Is it an official version, or a torrent/download copy?
Addendum - why can’t you get to the other OS? I mean, maybe your hard drive is dead, in which case, you’re gonna need to install a new HD before you do anything else.
Go into the Bios and set it up to boot to disk then reboot when starting up you will see click any key to install xp. Click any key and follow the directions. Hope this helps :-)
The Copy I have on disk is an official coppy from an eirlier computer which was torn down to create the one i have.
The version already on the computer was installed by the guy who built it but after having had it fixed by geek squad, I have to get the authorazation code and now I’m finding evidence that the guy who built it may have been giving out free coppies, ilegaly so I’m afraid to go back to him. (He won’t give me the code he said he has to do it himself)
The Clue wrote:
Go into the Bios and set it up to boot to disk then reboot when starting up you will see click any key to install xp. Click any key and follow the directions. Hope this helps :-)
That’s just the thing. I can’t use the operating system so I can’t get into Bios. (Unless there’s another way I don’t know about.)
Learjet45 edited this post 1 year ago. Read the previous text »
How di I install a Version of microsoft Windows XP on my computer
I’m trying to download it off a disk onto a computer which allready has another versioin installed on it.
The computer doesn’t do anything when I put the disk in and I have no idea where to begin.
P.S. The operating system that is allready on there, I can not get to so it’s as if I’m installing it on a computer that hasn’t one yet.
The Bios has nothing to do with the OS It controlls the mother board. At boot press Esc/F1/F2/F10 or delete one of those will go to the bios. Then set the boot order there.
Well… the good news is you’re getting Some response from the HD, which saves you the trouble of replacing it.
Do you have your key to your official copy - the 12-or-so **** of letters and numbers that authenticates the copy you have?
Getting into your bios will not require the HD. I believe that holding down F8 on boot (May be F5 - I’ll check) should shoot you to bios, which is hard-coded on your motherboard in a bios chip.
Sounds like the clue has it - stick with his suggestions.
Wrong you use F8 to get into safe mode with 2000 and up and F5 for win 95/98 lol
As I said, clue - I bow to the superior intellect. ~Grin~
It doesn’t matter if it’s a torrent copy or not… trust me, I know.
Go to your BIOS by pressing I think F2, go to boot order, put CD 1st, and the HD 2nd, exit and save changes, and go from there.
lol just remembering someone else telling me that the other day.
made an easy 50 dollars. :-)
so you get to Bios through the safe mode screen?
So F1 F2 or F10 to get where i need to go.
Then, just to make certain, would you explain what the screen should look like and wht exact sentance or phrase to select.
Safe Mode means you’ve hit your OS - this is PRE OS: when the computer is just coming n and getting instructions on how to work itself. Those instructions come from the BIOS chip on the motherboard. So hit that button JUST as the comp is powering up
It will tell you that your entering the bios then look at the top for boot order select that and make sure that your cd is the first one on the list.
Perigee wrote:
Safe Mode means you’ve hit your OS - this is PRE OS: when the computer is just coming n and getting instructions on how to work itself. Those instructions come from the BIOS chip on the motherboard. So hit that button JUST as the comp is powering up
I understand that I meant the safe mode selection screen
In car directions parlance, if you hit the safe mode selection screen, you’ve gone too far.
What you’re looking for will be an extremely primitive screen - try this page for reference:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/bios.htm
I’ll try this and be back, thanks.
Time 7:38 on the video at the bottom, btw…
Ok so there’s no “boot order” specificaly but under “Advanced Bios” there is “Hard disk boot priority” It gives me a list:
1 CHO M. : WDC WD****AJB-**WRAO
2 CHO S. : ***********A
3 Bootable Add-in Cards
Whoa. Lets see if we can get clue in again - that’s beyond my ken…
Only thing (while we wait) - that doesnt sound like the correct category - note it says “HARD DISK boot priority” - as in, you have two hard drives, which one has the OS. But lets see what clue says…
did you see anything with floppy in it? You will have to open each section to see what is in it read down the lists. What your looking for is Boot order, you found the HDD part but that is not it.
That’s true I do have 2 hard drives and one does not have the OS on it.
So your pretty sure that the words “Boot Order” are exact and bound to be somewhere.
Its been that way on every comp I ever owned, learjet.
Yes there in there some where you will see floopy. SCSI or the cd players name and the hdd also network Its there somewhere.
Allright then let me try again.
allright It’s about to install but it cautions me about installing 2 OS’s on 1 “partisoning”. Is there a way I can tell it to override the first one. If so is it comming up? I don’t want to go ahead if it means it will start installing right away without giving me more options.
There should be an option to overwrite the old OS. Once again, lets see if clue has a clue - it’s a ***** not being able to see your screens; it’s a little like blind mans bluff.
What was on the previous screen? Can you go back one?
On the previous screen I chose which hard drive to load it to. It didn’t give me any other opstions. I had to figure out which one was my maste drive but when this screen came up it was comfermation that I had got the right one.
strikes me that there used to be three choice - overwrite, fix corrupted version, and install additional (or words to that effect). That choice would have happened before the screen you’re describing.
There were three but I think they were Install fix and exit. I’ll go back and check though.
Hey, CLUE! When you get back here, if you see fit, set me up on frined status so I can send up a bat signal for you on quandries like this one. Its nice to have an specialist to call in for gems like this ‘un. ~Grin~
OK - another possibility, if you’re right - is there any reason you can’t wipe the HD and start clean? programs you can’t get back, data you havent backed up, etc? Maybe the key is to wipe the drive and start fresh.
Once again, we’ll need clue, to see if you can get to dos shell to access and move files from your c: drive to your secondary HD…
Is it possibal that going ahead and installing might be just fine despite what they said? Is it possibal that it might override it anyway?
I dunno - IF I did it, I’d install it on my backup internal HDD and switch up the boot order. The problem is, then you’ve got two OSes cluttering up your system, and that’s one heck of a mess. As far as sticking two versions on the same Hard Drive? That would spook me…
Hmmm… On the screen where I chose the hard drive it gives me the option to “DELETE THE SELECTED PARTITION”. Does that mean it would wipe my entire hard drive? or is the partition the OS?
And it appears clue is offline. ~sigh~ The safest thing to do, Lear - and I highly suggest safe things when it comes to this - is for you to put it down for now, and wait for clue to come on back.
I keep my files backed up, so I have no problem wiping my drive and starting fresh if anything weird like this happens. If you don’t, you probably don’t want to guess and hope when you (obviously) have an alternate box to use until we can get things done right.
Yeah I agree, the last thing I want is to do something stupid and cause my computer to impode entirely. especialy since it allready has (twice). I do have my file backed up but it sure would be a pain to sit there putting in CD after CD after CD.
Thanks for your help. I guess I’ll come back tomarrow or maybe tonight.
Well the problem is if you cant get it to run to fix the first install you not going to get it to run for the second. Post what the mother boards name and number is so I can see what the mother board looks like.
Hi I’m back.
I belive you’re confused. The OS I currently have works fine. I just don’t have the Athorization code for it and I can’t get it.
I’m trying to install this other one instead because I do have the code for it.
Allright I got it fixed. Turns out there was an option to override but it was disguised as “fix”.
Anyway thank you everyone for helping me with this. I never would have known where to start if it weren’t for you. This is one HELP.COM question we can definately call a success. Thanks again.
Learjet45 closed this post.
This post has been closed, no more replies. Thanks!
Perigee
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