Can WinXP disc be used to repair WinXP on Dell PC?

[bevills1]

Can a Windows XP Professional disc with SP2 slipstreamed CD be used to repair Windows XP Home on a Dell PC that came only with restore disc, and will reactivation be required if this can be done? The current OS on the dell won't install SP2 or any other updates. The Windows updates site states some software needs to be upgraded before installing any updates, and it appears to be installing upgrade but fails giving message that upgrade failed. Thus no updates can be run unless I can correct this problem, and I was hoping a CD slipstreamed with SP2 might fix the problem. This Dell had 20 trojan horses removed using UBCD4WIN (Ultimate boot CD for Windows) created with Bart PE. Some other program functions were recovered after viurs cleaning, but Windows updates problems persist. Any other ideas will be appreciated as well.

[handyguy]

Pro is a another OS.

Dells use bios activation, they just look at the bios to activate, no need to use a net activation.

[BJ_M]

use the restro disk that came with it - and upgrade from there .. check dells site also for updated drivers ...

the slipstreamed winxp sp2 disk will not work unless you do a full install ....

[Treebeard]

If I came across something w/ 20 trojans I would have decided to wipe the drive then and there w/ a fresh install of the OS.

[ROF]

Remember it is a Dell which is the definition of a trojan.

[Denvers Dawgs]

hahaha....so true

[BJ_M]

Remember it is a Dell which is the definition of a trojan.

the Dell Precision workstation series are excellent machines ... so are some of the consumer machines if you remove all the crap ... good value anyway (for some of them)



(i wouldnt mind the system below)

system.pdf

or one of these http://www.boxxtech.com/products/8200.asp or these http://www.boxxtech.com/products/apexx4.asp

[ROF]

For $10,000 I can build two of those Dell precisons and still have enough money leftover to go on a drinking binge after taking the family out for dinner. It may look nice and spec-wise it may seem nice but my wallet is ultimately the deciding factor on whether I am getting a good deal on my product purchase. Dell can't sell me anything I can get for less and with more features elsewhere. Also the 8200 BOXX system is a mislabeled PCIx16. Both slots only operate at x4 which means limited card support. Kinda makes you wonder what else they are going to mislabel and/or overcharge you for. And again the APEXX4 at $42,000 isn't really a good bargain for your average consumer.

But that's why Dell and others are a Trojan. They look good, smell good, but ultimately screw you where it counts.

[bevills1]

I agree there are better PCs and better values than Dell and have always built my own systems for my uses. However, this Dell PC was bundled with a software deal the wife made for her business, and now I need to figure how to fix the problems.

[ROF]

In that case I'd follow the slipstreamed suggestion BJ_M gave you early on this thread. Format the disc and reinstall slipstreamed windows. You may find some of the hardware needs Dell drivers which you should be able to find on the Dell website.

[TBoneit]

If you use other than the Dell restore disk, which is at heart a windows XP install disk slightly cusomized, then Activation will be required and if you were using the Dell's product key, IE XP Home key with Non Dell XP Home, It will need activation usually via a phone call.

Secondly a Pro repair of a home isn't a repair. Windows install will consider it a upgrade thus needing activation.

Bottom line either use the Dell disk and avoid activation. Or based on past experiences here at work.... If updates are not installing a repair will not help. Install a fresh windows XP Home from the dell disk to avoid the activation problem. It'll be install activated based on past performance. Keeping in mind that you will then have to install all programs again.

[BJ_M]

For $10,000 I can build two of those Dell precisons and still have enough money leftover to go on a drinking binge after taking the family out for dinner. It may look nice and spec-wise it may seem nice but my wallet is ultimately the deciding factor on whether I am getting a good deal on my product purchase. Dell can't sell me anything I can get for less and with more features elsewhere. Also the 8200 BOXX system is a mislabeled PCIx16. Both slots only operate at x4 which means limited card support. Kinda makes you wonder what else they are going to mislabel and/or overcharge you for. And again the APEXX4 at $42,000 isn't really a good bargain for your average consumer.

But that's why Dell and others are a Trojan. They look good, smell good, but ultimately screw you where it counts.

it is impossible to build two dual xeon 3.8 systems with 2tb of raid storage (4 x 500GB Serial ATA-300), 4Gb memory, 512MB PCIe x16 nVidia Quadro FX 4500, dual Dell 2007WFP panels (support HDCP (1600x1200native) and three years on site warrenty for under 5000$ as you claim ...

The cpus are $2700 for both alone, the video card is $1400, drives are $1200 , panels are $1100 for both ... add in a motherboard (they use the ASUS SE7520 - which is $600+ ) , 600watt PS , case and a few other things including office (full) , acrobat (full) and XP and a CERC SATA Raid CONTROLLER card ($500) .... well over $5000 -- in fact it adds up to about 9000$

also the BOXX is not mislabeled - it clearly states one card is x16 and one is using the x4 ... if you knew ANYTHING about high end graphics production and NLE and/or compositing performance, you would know that the BOXX systems are not only one of the only systems certified for many high end applications - but consistently lead in terms of performance and reliability .. just ask anyone at Blackmagic, The Orphanage , Steam, Rainmaker, Imax, CIS and Avid or Sony

[bevills1]

It appears TBoneit could be right about repair install not fixing problems based on some Google searches I did. Those searches turned up what seems to be the cause and fix for my problems at http://www.derkeiler.com/Mailing-Lists/NT-Bugtraq/2004-09/0007.html and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/873148. The Microsoft solution seems a bit complicated with having to enable verbose logging and other things, and I think I'll try the batch file solution first.

[bevills1]

The last links I found were the fix for the incomplete SP2 install but not for Windows update problem. It would still state updates not installed for any other updates. However, I found solutiion for update problems at http://forums.microsoft.com/WindowsOneCare/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=347680&SiteID=2 which may help others with Windows updates problems.

[dphirschler]

If you have the license that came with that Windows, then you may be able to go get an OEM version of Windows XP and apply your serial to it. Make sure you get the OEM version. The retail version won't do.

Question to the lawyers out there: would it be illegal to download a version of XP off a torrent site if you legally have the serial number?


Darryl

[Nelson37]

Microsoft licensing tech has told me, on two seperate occassions, that it is perfectly acceptable to install my windows disk and use the client's serial number, as long as that serial is only in use on that particular machine. Versions and service packs must match or serial number will be rejected.

[lacywest]

Remember it is a Dell which is the definition of a trojan.

I have a Dell laptop ... the 5150 ... [and it supposely has something that is going to fail in it but I've had it 2 years now ... and nothing has gone wrong ... nothing]

First thing I did with it ... I wiped the hard drive clean and did a clean install of WINXP HOME ... the CD that came with my 5150.

It has a 60 GB Hard Drive in it ... runs at 2.8 GHZ ... and I take it to work ... in a nicely padded computer case ... I put it in the trunk of my car.

Quite a few times at work ... I will have a 2 Port USB [2.0] card connected in the side slot ... and a 7 Port Hub ... USB 2.0 attached.

And ... the USB 2.0 devices will be ... a mouse ... two DVD Burners and six large HDs

one 200 GB ... one 300 GB ... one 120 GB ... one 160 GB and two 250 GB .... everything works just fine.

OH ... and when it is time to go home ... my relief tells me ...

"It's going to take you an hour to pack all that stuff up ... !!!"

My Dell 5150 laptop has worked well for me.