Repair XP Home .... need advice

[Fred Marshall]

I'm working on an old hp laptop that has Windows XP Home installed.
It stopped booting at the light blue Windows splash screen with the small
windows logo (not the black screen with the larger Windows logo).

No efforts to repair worked so I tried to do a Repair Install with a handy
XP Home CD.
That attempt failed when the install refused to accept the CD key from the
computer.
Now the process seems to be stuck in the middle of the install - after each
reboot.

I'm stuck. What might anyone recommend so I can rebuild this computer from
scratch?

There are no recovery CDs. hp doesn't have them any longer. They are only
available (maybe) from a 3rd party now.

Thanks,

Fred

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I'm working on an old hp laptop that has Windows XP Home installed.
It stopped booting at the light blue Windows splash screen with the small
windows logo (not the black screen with the larger Windows logo).

No efforts to repair worked so I tried to do a Repair Install with a handy
XP Home CD.
That attempt failed when the install refused to accept the CD key from the
computer.
Now the process seems to be stuck in the middle of the install - after each
reboot.

I'm stuck. What might anyone recommend so I can rebuild this computer from
scratch?

There are no recovery CDs. hp doesn't have them any longer. They are only
available (maybe) from a 3rd party now.

Thanks,

Fred

You can boot the machine with your WinXP CD, then allow the
hard disk to be formatted. This will, of course, erase all information
currently stored on the disk.

If the CD key you have belongs to the CD you use then you
will be able to install WinXP. Note that the key must not already
be registered for a different PC.

 

[Fred Marshall]

You can boot the machine with your WinXP CD, then allow the
hard disk to be formatted. This will, of course, erase all information
currently stored on the disk.

If the CD key you have belongs to the CD you use then you
will be able to install WinXP. Note that the key must not already
be registered for a different PC.

Right, as I said, we don't have the CDs for this computer.....

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Right, as I said, we don't have the CDs for this computer.....

Then you have to purchase a copy of WinXP, or get the original
CD & key from the original owner.

 

[Michael Stevens]

In

I'm working on an old hp laptop that has Windows XP Home installed.
It stopped booting at the light blue Windows splash screen with the
small windows logo (not the black screen with the larger Windows
logo).
No efforts to repair worked so I tried to do a Repair Install with a
handy XP Home CD.
That attempt failed when the install refused to accept the CD key
from the computer.
Now the process seems to be stuck in the middle of the install -
after each reboot.

I'm stuck. What might anyone recommend so I can rebuild this
computer from scratch?

There are no recovery CDs. hp doesn't have them any longer. They
are only available (maybe) from a 3rd party now.

Thanks,

Fred

You have only limited options you will likely get from this newsgroup; and
it is really the only realistic foolproof way to insure you get a valid safe
way to get your computer working again.
Since your laptop obviously shipped with a means to restore to the original
shipped state; and you have lost, misplaced, or aliens vaporized them to
discredit HP and terrorize you, you will need to:
1. Find someone with a HP computer from the same model and they are willing
to allow you to make a copy of the CD. The CD does not contain anything that
would identify an individual computer or user. The CD is only unique to the
bios and will only accept a OEM Product Key located on the computer case
containing the correct hardware associated with the OEM product key.
2. Purchase a upgrade version of the desired XP version if you have a
qualifying Win9X/Me CD or even floppies if Win 9x.
3. Purchase a Retail Full Version of XP
4. Purchase a OEM version and do a clean install.
5. To retrieve your data, you should either remove the hard drive and let a
professional data retrieval service retrieve your data, or remove the drive
and install it as a slave drive on another computer. You should be able to
retrieve your data and back it up to the media of your choice.
6. For any dubious advice you get about downloading from unknown sources,
make sure you have valid backups and monitor your financial transactions and
identity information very closely.


--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Alan]

Right, as I said, we don't have the CDs for this computer.....

You need an install CD.You can buy a new one, or try getting a second hand
one with the key- try second hand dealers, try eBay, computer fairs, the
machines seller, or wherever you can think of.

 

[Fred Marshall]

You can boot the machine with your WinXP CD, then allow the
hard disk to be formatted. This will, of course, erase all information
currently stored on the disk.

If the CD key you have belongs to the CD you use then you
will be able to install WinXP. Note that the key must not already
be registered for a different PC.

Well, CD keys don't "belong" to CDs one-for-one. Some range of CD keys work
with one or another CD image type.

The problem here is that the key is known for the computer / Windows license
but the CD is not available.
Another CD is available but it doesn't match with the CD key because it's of
the wrong "type".
Another CD of the proper type would work but one wasn't directly available.

Solution: make a CD of the proper type available.

Fred