Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (
More info?)
In news:%239C8uvG4EHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl,
Ken Blake <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> typed:
> In news:sKqdnas_Odze1ybcRVn-vQ@comcast.com,
> Bill <Bill@no.invalid> typed:
>
>> In news:uybiy253EHA.2572@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl,
>> Ken Blake <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> typed:
>>
>>> In news:cLEud.402$WZ3.53@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net,
>>> Sue Davies <susan.davies1@ntlworld.com> typed:
>>>
>>>> I have just purchased a new dell computer it has a 140gb hard
>>>> drive I
>>>> would like to partition this but unsure whether I have to
>>>> reformat
>>>> the whole drive then have to reload windows. can anybody help
>>>> please
>>>
>>>
>>> First, a word on the terminology. It's already partitioned.
>>> Partitioning is the act of creating *one or more* partitions
>>> on a
>>> drive.
>>>
>>> So what you presumably want is to have more than one
>>> partition.
>>> Windows provides no way to change the partition structure of a
>>> drive non-destructively. You have two choices:
>>>
>>> 1. Buy a third-party product such as Partition Magic or
>>> Boot-It
>>> Next Generation. Boot-It Next Generation is shareware and
>>> comes
>>> with a 30-day free trial, so if you only need to use it a
>>> single
>>> time, you could download and use it for this without actually
>>> buying it.
>>>
>>> 2. Reformat and Reinstall Windows, as you suggest. If the
>>> computer is new, and you haven't put anything on the drive
>>> yet,
>>> that might be your easiest alternative.
>>
>> If I may?
>
> Of course. Anyone is always welcome to jump in.
>
>> 3. Congratulate yourself on purchasing a product that actually
>> ships
>> with a full version of Windows XP as part of the software
>> bundle.
>
> Although I basically agree with what you say below, a small but
> important correction here: Dell computers don't ship with a Full
> version of Windows, but with an OEM version. Although a complete
> generic OEM version contains the same software as the Full
> reatail version, it has the following disadvantages as compared
> with it:
>
> 1. Its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's
> installed on. It can never legally be moved to another computer,
> sold, or given away.
Ya know? You're not the first person to tell me that, but I found it to be
untrue. (Except for the "legal" part.)
I own three Dell machines, and one "other" that I built from scratch just to
see if I could do it.
Over the years I've had occasion to format and reinstall Windows on all four
machines. In each case, I just picked a Dell reinsatallation CD at random.
I have three of them. One came with each machine, and I've never had a
problem installing the OS. Drivers are another story. The Dell driver
disks *are* particular to the machine they come with depending on options,
but I digress. All four machines are (or were) connected to the Internet on
my little home network, they all got Windows automatic updates without a
hitch, and I've never been bugged about activation.
Now I suppose it's possible that just by dumb luck, I happened to pick up
the "correct" reinstallation CD for a particular machine each time I
formatted and reinstalled, but I doubt it. And besides? That wouldn't
explain my "other" machine.
The "other" machine originally had Win98-SE installed. The last time it
started acting up (kids, what can ya do?) I decided to mess around and
install XP on it using one of the Dell reinstallation disks. I never
expected it to work, but guess what? It was online for just over four
months, working perfectly, and happily getting it's auto-updates from
Windows Update, etc. Even prompted me to install SP2, and never once did it
ask me to activate. And I imagine it still *would* be online had the little
ah heck not decided to practice "bowling" in her room, and thought it would
be OK to use the box as a backstop (It's made of metal, you know?) so the
ball wouldn't, "hurt the wall"..... Like I said, kids.
Granted. It probably was an illegal installation ... But Microsoft didn't
seem to know or care that I had a "Dell-branded" version of XP installed on
a machine that didn't have a single Dell component in it.
Not trying to be a wise-guy, but .... How do you explain *that* one?
> 2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.
True.
> 3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You can't call
> them with a problem, but instead have to get any needed support
> from your OEM; that support may range anywhere between good and
> non-existent. Or you can get support elsewhere, such as in these
> newsgroups.
True
<snip>
Bill