[robertsr33a]

After purchasing a new Dell with XP installed, the hard drive on the kid's comp. died. We purchased a new larger hard drive for the new Dell which went in well. I put the Dell's 80 gig Hard drive into the kids sysytem. Now XP wants to be reactivated as the hardware has changed. I tried to install my original version of XP, the one the kid's comp. ran on, but XP will not let me install the older version over the newer one. Is there a way to get the system up and running by installing my original version of XP without buying a new copy of XP?
Also I made the 6 disc start-up program for XP but it asks me for an administrator's password. It will not take my windows password, and ideeas.
Lastly the system will not boot from a CD, I've changed the bios to boot from the cd first but it just doesn't boot.

Thanks for any help anyone may be.....

Bob

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Lastly the system will not boot from a CD, I've changed the bios to boot from the cd first but it just doesn't boot.

Thanks for any help anyone may be.....

Bob

Is the XP cd you are using here to try and boot from an original or a copy someone made for you??

Murray

[Murray S.]

Lastly the system will not boot from a CD, I've changed the bios to boot from the cd first but it just doesn't boot.

Thanks for any help anyone may be.....

Bob

Is the XP cd you are using here to try and boot from an original or a copy someone made for you??

Murray

[robertsr33a]

Murry I have both the OEM from the new Dell and my original XP upgrade disk. Neither will boot. I think I'm doing something wrong for neither to boot. This is the first time I've ever tried to boot from a CD not a floppy.

Thanks Bob

[djgotee]

Is there a way to get the system up and running by installing my original version of XP without buying a new copy of XP?

I take it you want to use the upgrade disk to install that XP OS on the computer?
Yes there is a way....but im gun shy to tell you because it may be prohibetted in these forums......
is it........ any geeks?

[djgotee]

The problem with the boot situation can be at least 2 things. Either the cdrom is not reading the disk correctly or your disks are now bad. Especially if you had no problem just a while ago....

[djgotee]

Do i need permission to tell this person how to use an upgrade disk to install XP as a clean install? any geeks on call?

[Murray S.]

Quickest way now would be to use a Win98SE boot floppy and fdisk the hdd to remove all NON-DOS partitions..

Once the hdd has been cleaned out, XP should work..

Murray

[djgotee]

Murrey, may i ask? What does removing non dos partitions have to do with a problem booting from bootable cd disk?

[Murray S.]

By cleaning the system and removing all partitions, etc.. they will be able to use the XP boot floppies..

Murray

[Africanlion]

Hi. i too am experiencing the same problem. Iam trying to install xp on my kids computer but it stops me and says the installed version is newer than the disk version. i want to do a clean install because there is so much junk on the pc, installed games, programs, and what not nd i dont have the time or energy to remove it all hence desire for clean install. Wht do it do