Reinstall Windows XP with OEM license

[pzkpfw]

Ah flip. The basic XP DVD doesn't have drivers for half the hardware on the thing, including its WiFi and Ethernet.

And the drivers for the thing have gone from HP's support web sites. (Wankers!).

(The laptop I bought 3 days after this one still has links to a driver download page, this Mini doesn't.)

Could be a bit of a risk even trying to install Win 8 on it - if it doesn't have out of the box drivers that work.

You could be right. Dick Smith are doing a clearance ASUS netbook for $400. May just be easier. Already burned enough of today on the darn thing.

[James Deuce]

How much do you want for the old one?

[pzkpfw]

How much do you want for the old one?

For you?

(To put Linux on?)

It's just a 3 year old Atom laptop with 1024x600 screen, and the current HDD is 60GB.

(Also: non-standard video output, i.e. you won't plug an external screen into it, unless you fluke on to someone selling the weird adaptor cable.)

[James Deuce]

For you?

(To put Linux on?)

It's just a 3 year old Atom laptop with 1024x600 screen, and the current HDD is 60GB.

(Also: non-standard video output, i.e. you won't plug an external screen into it, unless you fluke on to someone selling the weird adaptor cable.)

You've got it. Linux is the answer.

[Headbanger]

Well, Its an alternative.....

And it is where I'd be looking.

Then I'd give it away to a poor person.

[James Deuce]

I luff's you Headbanger.

[pzkpfw]

Well molest my poodle and call me a Mormon - suddenly I find drivers on an HP website. So far only have WEP available on the WiFi (so can't connect to my router yet) but getting somewhere.

I can't believe I couldn't find them last time, but they can't have suddenly added them 'cos I had a little cry on a website feedback form two hours ago.

I'll blame sunspots. And the end of the Mayan calendar.

Once I've connected, I'll make Windows verify/validate itself, and see if the key I used works or is claimed dodgy.



(Why is it real "pirates" always find ways to work around things, but legit users with legit equipment get screwed around by software?)

[pzkpfw]

So the HP WiFi assistant won't run because XP didn't come with .Net 2.0; and getting that seemed a hassle so I thought I'd just go straight for the Win 8 upgrade, see if it works (Win 8 has pretty good default driver support).

But the Microsoft website won't let me do anything 'till I upgrade to IE 8. (IE 6 is what XP came with).

So I do the upgrade, but it chokes on an obscure error.

It seems that's related to XP service packs, so now ... I'm busy installing SP1a so I can then install SP3 so I can then try to install IE8 so I can then try to upgrade to Win 8.


Gosh I love computers.

[pzkpfw]

XP SP3 won't install unless at least SP1 (or SP1a) is installed first.

But I can only find the express install of SP1a on the MS site, and it keeps failing part-way through.

Sigh.

[Gremlin]

So the question is: if I get hold of a fresh Windows DVD and do a full-reinstall off that, would I be expected to have an issue using the OEM key?

Just for reference (didn't see a specific answer), yes, you will generally have issues. OEM keys usually can't be used with retail installs. Equally, the keys won't work on different hardware if you try to migrate it etc. Pain in the damn arse.

XP SP3 won't install unless at least SP1 (or SP1a) is installed first.

But I can only find the express install of SP1a on the MS site, and it keeps failing part-way through.

Not sure exactly what you're after, but searching using the "standalone" keyword should normally find something.

[pzkpfw]

Cheers,


Eventually got as far as SP3 being installed on it. (Used a key off a different (un-used) machine. Funnily enough it was another OEM license, also for an HP, but currently on a non-HP desktop.)

Now need to get the drivers for all the stuff working (WiFi etc).

Then will have to make a complete backup, before I dare upgrading to Win 8 (I'm just kind of curious now about whether it'll work).

[davereid]

Eventually got as far as SP3 being installed on it. (Used a key off a different (un-used) machine. Funnily enough it was another OEM license, also for an HP, but currently on a non-HP desktop.)Now need to get the drivers for all the stuff working (WiFi etc).Then will have to make a complete backup, before I dare upgrading to Win 8 (I'm just kind of curious now about whether it'll work).

Ubuntu is so much better than windows, that I have moved all my machines to it.

I have a small number of programs I need to run that are not available for Ubuntu, so I have installed virtual box. https://www.virtualbox.org/ and I run a copy of windows in virtual box. Its nice and stable, and I didnt need any drivers, as Ubuntu has them all anyway.

Once you get used to Ubuntu you won't go back to windoze.

[pzkpfw]

Ubuntu is so much better than windows, that I have moved all my machines to it.

I have a small number of programs I need to run that are not available for Ubuntu, so I have installed virtual box. https://www.virtualbox.org/ and I run a copy of windows in virtual box. Its nice and stable, and I didnt need any drivers, as Ubuntu has them all anyway.

Once you get used to Ubuntu you won't go back to windoze.

Yeah, I make my living off Microsoft products, so I'll be Windows for a while.

Putting Ubuntu on this thing for my Daughter on the other hand, would have been a good option (given the small list of things she'll actually do with it), but as she's off overseas shortly, it's the wrong time to throw a different OS at her (esp. given my own lack of experience with it).

[Akzle]

get a linux distro. hack win xp's .pwd file - this gives you your admin access back.
it won't halp if winblows has blowed.

then image your drive to an external one - you can go through this and pull files later.

then write the drive in the machine to zeros

then install your linux flavour on 10% or 1GB of the drive

then install microsoft on the rest of the drive.

then next time M$ fucks out (and it will), you can re-write your MBR, and linux the fuck out of it.

[pzkpfw]

get a linux distro. hack win xp's .pwd file - this gives you your admin access back.
it won't halp if winblows has blowed.

then image your drive to an external one - you can go through this and pull files later.

then write the drive in the machine to zeros

then install your linux flavour on 10% or 1GB of the drive

then install microsoft on the rest of the drive.

then next time M$ fucks out (and it will), you can re-write your MBR, and linux the fuck out of it.

I'd rather stick a fork in my eyes.


Having said that, it'd be nice to have a simple way for my Daughter to re-build the thing without my help.

Ideally something that'd let me image the HDD as at some point, like a Ghost to USB stick, with a wrapper on the stick that'd let her boot off it to copy the image back to the HDD.

Basically what Akzle talks about, but without all the dicking around with Linux.

I figure there must be some simple combination of utilities that'd do all that ...