XP options at boot up

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul H
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Paul H

After several attempts at installing, formatting and
loading XP Pro to a new Seagate drive, I now have a
machine that wants to go into Windows setup if left to
boot on its own. If I catch it just after the memory
check while booting I get a menu that lists three Windows
XP installations. If I choose the first - it boots from
C:. The second boots from E: (cd is D:). How do I
configure it for a straight boot to C:?
Also if by going through the phone activation with MS for
the new codes to enter, have I "used up" my rights to
move XP to a new machine? How many times can I do that?
THANKS!
 
Question 1:
You managed to copy the WinXP's CD contents onto your hard
disk. While it is possible to clean it all up the quickest
and most likely to be satisfactory solution will be to
redo the whole install. Basic steps:
- reboot and go into your BIOS. Change boot order to cdrom
THEN hard disk 0.
- Stick WinXP cdrom in drive and exit BIOS (system reboots)
- WinXP Setup will boot from cdrom. When you get to first
screen, select "new install" not "repair".
- You will want to completely repartition and reformat
your hard disk. For optimal future performance remove all
current disk partitions then create just one "big" one.
Put NTFS file system on it.
- After initial loading of files to hard drive (about 30
minutes or so) the system reboots. DO NOT remove the WinXP
crdrom and DO NOT press a key so the computer reboots to
the WinXP cdrom. Once the system boots to the hard drive
it will continue coipying files from the cdrom to the hard
drive for another 45 minutes, then want to reboot again --
that's when you take the cdrom out (it tells you to).
Question 2: Once you've registered XP a few times with
DIFFERENT HARDWARE (twice I think), from then on you have
to use phone registration. If your hardware remains the
same, you can continue to reregister via the Internet. On
the phone, when the tech asks you why you need another
install you say something like "my hard disk failed"
or "I'm moving my license to a new machine". He will then
ask you if you have it installed anywhere else. You answer
no. Unless you've re-installed on new hardware a dozen
times in short order, they'll give you the number you
need. [Editorial opinion - this whole registration thing
will ultimately drive MS out of business.]
 
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