OK you can use your disc as long as you have his serial number.
Look on the system and there should be a stick on the side or back on desktops with the serial key and the version of the original OS that was installed.
On laptops it usually is on the bottom of the system.
OK that won't do us any good because the OS is in reality married to that system.
On OEM systems the OS once installed is only for that system and cannot be put on another system. Is the donor system going to be used for anything but parts?
Do you have a Home version of XP that is not installed on another system using the serial key?
· Insert your Windows XP CD in your CD-ROM and then Restart your computer.
· At the first post screen start tapping the Del key to enter System Bios
· Find the Advance Options or Boot Sequence screen.
· You will need to change the boot sequence so that the CDrom is first and the HD is second.
· Press F10 to Save and Exit and then press Enter to accept.
· The system will now reboot
· When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.
· When you see the following message displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER
· To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
· At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is displayed. DO NOT SELECT THIS OPTION.
· On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.
· Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected and highlighted in the box, and then press the R key to repair Windows XP.
· Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.
You can also go HERE
to read a step by step tutorial with screenshots.
I tried the above but again I keep getting the boot failure.
I had set the bios to CD rom.
I have spoken to my F I Law again but his memory is vague, he cant remember what he was asked to do but apprently they were at it for at least half an hour. From what I can gather he was operating within the windows (normal boot) user operating mode, in other words it doesnt sound like he was in the bios or going deeper into the system although I wouldnt take that as read. He says it was operating as normal when he switched it off and it was the next morning when he switched on that the PC wouldnt boot to windows. He also reckons the DVD player was working when last used. I also asked if he went to control panel but again he doesnt know. I also asked about safe mode but again he cant remember
I am beginning to think that maybe it has nothing to do with the "microsoft phone call" and something else has coincidently failed.
Although I dont understand too well this area of the PC logic is telling me that something with all we have tried should boot, I have double checked all connections and they appear ok. We have tried 3 hard drives, two DVD players and several boot discs as well as the windows disc. Unless there is something else you can think of this maybe a project for the bin.
Me thinking out loud….. could something have been set to block/deny DVD access to prevent a repair.
Scudo
Let me ask is the dvd connected via a grey ribbon in the system or by a red cable?
Also if by a grey ribbon is it the only device hooked to the ribbon except where it connects to the motherboard?
Rshaffer61,
I eventually just gave up and binned the PC, I have an old laptop I will give to F I L that will keep him happy for now.
thanks for your time and help in trying to resolve the issue.
Scudo
