Windows XP Reinstall

Digitalism

Hey, ive got a very old Iqon laptop here with windows xp installed on it, and when I wanted to reinstall windows xp, I had to press R when it was booting to go into recovery mode to reinstall it, since I never got a OS disc with it.

I hadnt used it for a while and forgot that today and did a wipe of the hard drives while booting it with a XP downloaded ISO as I thought I had a original OS disc somewhere but needed to wipe this today, but it seemed to wipe the recovery partition on me and now it wont work as I have no code.

EDIT: Ive got a offical microsoft sticker on the bottom of laptop with a product key or is that the same as the serial code, and if so is there somewhere I can download the official version of XP to burn to a CD?

Or Is there a way to recover this recovery partition or something I can do? Thanks

old_aussie

Do you still have the ISO image of XP installed on the HDD?

Digitalism

I dont think so no, I think its completely wiped. I was sure I had the install disc somewhere like I do for windows 7 but I dont. I have a sticker on the laptop though with a product key, would that work?

JonathanAnon

Are you sure you have deleted the recovery partition... Do you get the option to boot to recovery partition when the system is booting..., Can you see a message like "press F9 to boot to recovery partition".. ?

Digitalism

^^ Im pretty sure, but ill check if I cant get this installed right now as Im currently installing xp home edition by a cd and its going fine but im stuck at the product key section. Im entering the code on the windows sticker under my laptop, but its saying its invalid but its for xp home edition also

Any ideas?

Digitalism

Ok ive just thought of something; ive got another laptop of the exact same brand and OS (both bought in a sale on the same day years ago) that has the recovery partition still installed. Is there a way I can copy that to a disc or external hard drive and transfer it to the laptop that I cant seem to install XP on now?

JonathanAnon

I have had a few PCs where the client has lost the CD, and have good success getting a copy of the same OS with the same service pack level, installing it on the workstation and then using the code on the sticker..

For example, I sometimes get a PC to reinstall with no CD and a sticker on it with a code and (say) Windows XP SP2. In this case I usually acquire a Windows XP Service Pack 2 CD (i.e. exact same as on the sticker), install it and use the code on the sticker, and it usually works..

sparksfly

I have an iqon laptop which is the bain of my life. The hard drive died along with the recovery sector. I have replaced the drive and tried loads of XP home disks but they will not allow windows to activate when using the licence key on the laptop. I have a key changer disk but it fails on this machine. I guess i need an Iqon disk but cannot locate one. Anyone able to help?

DubK

OP if you are installing the same version of XP Home, Pro, ETC. as the the one that the COA (The sticker on the machine) if for and it is not being accepted ring the Microsoft helpdesk and explain the problem to them.

This happens all the time and once you explain that you are installing a newer version of the same product they will give you a code to enter to activate the product.

Make sure you are in front of the machine as they will get you to enter a code first that will generate a new code that you need to give them over the phone. Once they check that they will give you the activation code.

Sorry if that's not the exact procedure, It's been a while since I needed to do it as I use the volume license product.

Any problems drop me a PM with information of the exact version and service pack of XP you are trying to install.

Hope this helps:D

practice

Digitalism wrote: »

^^ Im pretty sure, but ill check if I cant get this installed right now as Im currently installing xp home edition by a cd and its going fine but im stuck at the product key section. Im entering the code on the windows sticker under my laptop, but its saying its invalid but its for xp home edition also

Any ideas?

If you have an original cd can you put it in another computer. Then explore the cd open the i386 folder look for a notepad file called unattend and the correct key should be on the last line

You will of course have to activate.

sparksfly

I have obtained an xp recovery cd thats not tied to any key and the notebook loaded it and accepted the key on the underside sticker. However the cd is faulty and the machine reboots constantly, briefly displaying an error code. I have a new disk on the way and will keep you posted.

Capt'n Midnight

sparksfly wrote: »

I have obtained an xp recovery cd thats not tied to any key and the notebook loaded it and accepted the key on the underside sticker. However the cd is faulty and the machine reboots constantly, briefly displaying an error code. I have a new disk on the way and will keep you posted.

Try copying the CD on a different machine in case it's the drive, there are many tools to extract an ISO image