RSQ (Really Stupid Question(s))

[Guest]

Was surfing the group looking for info on SP2.

People talk about having a "real" CD for the OS. Now this thing I got from Dell was a "recovery" disk? Not a real OS (XP Pro), true?

Now the RSQ part, do I need the "true" disk and if I do, why don't I have it like I did with 95/98SE? My "understanding" was that the recovery disk you get from the OEMs is a "real" disk just one slated for one box only. That everything is on it (the recovery disk), it's just not a "generic" OS disk.

RSQ #2.
When SP2 comes out, will it be downloadable like a standard update? Is it too big, even for cable to download? Will I be able to back it up to a CD to have in case of a rainy XP day?

Your forbearance and kindness are anticipated and appreciated in advance.

Skiph

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

Weather, or not, you get a real CD with your computer is entirely up to the
computer manufacturer.

Service Pack 2 will be a large download. If you download the "network"
version you get the whole package, suitable for saving to a CD for later
use.

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

Was surfing the group looking for info on SP2.

People talk about having a "real" CD for the OS. Now this thing I got from

Dell was a "recovery" disk? Not a real OS (XP Pro), true?

Now the RSQ part, do I need the "true" disk and if I do, why don't I have

it like I did with 95/98SE? My "understanding" was that the recovery disk
you get from the OEMs is a "real" disk just one slated for one box only.
That everything is on it (the recovery disk), it's just not a "generic" OS
disk.

RSQ #2.
When SP2 comes out, will it be downloadable like a standard update? Is it

too big, even for cable to download? Will I be able to back it up to a CD to
have in case of a rainy XP day?

 

[Jon]

(1) If it's anything like mine it will restore your computer to the state
it was when you bought it, with all the software pre-installed and the
operating system pre-activated.
Having a recovery (OEM) CD is better anyhow. It means that in 10 years time
when Microsoft ditches its support for Windows XP ( as it did for Windows
95), or if it loses a more serious court case, you won't be left wondering
how on earth you can activate your copy of Windows XP.

(2) I'll probably be downloading it with a 56k modem and a free download
manager, so yeah should be ok.

Jon

Was surfing the group looking for info on SP2.

People talk about having a "real" CD for the OS. Now this thing I got from

Dell was a "recovery" disk? Not a real OS (XP Pro), true?

Now the RSQ part, do I need the "true" disk and if I do, why don't I have

it like I did with 95/98SE? My "understanding" was that the recovery disk
you get from the OEMs is a "real" disk just one slated for one box only.
That everything is on it (the recovery disk), it's just not a "generic" OS
disk.

RSQ #2.
When SP2 comes out, will it be downloadable like a standard update? Is it

too big, even for cable to download? Will I be able to back it up to a CD to
have in case of a rainy XP day?

 

[Joh N.]

Crusty (-: Old B@stard , after spending 3 minutes figuring out which end of

Weather, or not,

You mean communists aren't smart enough to learn that there's 'weather' *all*
the time?

 

[Les Herrman]

Having a recovery (OEM) CD is better anyhow. It means that in 10 years time
when Microsoft ditches its support for Windows XP ( as it did for Windows
95), or if it loses a more serious court case, you won't be left wondering
how on earth you can activate your copy of Windows XP.

Why? MS has already stated that when they stop supporting XP they
will release a patch to disable the activation in it.

 

[Jon]

ok cool. Hope that will also apply to the other software that they produce,
that requires activation, and other software companies will follow suit ie
not requiring activation in 10 years time for current products, when all
support for them is dropped. We can dream.

Jon

 

[Alex Nichol]

People talk about having a "real" CD for the OS. Now this thing I got from Dell was a "recovery" disk? Not a real OS (XP Pro), true?

From Dell, it is quite likely to be a 'real' CD in the sense meant.
First check, see if it has on it a folder i386 containing all the files
of the system, with extensions indicating they are compressed, like .dl_
and .ex_

Second check - see if it boots, and then gives an option R -
Repair/recovery and well as one to Setup/Install

Now the RSQ part, do I need the "true" disk and if I do, why don't I have it like I did with 95/98SE? My "understanding" was that the recovery disk you get from the OEMs is a "real" disk just one slated for one box only. That everything is on it (the recovery disk), it's just not a "generic" OS disk.

OEM makers are allowed to get away with providing no more than a 'means
to restore the system to ex-factory state'. Until buyers vote with
their feet against those taking advantage of it (and especially those
like HP/Compaq who supply a hidden partition absorbing some of the hard
disk and no CD at all) they will go on doing so

RSQ #2.
When SP2 comes out, will it be downloadable like a standard update? Is it too big, even for cable to download? Will I be able to back it up to a CD to have in case of a rainy XP day?

It will certainly be available as a complete download as SP 1 is, which
you could burn to CD. But bigger. Within reason for broadband
connections, but not, even in the so called Express form, viable on
dialup IMO. It is expected though that it will also be available (again
like SP1) to be ordered on CD, probably for a small charge

 

[kurttrail]

Was surfing the group looking for info on SP2.

People talk about having a "real" CD for the OS. Now this thing I got
from Dell was a "recovery" disk? Not a real OS (XP Pro), true?

Dell usually gives Install CDs of Windows, not recovery CDs, but have
you actually tried reading what the goddamn CD says it is?

Now the RSQ part, do I need the "true" disk and if I do, why don't I
have it like I did with 95/98SE?

Is this a trick question, or do you think Nostradamus responds to posts
to this group?

My "understanding"

Yes. That is deservedly in quotes.

was that the
recovery disk you get from the OEMs is a "real" disk just one slated
for one box only. That everything is on it (the recovery disk), it's
just not a "generic" OS disk.

RSQ #2.
When SP2 comes out, will it be downloadable like a standard update?
Yes.

Is it too big, even for cable to download?

Huh? There is no such thing. It's just a matter of how long it will
take, and how much disk space you have. This Service Pack will be
measured in MBs.

Will I be able to back it
up to a CD to have in case of a rainy XP day?
Yes.


Your forbearance and kindness are anticipated and appreciated in
advance.

LOL!

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"