? Have I done something irreversable? God, i hope
not. Any advice is really appreciated as I am not sure what to do and
have no one at all to ask.


BB

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

You cannot upgrade or convert from one language version of the OS
to another, so you'll have to purchase and use the full version of
English WinXP to perform a clean installation.

Cannot Upgrade or Install a Different Language Version of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;282089


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[sammy]

Very much in agreement with Bruce. Get a full version to perfom a clean
install.
Infact by my earlier reply I thought you needed some programs that were
still on the laptop that is why I suggested a backup. But since you don't
need anything on there what is the point in wasting time. Visit the site of
the Laptop manufacturer and download drivers. If you don't know where the
manufacturer is, just use a search machine like google and type the model
number in the search box and go. A list appears and for sure the name/site
of the manufacturer will show up.
Don't forget an antivirus in these times.