I just bought a new laptop with media center xp sp2 and of course it has the usual commercial garbage, memory hogging applications i dont want or need. So I want to wipe it out and just load the operating system. Then I can configure startups, registry, services, etc...It came with no xp cd. I downloaded a couple of media center cd's and when i enter the key on the bottom of the machine they don't work. I know that many keys are now linked to the bios. The recovery partition has the os but also the crap that comes with it. How can I just load the os and use the key i paid for? I hate how new computers run. So full of junk.
2006-11-16 23:29:39 · 5 answers · asked by digdugs 3 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Laptops & Notebooks
I don't want to just remove the programs as they sometimes leave traces in the registry and I find it better to do a clean install
2006-11-16 23:38:32 · update #1
The recovery partition can actually be deleted through the partitions screen during Windows XP initial install and setup.
What you are going to need to do is to find a copy of Windows XP Media Center *OEM* Edition. Note that it is not piracy as you already own the software, provided of course that you use the CD-Key that came with your computer.
2006-11-17 00:08:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately there's no way for you to make changes to what's on the recovery partition.
If you do recover from the partition, take the time to really clean everything off. There are several good registry cleaners (free ones) that will help remove orphan keys left over from uninstalls.
http://www.registryfix.com/?hop=pccleaner2 The one I use and recommend
Once you've got the system in a state that makes you happy, use a disk imaging solution, like Ghost or Acronis True Image to create a new image. Use that to recover from instead of the stock recovery partition image.
2006-11-17 08:04:34 · answer #2 · answered by cornpie jones 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whatever you do, don't delete the recovery partition! The reason the key you used didn't work is that, each Windows cd has its own unique key. The recovery partition on your machine is right now the only way you can restore to factory new. If you delete it you might be stuck buying Windows all over again.
2006-11-17 10:45:59 · answer #3 · answered by Area 51 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well you'd actually have to rewrite or reverse engineer the software package itself.
Guess what, it is simply a lot less work to let everything install and then go back and uninstall those things you don't want on your PC.
The only other way I know of is that when your install disk launches, does it offer you any options/selections regarding what you want to install? If not, then you are stuck with the install and then delete method.
Good Luck!
2006-11-17 07:43:05 · answer #4 · answered by Dick 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go to add remove programs and remove what you dont want you can also delete what you dont want starting from the start folder do not use msconfig
2006-11-17 07:35:32 · answer #5 · answered by bsmith13421 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋