Should there be any problems installing New XP HP w2k system

[KWW]

A friend has an HP system (couple of years old) with Win2k on it. Following
bad advice, she disabled her antivirus SW to install a firewall (they
conflicted) but it did not work well, so she ran with neither one for a few
weeks. First lose email ability then web browsing.... sounds like viruses
and maybe spyware.

Given the difficulty in fixing a heavily infected system, and given the lack
of crucial data on system (has backups of key data), it sounds like a
reformat/reinstall would work best... but she never got CDs of OEM OS....
repair files are in a folder on the hard drive. I am wondering whether it
might be easiest/cheapest just to buy XP home version and load it from
scratch. My one concern is whether HP/Compaq/etc systems have any
proprietary BIOS things which would cause a non-branded (HP, Compaq, etc) OS
from loading/working properly.

Anyone encountered anything on this subject.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

I have installed Windows XP on several older PC's such as
a 1999 model HP BRIO BA600, a 2001 model HP Pavilion
761C, and two 1997 Gateway model PCs. I did not eXPerience
any abnormalities during the install, however, none were
corrupted with viruses either. All the default BIOS settings were
used.

In your case, I would recommend a "clean install" of Windows XP
which will require a "Full Version", unless you own a
Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME installation CD, in which case
an "Upgrade Version" of XP will be fine.

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

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| A friend has an HP system (couple of years old) with Win2k on it. Following
| bad advice, she disabled her antivirus SW to install a firewall (they
| conflicted) but it did not work well, so she ran with neither one for a few
| weeks. First lose email ability then web browsing.... sounds like viruses
| and maybe spyware.
|
| Given the difficulty in fixing a heavily infected system, and given the lack
| of crucial data on system (has backups of key data), it sounds like a
| reformat/reinstall would work best... but she never got CDs of OEM OS....
| repair files are in a folder on the hard drive. I am wondering whether it
| might be easiest/cheapest just to buy XP home version and load it from
| scratch. My one concern is whether HP/Compaq/etc systems have any
| proprietary BIOS things which would cause a non-branded (HP, Compaq, etc) OS
| from loading/working properly.
|
| Anyone encountered anything on this subject.
|
| --
| KWW

 

[Hunter1]

We wack XP quite happily on HP Vectras (VE8, VEi8, VL400, VL600), Compaq
Armada laptops, Compaq EVO's, etc.etc. In fact right back to old Digital
PC 3000's (just as a test, not in production), never found a PC that
faltered (at least as far as installation, performance is another matter
on the low-end beasts), although some of the laptops (newer ones at
that) have been interesting to get going driver-wise. Nothing like the
old days of trying to get PCMCIA working with NT on certain Digital
laptops though, thank god those days are gone.

 

[Brian Conner]

You access the hidden partition by continuously tapping F10 at the HP logo.