From: relic2@cjb.net   
      
   The Real Bev wrote:   
   > relic wrote:   
   >   
   >> The Real Bev wrote:   
   >>> relic wrote:   
   >>>> The Real Bev wrote:   
   >>>>> relic wrote:   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>> All the "Recovery CD" sets I've seen start out doing a Format   
   >>>>>> of the HDD, and restore everything back to the way it was the   
   >>>>>> day it left the factory. Anything you have done since you   
   >>>>>> bought the PC is gone forever. What you want is either a   
   >>>>>> "Repair" installation, or a "Reinstallation." Either requires   
   >>>>>> an XP CD, not any form of Recovery CDs. You can use someone   
   >>>>>> elses to do it (using your 'Key' from the silver sticker   
   >>>>>> attached to the bottom of your laptop), but it must match   
   >>>>>> what you have installed: OEM Home, OEM Pro, or OEM Multimedia   
   >>>>>> version. (A Retail version won't work.) You may also download   
   >>>>>> a version from p2p or Bit Torrent that matches and use your   
   >>>>>> key.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> What about the separate repair or recovery or equivalent   
   >>>>> partition that came on an HP XP desktop?  No CD at all.  I did   
   >>>>> an occasional repair-from-CD with 98 and 2000 with no bad   
   >>>>> results, but I haven't had a problem with the XP   
   >>>>> machine...yet...   
   >>>>   
   >>>> HP's recovery partition restores back to how it left the factory.   
   >>>> Some HP's came with a real XP CD as well as the 'Restore'   
   >>>> capability... not many tho.   
   >>>   
   >>> That's bad news.  I guess the best I could do is use cabview to   
   >>> find the offending file and copy it over -- not likely to be a   
   >>> pleasurable or productive activity even assuming it can be done.   
   >>   
   >> Most of the time, you can download single files. Google "download   
   >> 'filename.ext'"   
   >   
   > The problem, of course, is figuring out what's been smashed :-(   
   >   
   >>> Just copying over the original files without, in effect, formatting   
   >>> and reinstalling everything would seem to be a basic   
   >>> universally-desired function.  Guess Gate$ didn't think so.   
   >>   
   >> The Repair installation does that... but you need an XP CD.   
   >   
   > I have a non-HP XP CD.  Would that work?   
      
   If your PC has an OEM version of XP Home Edition on it, a copy of an OEM   
   Home Edition CD will work with your Key (on the Silver sticker on the bottom   
   of your case). A "Retail" Version, or any "Professional" copy won't. (If in   
   doubt, the General tab of your System Properties will identify what you have   
   installed. OEM versions are identified by "OEM" as the second group of   
   numbers in your serial number.)   
      
   The "Repair Installation" is not the first offer to Repair your installation   
   with the System Console; it's the one that comes up after you select to   
   install on top of your existing installation. Boot from the CD and follow   
   the prompts for a full installation.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)