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Solve : Restoring legit win xp home from bad xp pro?

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What? no clueless icon for the posting? Can't think of a better place for it.

As I explained as background in my malfunctioning browser post, SOMEONE "fixed" a problem in my win xp home (5.1.2600), by what appears to be overlaying (much of my data, and it seems some other parts of my original OS are still there) his pirate xp pro. At the time, I knew virtually nothing about computers except how to use one, and was happy it was fixed. However, SP2 came along, wouldn't install, & after the aborted installation, TOLD me the OS was not legit.

I managed to get along without SP2, used several different browsers with success, forced installation of some SP2 .sys, .dlls, etc. and life was OK. Why didn't I simply reinstall my original xp home? The computer didn't come with a restore disk, or copy of the OS. When I originally started to have the problems (which later caused me to kill the gui interface & led to the bogus xp home) the 1st time, Compaq grudgedly sent me to a site where I downloaded about 10 disks to use for reinstalling. I never used them, and will have to explore the disks or contact Compaq to even know what order they need to be inserted.

Now, I have a Maxtor 300GB drive, which I have partitioned into N: 200GB (media), M: 49.9 GB (empty), L: 47.9GB (empty). The original Compaq (5000 series), drive is partitioned into C: 33.3GB, & D(FAT32): 3.89GB. D partition holds the original win xp home OS, which the disks are needed to help restore.

Before I do anything IRREVERSIBLE, I thought I'd use the Maxtor maxi-blast to clone the C & D drives into the L partition. The maxi-blast is also capable of making a boot disk. So if the restoration tanks , I wouldn't just be left with a heavy piece of house clutter.

Does this make any sense? I know it's only step 1. I do seem to remember reading something about problems with the registry and 2 bootable drives. I'm no tech princess, and this is a daunting, way overdue task. Any help would be appreciated.

You need to get in touch with Compaq about your 10 CD`s and where is your Product key
so you can Format and reinstall LEGALLY Quote from: iceaxe on December 11, 2007, 07:59:40 PM

You need to get in touch with Compaq about your 10 CD`s and where is your Product key
so you can Format and reinstall LEGALLY

I have the product key. Win xp home came preinstalled on the computer, and the product key can be found in several places. The 10 CD's were Compaq's response to my saying that the computer didn't come with a restore disk or copy of the OS. They were downloaded from a site Compaq sent me to, and I was only able to access the site once. The disks are supposed to activate the win xp stored on the D partition, and restore original win xp home. This is what I am trying to do, restore the OS to the legal OS.I would like to know what's on these 10 discs.
As far as I know, you'd only need 2.
1) the OS disc
2) restore disc

So what's on the other 8?I haven't even looked at these disks since 2003, & never tested them. Only 1 disk (labeled Q55 setupdx) has content.
setupdlx0R------6/27/2003 11:54
CUSTOM0R------6/27/2003 11:54
PROGRAM51R------6/27/2003 11:54
QAPPID.INI51
INET0R------6/27/2003 11:54
COMMON0R------6/27/2003 11:54
PNF0R------6/27/2003 11:54
QUICKEN33,319R------6/27/2003 11:54
IPM.GIF12,826
IPM1.GIF2,531
IPM2.GIF9,779
SPIN.JS503
Thumbs.db7,680
DISK11,439,937R------6/27/2003 11:54
CQ.DAT193
DATA.TAG109
DATA1.CAB300,337
DATA1.HDR144,716
LANG.DAT23,541
LAYOUT.BIN1,416
OS.DAT450
README.WRI12,179
SETUP.EXE61,4405.52.164.0
SETUP.INI72
SETUP.INS88,556
SETUP.LID49
_INST32I.EX_296,674
_ISDEL.EXE8,7045.51.138.0
_SETUP.DLL11,2645.50.134.0
_SYS1.CAB175,466
_SYS1.HDR3,903
_USER1.CAB305,749
_USER1.HDR5,119
DISK101,448,669R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA10.CAB1,448,669
DISK111,444,276R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA11.CAB1,444,276
DISK121,442,958R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA12.CAB1,442,958
DISK131,444,626R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA13.CAB1,444,626
DISK141,442,670R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA14.CAB1,442,670
DISK151,451,285R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA15.CAB1,451,285
DISK161,447,227R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA16.CAB1,447,227
DISK171,443,297R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA17.CAB1,443,297
DISK181,447,404R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA18.CAB1,447,404
DISK191,442,318R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA19.CAB1,442,318
DISK21,443,506R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA2.CAB1,443,506
DISK20645,315R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA20.CAB645,315
DISK31,444,859R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA3.CAB1,444,859
DISK41,444,520R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA4.CAB1,444,520
DISK51,445,780R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA5.CAB1,445,780
DISK61,446,410R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA6.CAB1,446,410
DISK71,445,825R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA7.CAB1,445,825
DISK81,447,356R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA8.CAB1,447,356
DISK91,447,006R------6/27/2003 11:54
DATA9.CAB1,447,006
I'm sorry, apparently these "disks" are 1.44Mb floppy disks.
I assumed they were cd's.........

Here's what you do, put the 1st disk in your A drive.
Click Start--->run
than type:
a:\setup.exe

See what happens.

If any problems occur, please let us know.The contents listed in the above post are on 1 CD. As I stated before, all the other disks were blank. It's possible that at the time I screwed up the copying, but more likely I was only allowed 1 download at this Compac site, and for some reason repeated the download process and wound up with the EXTRA disks. Remember, I knew less than nothing about computers @ the time - slightly more now - & its very possible.

Before I start throwing disks in, I have to make a copy of the C & D drive, which is why I asked the questions & was LOOKING for feedback in my original post.


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