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Home / How to Reinstall Windows Xp Home Edition Without Cd

How to Reinstall Windows Xp Home Edition Without Cd

#2

paws

Posted 16 February 2019 - 02:26 PM

paws

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Hi , Unfortunately your Win XP Home version will not be any use for installling Win XP Pro

The wiki link you provided may work for you as long as your current Win installation has the correct files and they are complete and undamaged.

Here are some other suggestions for you.

You could borrow a genuine Win XP Pro installation disc from a chum ( for an hour or so) and use that for a fresh installation using your own Win XP product serial key.

The Win XP service pack 3 is avaialble for download direct from Microsoft here;

http://www.catalog.u...xp service pack

(Please note these files are for the Service Packs not the actual files for installing the operating system)

If your existing Win XP operating system is in good shape, working well and free from malicious or undesirable code then I would be inclined to make a disc image of it using something like Macrium Reflect Free, keeping it safe with several copies on external hard drives and using the Macrium wizard to create a rescue disc that will enable a repair to be made and or grant you access to the external hard drive where your disc images are kept.

This will enable you to completely replace your operating system at any time in future and taking less time than it usually takes to walk the dog!

Post back if you need extra information on this and how to isolate your machine from other sources of data and the Internet once you have a good working Win Xp Pro installation.

Regards

paws


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#3

Chimiti

Posted 16 February 2019 - 03:11 PM

Thanks for the reply, Paws.

Okay ... QUESTION:  You mention that my Win XP Home Edition CD would not be of any use to install Win XP Pro. But, WOULD it go ahead and install Win XP Home Edition and would it be legal?  I don't have to have Win XP Pro.  That's just what this computer had when my sister gave it to me.  Win XP Home Edition would be perfectly fine with me.  Or would the installation process detecting the difference in versions via the computer's Product Key declare this a deal breaker and stop the install process right there?

As for borrowing a Win XP Pro CD from someone?  Wooooooo!  I don't know of anyone who still has Windows XP.  Heck, most don't even have computers.  Most now just have smartphones.  So that option is a no go.

I do have the Win XP SP3 Setup File.  I've used that one before.

Macrium Reflect Free HAS been recommended before.  However, the last time that I tried to download the setup file onto my sister's computer with High Speed Internet  (I have Dial Up), Macrium Reflect tried to install itself onto my sister's computer instead of just downloading the setup file.  I wasn't able  to figure out how to get the setup file to just download instead of installing itself.  So, that plan was aborted.  That was a couple of years ago, so I don't remember what source that was. Do you know of a source from where you're pretty sure that I could just download the Macrium Reflect Free setup file without it wanting to install itself right then and there onto the computer doing the downloading?


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#4

paws

Posted 17 February 2019 - 06:48 AM

paws

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QUESTION:  You mention that my Win XP Home Edition CD would not be of any use to install Win XP Pro. But, WOULD it go ahead and install Win XP Home Edition and would it be legal?

Yes you could format your computer and reinstall your Win XP Home operating system provided that win XP Home is correctly licenced for use on a different machine ( likely if it is a full retail version, but unlikely if its an OEM version limited to use on the machine it shipped with)

For it to be legal it would need to be correctly licenced and for installation you would also need the correct product serial key for the Win XP Home installation...( the win XP Pro product serial key will not work on an XP Home installation)

It may be worthwhile checking with all your chums again to see if they still have their original Win XP Pro installation disc hidden away somehwhere in a drawer that has not been looked at recently...when doing house calls on folks to fix their computersI I was often surprised to be asked it it was worth keeping some installation discs that were issued with computers that had been replaced with different ones over the years, some discs went back to Win 3.1 and that's a few years old now (more than 25 years!) and some even had hung on to their old DOS discs!

As this computer did once belong to your sister It might be worth checking again with her to go through her cupboards and "hidey holes" to check if the errant disc is there. Did she perhaps make a disc image using Macrium or Symantec Ghost or Acronis or one of the many other disc imaging applications?

Other avenues you could explore are local computer clubs that almost certainly will have a member with the XP Pro disc you can borrow, or check with your local community groups, your church, your local U3a (University of the Third Age) your local library may also be able to help. Even a member of family (including children, grand children or dare I say it, great grand children!) of one of your chums may be a "whizz" on computers and be able to help. An ex employer or firm you have had dealings with may be able to help, its worth asking! As it's such a simple and quick solution it's worth while asking everone you can think of....after all Win XP has only been unsupported by Microsoft now for less than 5 years and there are millions and millions of folks still using it!

Do you know of a source from where you're pretty sure that I could just download the Macrium Reflect Free setup file without it wanting to install itself right then and there onto the computer doing the downloading?

Yes I sure do! here's the link:

https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

Just ask someone to download it and save it to a new and unused or otherwise clean flash drive ( USB key) and you can use that to install Macrium onto your computer.

Regards

paws


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#5

Chimiti

Posted 18 February 2019 - 08:56 PM

I actually do have the Product Key for the Windows XP Home Edition CD as well.  Unfortunately, it IS an OEM CD.  So if I understand you correctly, I guess it looks like that option will be a case of DENIED! :killcomp:

As to my sister possibly having the original Win XP Pro CD?  Trust me.  The odds of that are less than zero. :bashhead:

It's looking like my best option will be downloading Macrium Reflect Free.  Right now my computer is working very well.  So, right now would be the perfect time to get that image.  Thanks for the Macrium link, Paws.


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#6

Chimiti

Posted 18 February 2019 - 09:02 PM

Okay, a side, but sort of related question, Paws.

That same Windows XP Home Edition (OEM) CD ...

Can it be used with Tweaking.com's Windows Repair AIO?  As I understand it, when using that Tweaking.com Windows Repair AIO on Windows XP, you'll need the Windows XP CD.

I've used that Tweaking.com Windows Repair AIO on a Windows Vista computer, but never on a Windows XP computer.

IF that OEM CD can be used with Tweaking.com Windows Repair AIO, that would probably be a great option.  I'm of course sensing that the answer will probably be that NO, the OEM CD cannot be used with that option either.  But, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Edited by Chimiti, 18 February 2019 - 09:03 PM.

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#7

paws

Posted 19 February 2019 - 02:40 AM

paws

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As I understand it, when using that Tweaking.com Windows Repair AIO on Windows XP, you'll need the Windows XP CD.

No I have never found it necessary, Shane's Windows AIO Repair tool does not need the installation disc for XP, however when running the System File Checker ( SFC) either within the AiO Repair Tool or when using sfc /scannow from a command prompt, if sfc finds damaged, missing or incorrectly located protected Windows System Files then it may ask for the Win XP Pro disc ( It must be the Pro disc if asked) to be inserted so it can copy across replacement files.

Regards

paws


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#8

Chimiti

Posted 19 February 2019 - 07:48 PM

Well alright!  Great to hear that Windows Repair AIO does not necessarily need the Windows XP CD.  That'll at least give me another option to try when the available fix options in my bag of tricks are running low.

I may or may not need help getting Macrium Reflect Free all set up once I manage to download it ... or if and when one day I need to actually use it to Un-FUBAR my computer.  If I do need help, I'll pop in here again.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out, Paws.  Very much appreciated. :yeah:


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#9

paws

Posted 20 February 2019 - 02:28 AM

paws

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Ok.

:thumbsup:

good luck and do keep an eye out for an original Win XP Pro disc, there are millions of them out there!


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How to Reinstall Windows Xp Home Edition Without Cd

Source: http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/372811-how-to-install-windows-xp-without-the-original-cd/