[tisoy505]

Hey Guys thanks for taking the time to help.

My HD died recently and I purchased a replacement. During installation of windows xp after the boot screen were the time and name of the computer are given to windows I get a message that I need to insert the windows xp with service pack 2 CD into E:\i386. When I press OK it just keeps asking, if I cancel it asks again and then continues with installation of windows.

Problem is then when windows starts it is bare bones. Installation of my video card driver fails, along with internet drivers, firewall, etc.

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

My computer Specs:
AMD 5600+ Dual Core
ATI HD 5670
3G Ram
WD 500G Blue Cavair HD
Windows Home Edition

[Macboatmaster]

That message is normally received during a repair install of windows, as against on a clean installation.

For the clean installation you press enter - as here


On the repair install you key enter and then R for repair install - as here, as against the install fresh copy



However on a new hard drive - you would not normally have an installation of windows shown in the lower box.

Therefore if you have not previously attempted any install on this drive, the next question is - what are you using to install and by that I mean - where is the installlation disc from and what is it - a Microsoft XP CD, or a Dell HP etc windows CD or something bought from the web etc.

[tisoy505]

It is from a fresh install from a Dell Reinstallation CD of Win XP Home Edition Service Pack 2.

[Macboatmaster]

and is it on a dell computer

[tisoy505]

Only the DVD player and HD(the broken One) were.

[Macboatmaster]

Certain dell reinstallation CD`s came with the original dell and an SP2 CD supplied separately

The other problem is that many Dell or any OEM CD`s are specially manufactured for Dell or HP or whoever motherboards and the Dell CD expects to see certain hardware usually by way of the motherboard
and they will not install to other than DELL computers.

The next problem is that many OEM CD`s do not require the product key to be inserted during the installation, it all depends on how that Dell CD was made.

I have little doubt that these circumstances, one or more are the cause of the problem and in any case, that Dell reinstallation CD can only be used in accordance with the terms of the licence on a Dell computer and when it is not already currently in use on another Dell.


Every Dell computer purchased with Windows XP already installed also comes with an operating system reinstallation CD. The CD includes all Microsoft Windows XP service packs that were part of the original installation. Your Dell computer has a service tag on the back, with a five- or seven-digit code containing a sequence of letters and numbers. This code is assigned by Dell and identifies your particular machine.

[tisoy505]

So does this mean that I will need to buy a new OS?

[Macboatmaster]

Well hoping you will understand, the position, I find myself in, or rather I should say the position of Geeks to Go, the first point is that we cannot help you further.

In accordance with the licence an OEM CD can only be used to install the operating system on the computer to which it was originally installed, or that computer with a new hard drive or other parts. Hence of course it is a reinstallation CD

Therefore to continue to advise you, as to how you may install the system on that computer would be helping you to contravene those conditions and that is not something which Geeks to Go partake in.

So the short answer to the question is yes.

The only other answer I can give you is
How about Ubuntu - Linux based, totally free, totally free software and as much as you could want.
http://www.ubuntu.com/

Or if you do not like the new style of desktop and prefer more on the windows style then here is the older release
http://releases.ubun...esktop-i386.iso

[tisoy505]

Ok, guess I didn't understand that.

Thanks for the help.

[Macboatmaster]

That - thanks when I have not really helped is nice of you.

It is appreciated and thanks for your understanding