re-install xp

[whicker]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Can i uninstall xp home and then reinstall using the same registration code ?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Hi, Whicker.

Yes - except that you won't actually "uninstall" WinXP.

Just boot from the WinXP CD-ROM and follow the prompts. You can choose to
reformat your hard drive which will, of course, delete everything on it,
including WinXP, your installed applications and all your data. Or you can
do a "repair install", also known as an "in-place upgrade"; this will
reinstall WinXP itself, but preserve your installed applications and data.

For details about the in-place upgrade, see this KB article:
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q315341

Or see MVP Michael Stevens' web page:
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

After either a clean install or a repair install, you will need to
re-activate, but this should happen automatically over the Internet, since
the same WinXP is being reinstalled to the same computer. Note that this is
"activation", not "registration". Activation refers to the computer and is
mandatory; registration gives information about yourself to Microsoft and is
voluntary. For details of activation, see this page:
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation.mspx

And, of course, in any case, visit Windows Update as soon as possible to be
sure you have SP2 and any other critical updates installed before venturing
out onto the Web.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@corridor.net
Microsoft Windows MVP

"whicker" <whicker@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:500D599F-8675-428F-BE17-89B5EA64A9A3@microsoft.com...
> Can i uninstall xp home and then reinstall using the same registration
> code ?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

In news:500D599F-8675-428F-BE17-89B5EA64A9A3@microsoft.com,
whicker <whicker@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:

> Can i uninstall xp home and then reinstall using the same
> registration code ?


You don't actually "uninstall" it (there's no way to do that),
but yes, you can reformat and reinstall it as many times as you
want to.
Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

However why do you want to reformat and reinstall? In my view,
it's almost always a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other
version). I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95,
Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows XP, each for the period of
time before the next version came out, and each on two machines
here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never had
anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to
almost any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is
"reformat and reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them.
It gets you off the phone quickly, it almost always works, and it
doesn't require them to do any real troubleshooting (a skill that
most of them obviously don't possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You
have to restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all
your programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and
application updates,you have to locate and install all the needed
drivers for your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all
your apps to work the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome,
you may have trouble with some of them: can you find all your
application CDs? Can you find all the needed installation codes?
Do you have data backups to restore? Do you even remember all the
customizations and tweaks you may have installed to make
everything work the way you like?

Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and
far between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only
after all other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person
have failed.

If you have problems, post them here; it's likely that someone
can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Hi

Yes - you'll have to use the same Product Code each time you reinstall your
copy of XP.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP - Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


"whicker" <whicker@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:500D599F-8675-428F-BE17-89B5EA64A9A3@microsoft.com...
> Can i uninstall xp home and then reinstall using the same registration
> code ?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

There's no limit to the number of times you can reinstall and
activate the same WinXP license on the same PC. Nor is there ever a
charge. Nor does a Product Key (so long as it's not an evaluation
license) ever expire. If it's been more than 120 days since you last
activated that specific Product Key, you'll most likely be able to
activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less, you
might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH

"whicker" <whicker@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:500D599F-8675-428F-BE17-89B5EA64A9A3@microsoft.com...
> Can i uninstall xp home and then reinstall using the same
> registration code ?