Windoze XP

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Arkady

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Rob
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Has anyone upgraded to a new PC and have an old Windows-XP disk lying about?
My old laptop is just about dead and I want to reformat it. I have the utilities and drivers disk, but the Windows disk has gone AWOL in the 5 years since I unboxed it.

It's only got 512 RAM so won't really be too impressed if I try and load Windows 7 onto it which was my first cunning plan.
I'm just loath to fork out the whole cost for a soon-to-be-obsolete platform.

I know all support for XP and Vista stops after April, but there should be time enough to get SP-2 loaded on and give it another year or two of life before I re-boot it into a rubbish skip somewhere.
It only gets used by my GF for 'internetting' and MSN-ing, so it'll be running in a very stripped-down form.
 
License key is normally on the bottom of the laptop if it hasn't worn of in five years :)
 
If you just need the actual Windows XP install disc then let me know by PM with your address (let me know if it is HOME or PRO version)
 
Can upload the disc files in zip format if you want. Its XP Home (original). All you'll need to do is extract them and burn an ISO disc. Let me know.
 
doesn't the key only work with the disk you got with it??
 
ah! thanks for pointing that out - I should be able to download the correct version and use the key on the lappy...
Just checked an the license key sticker is still there...and it is!

Cheers chaps!

*edit* I appear to be able to download service-packs etc, but not the entire program - I'll keep looking...
 
No joy.
Got a decent copy with key-code (tried using my own key-code but it wouldn't accept that, so finally delved into the layers of folders in the downloaded version til I found it lurking).
Tried the install several times in various ways, but to no avail.
I think the disk is corrupted.
When I try to boot from disk to do a reformat and clean install, it doesn't recognise the hard drive.
Any other method results in a disk-error message and cancels the install...
 
Different codes work with different versions. What version of VP is you license code for? Also, what make of laptop are we talking about?
 
Google for UBCD (Ultimate Boot CD) download and burn the iso and boot your laptop using that (assuming you have a cdrom you can boot from). UBCD is a suite of free tools for checking/repairing disks and much else besides.
 
I'm feeling your pain Rob!! I too am having serious difficulty getting my pc back up and running after a Malware attack.. But my pc used the media centre edition! A lot thinner on the ground by all accounts so harder to find an instillation disk..
 
Ark, did you burn the copy on the slowest settings (1x), sometimes burning it faster can cause issues.

If that still doesn't work, I have got a few copies lying around somewhere, not sure where since I upgraded to 7. I know they work because I've used them myself on other people's PCs. I#ll try and get one in the post to you.

Have you thought about using Linux btw? get an ubuntu live CD, burn it, put it in laptop and boot from CD. you don't need to install it and at least you can use it for browsing the net etc until you find an XP copy :)
 
Matt/Rob,

I don't think I am going to get out today early enough to post the XP discs but will send them on Tuesday morning.....
 
If it's only going to be a web browser laptop then maybe think about a free linux OS?!

I can offer no advice what so ever but it's a free, cheap, and easily available option. Someone on here I'm sure would be able to explain about it all but I've never personally used one.
 
grey.squirrel said:
If it's only going to be a web browser laptop then maybe think about a free linux OS?!

I can offer no advice what so ever but it's a free, cheap, and easily available option. Someone on here I'm sure would be able to explain about it all but I've never personally used one.
Click to expand...

I sent him a PM about that just now... we'll see how it works out.
 
Cheers chaps.
It's an old, cheap Fujitsu lappy that cost £300 about six years ago, so it wont be the end of the world if it never comes back from the dead.
512Mb RAM and an old Intel processor - it never ran Photoshop as it was too slow - I just used it to run my iTunes and surf the net as it had a USB-2 port.
I had work computers for everything else.
I donated it to the GF when we started going out, so she could keep in touch while I was away; it picked up a nasty virus a couple of Christmasses ago and has been slowing down ever since even though i have AVG installed.
Now it barely crawls.
 
Try downloading TinyXP a stripped down version of XP should be fine for a old laptop
 
Give Ubuntu a try. Its system requirements are minimal compared to Windows. As you say its only used for iTunes and web browsing so you couldn't go wrong. Although iTunes purchased music might be a bit of a pain to playback (DRM and all). VLC Player works but doesn't have library features (as far as I can figure out). Ubuntu is easy to set up, support is great and its very easy to learn.
 
Arkady said:
Has anyone upgraded to a new PC and have an old Windows-XP disk lying about?
My old laptop is just about dead and I want to reformat it. I have the utilities and drivers disk, but the Windows disk has gone AWOL in the 5 years since I unboxed it.

It's only got 512 RAM so won't really be too impressed if I try and load Windows 7 onto it which was my first cunning plan.
I'm just loath to fork out the whole cost for a soon-to-be-obsolete platform.

I know all support for XP and Vista stops after April, but there should be time enough to get SP-2 loaded on and give it another year or two of life before I re-boot it into a rubbish skip somewhere.
It only gets used by my GF for 'internetting' and MSN-ing, so it'll be running in a very stripped-down form.
Click to expand...

Just a heads up for anyone like me that went "EH!" XP and Vista aren't having support stopped in April wholesale, just those that don't have XP SP2 and Vista SP1 (or higher) installed.

If you have XP SP2 (or higher) or Vista SP1 (or higher) installed then it looks like you'll be fine.

More info: http://blogs.technet.com/lifecycle/...ws-vista-with-no-service-packs-installed.aspx

Made me worry for a minute there!:lol:
 
Arkady said:
I donated it to the GF when we started going out, so she could keep in touch while I was away; it picked up a nasty virus a couple of Christmasses ago and has been slowing down ever since even though i have AVG installed.
Now it barely crawls.
Click to expand...

Who are you referrring to PC or GF ? ;););)

I got some Dell discs if they any help mate
 
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