I just bought a used laptop off eBay about a month ago. This past week it kept crashing at start up. After defraging, running diagnostics, running msconfig, disk clean up, removing unnecessary programs, checking the hard drive for bad sectors, (all in safe mode) it still would not get past the Welcome screen.
I let a friend of mine reinstall XP pro on it yesterday and it turns out that its not a genuine version (According to Windows Update). It's extremely slow and doesn't even look like XP. I still have my original product key since the laptop did originally have a genuine version. Is there anyway to reinstall XP pro GENUINE (legally) without buying the OS brand new? Since I technically still legally own it with the product key on here. I'm an IT student so spending $200+ on it is impossible at the moment.
(Sorry I left this out).
I attempted to repair the OS using the Dell restore disk that came with the pc. I tried to just repair XP but the system had a password that neither I nor the original owner knew. I attempted to reinstall XP Pro once on top of the existing and after wiping the hard drive. During both installations the restore disk was unable to copy all the files so when I rebooted I got the stop message. That's when I had my buddy install XP Pro on it.
Amen Lance. I've had it with PCs. Cmon Trip give me a break I'm learning; I'm a freshman. lol! What type of start up disk would I use when restarting in DOS? And yes I am slightly confused.
Specs:
Microsoft Windows XP
Professinal Version 2002
Service Pack 2
Intel(R) Pentium(R) M
processor 2.00 GHz
1.99 GHz, 1.00 GB of RAM
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10 responses so far ↓
1 Jesse // Jul 17, 2008
If they're both pro, all you have to do is change the key on the current installed version. Search google for "XP key changer" or somethin I know they're out there.
2 Patrick L // Jul 17, 2008
Do a search for WGA kill on the internet. You can do away with the annoying messages.
3 Yoi_55 // Jul 17, 2008
Get the recovery CD for the laptop. You can usually get it form the manufacturer, you might have to pay maybe $10-20 but you will get a good CD. Once you get that, you can just boot to it and it will install the OS and all of the programs that originally came with the laptop.
4 pcwizardwi // Jul 17, 2008
Sure there is…..contact the manufacturer and you should be able to order recovery CDs for under $50. Some companies will allow you to download the software too versus waiting for shipment.
Good luck.
5 bill j // Jul 17, 2008
well you have a legit key. so what you can do is you can go in xp and change the key to yours. and then it will be legit. if you cant do that you can go online and search google for a program to change your key in xp. and it will change it for you to your legit key. and that will make your xp legit. and yes you can allways download xp and reinstall useing your key
6 Troy Burnique // Jul 17, 2008
It sounds like the version you have installed is totally bogus. Reinstall windows xp from a cd that either you have or someone you know. You can use the key that you own when you register it to be legit.
7 Lance W // Jul 17, 2008
Buy an Apple.
8 Serge // Jul 17, 2008
How about erasing the current program and re-installing a borrowed program from a friend?
9 Rob C // Jul 17, 2008
You can change the key using Microsoft's key update tool found here.
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx
As far as your computer not getting past windows splash screen/running slowly. This is almost surely a failing hard drive. This some times can be undetectable by software programs that just read sectors.
10 TripKore // Jul 17, 2008
It's funny when "IT" students have problems with computers. …..Anyways. The person selling the laptop would have the Genuine Windows disc after buying it from a store i would assume. Or in most cases, end up losing it, or not giving it to you.
On a side note you will learn that Disk Clean Up, Defrag has nothing to do with fixing a computer crashing problem. It will just make the HD run smoother, faster.
Your friend doesn't sound to bright in installing OS, or pirated meterial. I have always used pirated OS, and never have a problem. Maybe he didn't use the proper Genuine Patch he was suppose to install after the OS installed. Because I can update mine just fine. The "Patch" fools the "Windows Update Genuine Validation Tool". Maybe he installed Windows 2005 Media Center which looks a tad different, lighter, but always runs very fast. Maybe your computer specs are slow? Thus windows runs slow because XP tends to run slow on slower machines? Or again, cluttered because your friend didn't format first? He just overlayed pirated OS on top of another OS?
You can get Windows XP product keys anyways, Google it. It works on random serial sites and such. But that won't help much without the "Genuine Patch" which "Windows" implement a couple of yrs ago to weed out the pirated software. Would need more information on the Laptop, specs, how old it is to help further, but I think i did my best.
..EDIT* Holy Crap there's a lot of dumb people above me^ hahaha. Why do people that no nothing about computers, software try and answer these questions? Strange =/
..EDIT 2* "Additional Notes"
Well, restore discs are garbage, They hardly work. But they only work with the windows HP/DELL or whoever pre-installed the OS on their hard drive. Dell/HP etc "Restore Discs" don't usually work with "Pirated" windows installed.
What you need to do is this:
Restart into DOS, put in startup disc of some sort, you can download free startup discs if needed.
Get to a command prompt from startup disc, FDISK. Delete current partition, Create new partition, go back to command prompt. Format C:
(Or installing new OS could do this too if you don't know how to run DOS commands, sorry i forgot)
Installing OS once again, or Format through DOS, and installing OS that way. Download/find "XP Auth/Genuine Patch" install that after windows installs. Then Vallah.
It is somewhat confusing, might just be easier to send me your computer so i can fix it personally haha.
..EDIT3*
Umm, Windows XP Start up Disc would work, Or even Windows 95, 98, ME Startup discs if you have an "Adrive" being an older computer by the specs.
Or make a Windows XP startup disc on a CDR, http://www.bootdisk.com has a lot of information. But this is the more advanced way. Might just be easier if pop in the pirated windows again, format it that way. Or even downloading the "Genuine Validation Patch" tool, and follow those directions. If you still have trouble, i can make a pack for you, with step by step instructions installing, just shoot me an email.
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