Re-Installing XP Home

[Mike]

my computer is a mess among other things, i need ot re-
install but i don't know how to re-activate it when its
already been activated. i need to do a clean install. wat
do i do about the activation key?

heyylp me!

 

[Norm]

Don't worry about it, just reinstall and activation will be painless.

 

[WAYNE]

You must have the activation key to use windows. They
give you 30 days to activate, either by phone, or the
internet. However, if you mean the "product code", you
must have that to access the Operating System itself. It
will not boot without it. You can only get so far, then
it will do nothing...I have used my software three times
(XP Home), on three different systems, and every time I
had to have that code, or it just wasn't going to happen
Another thing, if it is the "upgrade" CD you have to have
the previous version to upgrade from. IE: 98SE or Windows
ME.,...,,, good luck...

 

[Alex Nichol]

my computer is a mess among other things, i need ot re-
install but i don't know how to re-activate it when its
already been activated. i need to do a clean install. wat
do i do about the activation key?

You use the same Product Key (the 25 characters in groups of five) that
you used before. You can use that over and over, as often as you like
on the same (or substantially the same) hardware. Then after finishing
the clean install, you will have the same 30 days as first time, to get
on the net and run
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Activate windows,
which will go through again in seconds.

To do a clean install, 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

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one