About Windows XP?

Question

my buddy seems to have a virus on his computer .. and he does not have the windows xp software (restore disk) i was wondering if since i have mine .. can i install it on his computer ? reformat the drive and re install it .. and then after the interface is loaded will i be able to (if this works ) download the drivers online ?

ok so then since he has a registered version currently being run .. cant he just use the same key as now ?? and how would he obtain his same key without having the cd ? is it somewhere on the computer in a file ?

Answer 1

Tell your buddy to do a system recovery, if he has windows xp on his computer. Tap the F-10 key as the computer is booting up. This will take him into system recovery mode. It will take everything off of his hard drive, so make sure he backs up anything he wants to keep. When he gets finished, his computer will look just like it did the day he bought it. When finished, install the windows firewall, in control panel, do a windows update (express) install all of the security programs he had on his computer, reinstall service pack 2..and then put all the programs he lost back on the computer. I have done this 3 times, and got these instructions from a computer tech..
This is called a "system recovery" ...Good Luck..

Answer 2

You should try removing the virus with virus scans first, but in answer to your question

Your CD will work fine with reinstalling all the windows components, but he will need a different CD key to register his version of windows, if he doesn't know where is CD key is, or doesn't have one, reinstalling windows will be of no help.

Answer 3

Replicant 06-10-2005, 5:05 PM
Hope your still checking up on this topic PlayDoh.

you CAN make a bootable windows CD from an installed version of windows. I'm doing it right now, only problem that i'm running into is the Windows Product Activation (WPA).

I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU SCREW UP YOUR COMPUTER! :P

Incase your still interested, what you want to do is set the option (radio button) for "show hidden system folders and files" in Tools -> folder options -> view tab. and also uncheck the "Hide Protected Operating system files" in the folder options -> view tab as well. This will insure a complete copy.

now, make a folder off your C: drive named "XP" and copy the I386 folder into there. Mine was located at C:\Windows\I386 yours may be at C:\Winnt\I386 or C:\I386. so after the copy you should have C:\XP\I386 (copy the entire I386 folder not just the contents)

now we will be working completly off the C:\XP\I386 folder so close the C:\Windows\I386 or whatever you have window. so you don't get confused.

Now, open the C:\XP\I386 folder and make sure you have the file Winnt.exe, Winnt32.exe and EULA.txt. do not modify them just make sure they are there.

Now, i slipstream service pack 1 because thats what my computer has when i do my restore from the recovery CD's. I do this just to make sure those files are the original non modified files.

so to slipstream service pack 1, i download service pack 1 from:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp1/network.mspx

and make a folder off the C:\ called "C:\XP-SP1a"

copy the xpsp1a_en_x86.exe (service pack 1 that you downloaded) into the folder (C:\XP-SP1a).

now run this from Start -> Run. C:\XP-SP1a\xpsp1a_en_x86.exe -x

that will extract the Service Pack. I use the default location for files "C:\XP-SP1a" when it asks.

once its done extracting. go to Start -> Run. and type C:\XP-SP1a\Update\Update.exe -S:C:\XP

that will apply the service pack to the folder C:\XP

now, it usually doesn't make the file you needed. you can get it from:
http://bio.pk-designs.com/XP.zip

You will need WIN51 for ANY version of Windows XP. so copy that to C:\XP

For Windows XP Home Edition copy to C:\XP:
WIN51IC and WIN51IC.SP1 (WIN51IC.SP2 for Service Pack 2)

I read somewhere that you MUST have Setup.exe from any retail version of Windows XP (Home or Pro) in the XP Folder. get this however you like, I CANNOT host it as that file is Copyrighted.

the Setup.exe file is located at (CD-ROM):\Setup.exe from any Windows XP CD. It may or maynot be required.

now go to http://unattended.msfn.org/global/cdimage.htm and click the Link for CDIMAGE GUI download it and install it.

This file will help you make the .iso file to burn. or use VMWare to test your CD in a virtual enviroment which I HIGHLY recommend since you can make changes then make a new ISO to make any changes.

when you startup the CDImage GUI. in "Specify the root dir of your CD" set it to "C:\XP"

Set the Path and Filename to the ISO file to wherever you want. I put it on my second harddrive. so i use (D:\xpcd.iso)

hit the Configuration button on the left and hit the Boot Button at the top and specify the location to which you installed the CDImage program. mine is set to "C:\Documents and Settings\Phil\Desktop\CDIMAGE\boot.img"

thats all you have to configure. hit Creation on the left and hit the Start Image Creation button to make the ISO.


Hope this helps, as i said before, i'm still struggling with the Windows 30 day to activation crap. and don't want to call microsoft everytime i do a format.

Answer 4

you can, but his computer is registered under a different code. if you do it with your cd, i don't know that he will be able to register properly. he can call his computer manufacturer and have them send a restore disk. good luck!