Hey guys. I recently got some malware of some kind that took a few chunks out of my system 32 files. It wiped my capability to run .exe files and restore any defaults i have previously made. So I've come to the conclusion that I need to reformat and install a new OS or find someones Vista disk so I can use its repair function (I can't find mine for some odd reason). While I was looking through my box of computer disks, I found an old copy of XP that I had used for my old computer. Though, I have no cd key or anything with it. I was just wondering if it really does nee da cd key? Its been so long since i have installed it that I can't remember =p
Its likely that your XP disk will need a Cd key yes. Have you tried running windows system restore? or most PCs these days come with a recovery partition so you can just press F11 at boot to boot a virtual copy of the Vista disk. Also depending on how new your PC is then you may not be able to find XP drivers (this is what happened in my case, I cant use XP at all on my system). In my case I just gave up on windows completely and installed linux
it may install without one but you wont be able to to activate it or use windows update. Also make sure you have another working computer and a flash drive handy so you can get drivers for the reformatted one if necessary.
Thats a good point Almo, I forgot completely that I have a recovery partition. So if I use it on boot, will it force me to reformat or can it repair my damage files? I would just go ahead and reformat ( I haven't in about a year its about freakin time =p), but my wife insist that I don't because she has some pictures dear to her that we haven't made a back up of.
the vista boot partition will be able to repair your installation so you wont need to format the disk. however if you really want to do a clean install, simply back up the users folder on the disk to another, thats if you usually keep your docs and stuff in the designated areas
no, back them up elsewhere, be it a flash drive, another computer, an external hard disk or optical discs.
If you use the repair function to repair the install just long enough to back up all the data you need ( I have everything on my PC backed up on 3 Ext HDDS). If its only photos then CDs or DVDs should be fine, even a big enough flash drive will do the trick.
if you plan to have a fresh install, you'll need to make sure if the xp cd is full or upgrade. full is the whole os while the upgrade is just an upgrade while requiring the need of an existing operating system. if you know that the cd is a full version of xp, then you'll need a cd key. you can get a "cereal" key online. this is the assumption that you are currently able to have internet access based on your predicament, which would permit you to obtain the "cereal" key. if however the cd is an upgrade version then you'll need an original os, such as windows 98 or windows 95 installed and then upgrade the suite using the windows xp. it would also require a "cereal" key. please note, that using an online "cereal" key would not allow you to perform updates using the ms auto-update. doing so will make the system have a block, you know that pop-up which has a timer and restarts the system or other blocks that ms performs. so as a side note, if you do perform a ful install and use an online "cereal" key, do not and i repeat, do not have auto-update on or perform any forms of update. i tried it and got "blocked". remember, the world is now "open" thanks to the internet and google! from free lifetime porn, to free music download, free anime, etc... the world is now open!
i don't have auto updates on. i tried once and got a message of some sort. i can download the updated catalogues and install them as if they were like a service pack other then that i can't auto update. no biggie though.
