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can you please point me in the right direction?


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#1
neil_morrish

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how do I wipe off xp pro & install xp home?

Hi

Firstly, I feel that I should introduce myself before I ask you all lots of really dificult questions. My name's Neil, I'm from Wiltshire in England and would like very much to improve my limited knowledge of computers.
I've been going round in circles it seems, trying to find the right information. So I decided to try asking your discussion group.

I am using a second hand computer that has windows xp pro.

There are the remains of network evident on the computer. So there are lots of unnesessary folders and files(belonging to the previouse owner), that can not be easily deleted.

I have a restore cd/rom, from another make of computer(e-machine model 190/390), that uses windows xp home edition. but I'm not sure if it would work with my computer.

Basically I want to clear up everything so it's like a new computer, and I don't know where to start. Can anyone advise me what I should do?

Regards

Neil.
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#2
djgotee

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Hello this is steve. Windows XP has a thing known as WPA (windows product activation). If you try to install XP onto a computer it will run for a month b4 shutting down the operating system, with no entry. Unless you activate it either through a Microsoft telephone # or if you can get online, it can activate that way. However, microsoft will want to know the reason why you want to reinstall the OS. They will want to know if you are installing this XP OS on more than one computer. If you are, they will politely tell you this is a no-no. Thier EULA contract says that XP can only be installed on one computer and when they know you have it on 2, they will not issue another WPA activation code. Besides, restoration disks are made only for the specified computer that they sold with, they will not setup on any other computer.
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#3
neil_morrish

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Thanks Steve

I think maybe, I should try to just get rid of the unnesersary content somehow.

Can you sugest a way to refresh my existing windows xp pro o/s?

Regards

Neil
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#4
djgotee

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Hello Neil this is steve again. I would suggest a registry restore. Windows does a backup copy of the registry (system state) every time you perform a system state backup through the windows backup utility. If this backup has never been done, you can restore the registry (system state) back to a pristene (clean) condition, because the backup copy of the system state would have only been updated just after the initial setup (just after windows XP was installed). This would translate into a "pristene" copy of the registry. All youd have to do then is delete all those files /folders that you dont want anymore and uninstall all those programs that are still showing in the pprogram / start menu, or otherwise delete manually. You see, if you know you have a pristene copy of the system state, all the programs you installed since the pristene state will not be active after this restore proceedure, so youd pretty much have a clean computer. The only thing left would be to reconfigure your network settings and protocals, eliminate any you dont want and such. And start all over again installing any and all programs /settings you want from scratch. Hers the link to windows site that explains this process http://support.micro...om/?kbid=307545 do part one to step 6 only! Be very careful, but if you goof up, tell me so hopefully we can work around it. After reading this MS proceedure, do you think you can handle it? If you dont, do not attemp, find someone who you can trust to do it, ok?
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#5
timetowaste

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Maybe you could post specific removable problems and the community can help you better.
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#6
jdm

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Windows XP has a thing known as WPA (windows product activation).

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I second what Steve says. Microsoft is cracking down on software piracy, big time. I would recommend spending the $60 or $70 and purchasing XP Home or XP Pro brand new. This way you can do a fresh install with the new WPA code, thereby wiping out the "old" Windows and starting fresh. By the time you find the proper system restore, in order to "begin" (or re-begin) with a new registry structure, you might be better off starting from scratch.

Edited by jdm, 23 May 2005 - 09:24 PM.

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