Restoring Windows XP

[Guest]

I have misplaced my orginal CD's. My computer is infected with virus and the
only way I am told is to reinstall everything. can somebody help me with the
CD's. I do have the orginal product number at the back of my computer

Thanks in advance for your suggestion

Rgds
Anish

 

[Phil Anthropist]

I have misplaced my orginal CD's. My computer is infected with virus and
the
only way I am told is to reinstall everything. can somebody help me with
the
CD's. I do have the orginal product number at the back of my computer

Thanks in advance for your suggestion

Rgds
Anish

I think you have been wrongly advised regarding reinstalling everything.
That should be your last resort. Someone else's Win XP CDs will not work on
your computer.

 

[DL]

If OEM contact origonal supplier
If retail WinXP contact MS, see details on MS site ' how to replace missing
media'

PS It is rarely required to reinstall everything because of a virus

 

[Jim Howes]

I think you have been wrongly advised regarding reinstalling everything.
That should be your last resort. Someone else's Win XP CDs will not work on
your computer.

Those statement needs qualifying.

The first statement regarding reinstalling everything...

If you allow someone else to run software on your computer, it is not your
computer any more. There is no way you can be sure that the machine is clean,
other than by reinstalling. The action you take should depend on the nature of
the infection you have detected. As we do not know what that infection was, and
the likelihood of further, hidden, malware, it is difficult to comment.

The second statement regarding someone else's WinXP CD's not working...

Windows XP CD's created by hardware vendors (specific OEM CD's) will only work
on the MAKE, and sometimes MODEL of PC for which they are intended, and are
typically restricted to a subset of product keys and/or BIOS signatures. The
stickers that go with these products contain the name of the hardware
manufacturer. (These keys, known as VLKs) CANNOT be used with generic OEM or
retail CD's.

Generic OEM CD's (supplied with a thin booklet in a plastic bag) manufactured
with Microsoft will work with any hardware, and any Generic OEM key. For these,
you need a generic OEM CD.

Retail CD's (supplied in a Microsoft labelled cardboard box, with more extensive
documentation) will work on any hardware, MAY have requirements about qualifying
products (Upgrade retail CDs), and only work with retail product keys.

So, if you can get the right type of disk (VLK, OEM or Retail) to match your
key, you can use that disk.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have misplaced my orginal CD's. My computer is infected with virus and the
only way I am told is to reinstall everything.

Formatting the hard drive to solve a virus or spyware problem is
rather like using an axe to trim one's fingernails. Sure, it'll
probably get the job done, but it's rather messy...., and almost always
unnecessary.

However, if that's what you want to do:

Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

can somebody help me with the
CD's. I do have the orginal product number at the back of my computer

If it was a retail license and you have proof of purchase:

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;326246

If it was an OEM license, you should contact the computer's
manufacturer; although very few manufacturers/vendors keep records of
the Product Keys they've sold, it's worth a try before you have to buy a
new license.


--

Bruce Chambers

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