Anybody else here frustrated by the many flavours of XP CDs?? (HP, Dell etc...)

[Majestic]

I have to say.. having to hunt down (or order from hp, dell or whatnot the recovery cds) the Windows XP Version for these packaged systems is really annoying. I just had a client who got hit hard by several infections including a bad virut mutation which has forced me to reinstall his Compaq Presario machine.

Not only that.. it deleted (I believe) the restore partition so I really had to start from scratch.

In any case, I have a 9 in 1 Windows XP CD which still does not work even though I chose the MCE 2005 OEM as is listed on the license on the side of the machine. Of course, I have referenced the article on setupp.ini... ugh...

So I'm thinking we should all get together and make a new 9 in 1 or 15 in 1 or whatever but specifically geared for all these manufacturers that make our lives harder when trying to repair these machines.

We could pool all our cds (which we're aware of) and figure out which setupp.ini belongs to what? Or however that would work. Anyway just an idea I'm just frustrated with always having to go through this over and over again!!

I'm curious what you guys think or if there's something out there already ?

Any ideas are welcome!!

Majestic

 

[abe]

I use the I386 folder to make an install disk it has never failed me and no activation is needed.

you say you think the recovery partition was erased, I don't think that's true, what you probably experianced was the 1 recovery dvd limit that hp (and others have ) has, did you try hitting f11 on startup to get into the recovery partition?.

(compaq belongs to hp)

 

[Majestic]

I use the I386 folder to make an install disk it has never failed me and no activation is needed.

you say you think the recovery partition was erased, I don't think that's true, what you probably experianced was the 1 recovery dvd limit that hp (and others have ) has, did you try hitting f11 on startup to get into the recovery partition?.

(compaq belongs to hp)

Unfortunately there was no i386 folder on the drive. The F10 (on this particular machine it was F10) did absolutely nothing and after inspecting the partition the files were definitely wiped. Additionally I checked to see if any "disk builder" apps were available which they were not. This is aside from the fact that the virut virus basically infected the entire machine... Even after cleaning it (took hours) there was too much damage done.

This is a Compaq presario sr2050nx btw...

Majestic

 

[abe]

yeah it seems like you had no choice, but most systems have the I386 folder in there, the reason its there is because they dont want the user to have to insert the xp cd if they choose to add stuff later (ie. language support).

I'm wondering why this computer didn't have that folder. are you sure this is the original install or did someone mess around with it.

Abe

 

[Majestic]

yeah it seems like you had no choice, but most systems have the I386 folder in there, the reason its there is because they dont want the user to have to insert the xp cd if they choose to add stuff later (ie. language support).

I'm wondering why this computer didn't have that folder. are you sure this is the original install or did someone mess around with it.

Abe

It seems that the windows installation that got the infections was Windows XP Professional (valid license) even though it had a valid MCE sticker on the side (??) so strange. In any case, yeah somebody definitely reinstalled this system at some point. I managed to install the DELL MCE disk then keyfinded it to the correct serial #. Activated fine.

I would still like some more 9 in 1 disks or whatnot for each manufacturer though

Majestic

 

[DanF]

This would be useful indeed, and avoid lots of wasted time.

 

[hondablaster]

I have to say.. having to hunt down (or order from hp, dell or whatnot the recovery cds) the Windows XP Version for these packaged systems is really annoying. I just had a client who got hit hard by several infections including a bad virut mutation which has forced me to reinstall his Compaq Presario machine.

Not only that.. it deleted (I believe) the restore partition so I really had to start from scratch.

In any case, I have a 9 in 1 Windows XP CD which still does not work even though I chose the MCE 2005 OEM as is listed on the license on the side of the machine. Of course, I have referenced the article on setupp.ini... ugh...

So I'm thinking we should all get together and make a new 9 in 1 or 15 in 1 or whatever but specifically geared for all these manufacturers that make our lives harder when trying to repair these machines.

We could pool all our cds (which we're aware of) and figure out which setupp.ini belongs to what? Or however that would work. Anyway just an idea I'm just frustrated with always having to go through this over and over again!!

I'm curious what you guys think or if there's something out there already ?

Any ideas are welcome!!

Majestic

Im currently collecting ISOs of XP and Vista. Im using torrent networks. What if..... you guys used some program like old school DVD decrypter or some image copy program .RARed it really well and then the owner of technibble or one of you guys hosted a torrent tracker.

Then everyone who gave a crap can seed/re-seed these using a tracker login password too keep leechers out.

So far I have my XP home XP pro Vista 32 Vista 64 home premiums. One Retail Upgrade and one OEM.

But i would like to have these factory install disks as well.

Im looking for unedited images, not slipstreamed or auto installers.

 

[abe]

hi Majestic, you really dont need every cd from hp,dell,compaq .... one oem pro is enough just strip out the oem info and it can be used for any oem pro install, xp home oem, strip out oem info and it can be used for any oem home. you'll need a retail cd, and that covers most reinstalls.

http://www.technibble.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19712&postcount=16
http://www.technibble.com/forums/showpost.php?p=28610&postcount=32

 

[ProTech Support]

I have to say.. having to hunt down (or order from hp, dell or whatnot the recovery cds) the Windows XP Version for these packaged systems is really annoying. I just had a client who got hit hard by several infections including a bad virut mutation which has forced me to reinstall his Compaq Presario machine.

Not only that.. it deleted (I believe) the restore partition so I really had to start from scratch.

In any case, I have a 9 in 1 Windows XP CD which still does not work even though I chose the MCE 2005 OEM as is listed on the license on the side of the machine. Of course, I have referenced the article on setupp.ini... ugh...

So I'm thinking we should all get together and make a new 9 in 1 or 15 in 1 or whatever but specifically geared for all these manufacturers that make our lives harder when trying to repair these machines.

We could pool all our cds (which we're aware of) and figure out which setupp.ini belongs to what? Or however that would work. Anyway just an idea I'm just frustrated with always having to go through this over and over again!!

I'm curious what you guys think or if there's something out there already ?

Any ideas are welcome!!

Majestic

After discovering the 9-1 disc, I have never used another Windows XP disc. I have used every version on that CD and never had an issue. What do you mean by "does not work", was it a problem with activation?

Usually after 1 out of 4 installs with that CD I cannot activate online, but a phone call to MS and it always gets approved. That disc has saved my a** a number of times. I no longer bother with 2000000 OEM discs!

 

[Majestic]

ProTech: Windows did not accept the serial # off the side of the machine. This is a Windows XP MCE installation. Even though it was definitely OEM I tried both OEM and Retail. No dice....

My DELL MCE Oem cd worked fine I just had to Keyfind the proper serial #. Then it activated fine.

Majestic

 

[Majestic]

hi Majestic, you really dont need every cd from hp,dell,compaq .... one oem pro is enough just strip out the oem info and it can be used for any oem pro install, xp home oem, strip out oem info and it can be used for any oem home. you'll need a retail cd, and that covers most reinstalls.

http://www.technibble.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19712&postcount=16
http://www.technibble.com/forums/showpost.php?p=28610&postcount=32

Thanks Abe,

Appreciate that! I'm going to create my own oem CDs now.

Majestic