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Help me with XP reinstall on rebuilt system

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major348   09-21-2008 at 06:13:50 PM

Hi, everyone
My parents have request me to rebuild their computer for them. They had a very old system, so I replaced everything. Since they wanted to keep their original harddrive(because of the info on it), I left it in the computer. After builing the system I tried to install their original Windows XP Home onto the new harddrive. That is when I found that their OS cd was really a recovery CD. I can't get it to initiate a new install or repair on either the new hdd or the original. I am able to boot the system from the original install in safe mode only.

So, Does anybody have any ideas?

I have already spent more on this than I wanted to, I really don't want to get other OS cd if I don't have to.

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roadrunner197069   09-21-2008 at 06:43:21 PM
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Well you have to get a new OS CD.

The OS registers itself with the hardware of the machine.

If its a Dell or similar recovery CD its loaded with wrong drivers for the hardware you have now, and wont work.

The only way to do it would be if it was a Retail XP disk, which it dont sound like it is.

You could find the same OS Home or Pro whichever you have, and download it and use your product key on the case. I have done that before with success. Theres no gaurantee Microsoft will let you activate it though.

Reply to roadrunner197069
Zorg   09-21-2008 at 06:49:03 PM
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Bite the bullet and buy the OEM copy of XP SP3 it's only $89.99.

Reply to Zorg
megamanx00   09-21-2008 at 07:04:18 PM
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Well, if you can boot into safe mode then I would set that drive as the primary drive for now. Boot into safe mode, and uninstall all the drivers. First remove any driver packages you can via the "Add/Remove" option and then proceed to the device manager, right click on every device, and select uninstall. You have to uninstall every device driver. Once you do that you should be able to boot up normally, assuming the registry isn't too messed up.

Generally the CD's supplied by the vendor will only let you install the system if they recognize the board vendor. Since you put in a new motherboard and it isn't giving of it's vendor ID as HP, or whatever make that other computer was, you won't be able to use that disk. If you have an OEM copy of XP Home then you may be able to install that using the key that was on your parents machine. If not you're going to need to do as Zorg said and buy a copy.

------------------------------ Playing X-Men Origins: Wolverine Athlon 64 X2 5000+ @3.24 Brisbane | GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-DS4 | 4GB Mushkin DDR2 1066 | Plextor 760A| 2x 3850 512M CF| WD 1TB Black| Fortron Blue Storm II 500W | APEVIA X-Dreamer Black | Win XP Pro & Vista Buisness 32bit
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buzznut   09-21-2008 at 07:11:59 PM
- 0 +

IF you had all the drivers for the new hardware, and IF you knew what you were doing, you could try to boot into safe mode and remove the old drivers, then install all the new drivers. Then you could try to boot into the old drive in standard mode.

However, considering the age of the old drive (how old?) it would be likely to fail even if everything went according to plan. Which I can tell you, with computers something always seems to come up. Rarely do things go according to plan.

Listen to their advice, go ahead and buy a new os. Consider it an investment for the next several years that will more likely give your parents a worry free experience. Or be prepared to provide round the clock administrative assistance. Really, don't chince out here, this is your parents were talking about.
You can leave the old hard drive in there but I would immediately back up all the data to the new drive (which should be much bigger and faster) or continued use of the old drive would increase chances of failure, and loss of their precious data.

Reply to buzznut
zenmaster   09-21-2008 at 07:18:44 PM
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Try Running SysPrep on the System.
That may be a fairly easy way to clean out lots of the old hardware info to let you cleanly add the new correct drivers.

However, Microsoft claims you need to buy a new OS since the old one was tied to your old system.

------------------------------ If its good in theory but not in practice,
its not good theory.
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