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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Getting into a screwed up WinXP home system
Getting into a screwed up WinXP home system
2008-11-11, 5:26 PM #1
I have an HP computer with Windows XP Home that is so bogged down with software issues that Windows will not even load. I've tried all different kinds of safe mode, debugging mode, reboots, you name it, the computer crashes while the screen is black after I get the blue "HP" logo. I can get into the BIOS just fine.

It has a separate partition on the hard drive from which I can re-install windows and reformat but I need to get into windows just ONCE to start this process. I have no windows disk with this setup.

Anyway I can make a disk from which I can boot up windows and start the reformatting process?
2008-11-11, 5:31 PM #2
You could boot into GParted and reformat without going into Windows.
一个大西瓜
2008-11-11, 5:33 PM #3
Download an ISO from a torrent site and burn your own Windows setup CD. Then reinstall Windows.

Make it an XP Home SP3 CD for extra awesomeness (less patching after install).

2008-11-11, 6:24 PM #4
Typically HP systems bind a key on startup to boot the restore partition. Try F10. If nothing else you should be able to use fdisk/cfdisk to set the backup partition bootable.
And when the moment is right, I'm gonna fly a kite.
2008-11-11, 6:44 PM #5
Originally posted by gbk:
Typically HP systems bind a key on startup to boot the restore partition. Try F10. If nothing else you should be able to use fdisk/cfdisk to set the backup partition bootable.


*bows*

It's doing it's thing as I type. Ty.
2008-11-11, 10:02 PM #6
hooah, GBK!
2008-11-11, 10:08 PM #7
Originally posted by The Mega-ZZTer:
Download an ISO from a torrent site and burn your own Windows setup CD. Then reinstall Windows.

Make it an XP Home SP3 CD for extra awesomeness (less patching after install).


thought this kind of advice was frowned upon here. that said, totally agree. :ninja:
2008-11-13, 7:53 AM #8
Yeah maybe, but it's still the best way to do it.

Plus, he already owns XP, it's not like I told him to get a VLK or anything.

2008-11-13, 2:51 PM #9
Not only do I own XP, I own about 4 or 5 separate copies of it :v:

The computer is purring along. It's my family's and you all know what happens when you have lots of young people who don't know how to use computers using a computer. :huh: It's basically a yearly chore to wipe the thing and start fresh, except this time was a bit worse than previous times.
2008-11-13, 8:11 PM #10
Originally posted by ragna:
thought this kind of advice was frowned upon here. that said, totally agree. :ninja:


If it's uncracked, what the heck could possibly be wrong with it? Not even MS would care.
2008-11-13, 8:30 PM #11
No, it's still copyright infringement and is illegal, but it's hardly something to complain about.

What's funny is that you can get an evaluation copy from Microsoft and use a real key with it. At least, with Vista you can, I think XP can, too.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-11-13, 11:53 PM #12
Originally posted by Dash_rendar:
It's basically a yearly chore to wipe the thing and start fresh, except this time was a bit worse than previous times.


I like to think I'm fairly savvy with XP and I used to do that chore every 4 or 5 months to keep my aged box ticking over!

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