Installing/Uninstalling Windows XP (home)

Logo

Not sure if you can help me but i've installed windows xp (home) from a genuine disc (with product key). However it's giving me a few weeks to activate. I've tried ringing the number to activate but was told that it can't be used on two machines... Any chance anyone can help me sort this or even how to uninstall windows xp....

Many thanks in advance,
Logo

Ruu_Old

It has already been installed on a computer before so there is nothing you can do, I don't think. Is it an OEM disc you have?

mizwizzy

hey Logo...

i would advise formatting your computer and installing win98se .... no annoying activation...

If you want instructions on how to go about doing this drop me a PM..

aidan_walsh

mizwizzy wrote:

hey Logo...

i would advise formatting your computer and installing win98se .... no annoying activation...

If you want instructions on how to go about doing this drop me a PM..

Or hey, go back to Windows 3.1 and you won't have to worry about Internet Explorer either...

Logo

Afraid i'm not good with computer technology. Not sure what an OEM disc is Ruu. Have PM'd you mzwizzy. It's a laptop aidan_walsh with only an operating system installed (i.e. no MS office so i assume no winsdows 3.1).

Many thanks for your replies guys.

Logo.

Ruu_Old

It will say on the Windows XP cd if it is an OEM disc which I believe means that you can only use it on the computer it was sold with and not on another computer.

mizwizzy

aidan_walsh wrote:

Or hey, go back to Windows 3.1 and you won't have to worry about Internet Explorer either...

:rolleyes: IE is :eek: :mad: anyway..... dont even get me started on browsers

I got ur PM Logo.... ive sent you a reply

Bob the Builder

well win.3.1 and win98 are both crap, and winxp is just as crap, install linux to hell with it, a free operating system thats just as good as windows and is totally user approachable.... try Linux, you'll never look back...:D

Sam Vimes

nevf wrote:

well win.3.1 and win98 are both crap, and winxp is just as crap, install linux to hell with it, a free operating system thats just as good as windows and is totally user approachable.... try Linux, you'll never look back...:D

user approachable if the user has just snorted a copious amount of crack. i'd consider myself fairly computer savy and i gave up on linux after spending a week trying to get the most basic of things working

logo, i'd advise you avoid linux. you say you're not good with computers so linux would be a very steep learning curve

willietherock

what happens if you don't chose to activate? Does it stop running?

Ruu_Old

nevf wrote:

well win.3.1 and win98 are both crap, and winxp is just as crap, install linux to hell with it, a free operating system thats just as good as windows and is totally user approachable.... try Linux, you'll never look back...:D

Not advisable to try Linux unless you have plenty of time on your hands. Read the charter btw.
Windows XP will fail to launch unless you activate it, willietherock.

Logo

Understand that if not activated then Windows XP will fail to launch - but since it takes about two hours to initially download (using the disc and product key) - whatever is installed during this process must use up a good bit of memory/space if not uninstalled or deleted? ...

insight driver

Logo wrote:

Not sure if you can help me but i've installed windows xp (home) from a genuine disc (with product key). However it's giving me a few weeks to activate. I've tried ringing the number to activate but was told that it can't be used on two machines... Any chance anyone can help me sort this or even how to uninstall windows xp....

Many thanks in advance,
Logo

Where did you get this disc? From a friend? It can't be intalled on two machines, as you have found out. If, in fact, it is not installed on any other machine, then you can, through phone activation, have them give you a code to activate Windows. If it is a copy that someone gave you, then you are doing something Microsoft says is illegal. You could buy your own copy. Cheapest way to do that is to buy an OEM copy with a piece of hardware, maybe a new DVD dual layer burner or something that you want for your machine.

Logo

Thanks for speedy reply insight driver. Will probably buy (and expect a crowd like pixmania would do a decent deal). The question now is - how is how does one go about uninstalling/deleting windows XP now... or does this happen automatically when it fails to launch...

Ruu_Old

When you purchase the new disc, you can use the setup to delete the old installation and install the new one. You can't really uninstall XP as such unless you saved your previous system files (I think it gives you the option) What had you on the machine previous to this?

Logo

Think it was Windows 2000 - but the laptop (from work) was completely wiped before i got it. Can get new Microsoft Office package at a reasonable price so will prob go for this - will this also allow me the option of deleting winxp though...