Removing Bootleg XP

At work there is a computer that had ME on it and it had a lot of problems. So a guy brought in an XP disk and loaded it. He tried to register it but it had been registered before. Well it has died, and we can't get it to do any thing. We can get it to boot to safe mode but can't it won't do anything when you get there. Tried changeing boot sequence and putting in the ME disk and that didn't work either. What can be done to get XP off. Help please.

 

Hi

Use a Windows 98 floppy boot disk to boot and run FDISK deleting all partitions, or download and run the utility DELPART

http://www.russelltexas.com/delpart.htm

THis can be used to wipe everything from the hard disk. You then need to start again from fresh using a Windows ME boot disk

http://www.bootdisk.com

run the downloaded file to create ME boot floppy disk

Boot to A:/ prompt CD to change to CDROM drive and type setup.

hth

Ceri

 

It won't do anything. There is no way to download anything.

 

Hi,

Download the files to a different computer, such as the one you are currently using.

Copy / create floppy disks and then use in the dead machine.

Ceri

 

It won't do anything.

 

Exactly what is it doing and what messages are you getting? . . Does it POST?

Can you get into BIOS?

 

A window will pop up telling you to register,and of course it can't be. So the only choice is shut down. Tried booting to safe mode ,but the choices won't move using the arrows.

 

Look Here!!

hi this problem has occured because you have installed a version of windows xp that needs registering. it isnt bootleged it just needs its owbn registration code to work. microsoft have been very nice and made it so every code can only be used once.

when you installed winxpo you must have placed the cd in and booted from it. then installed winxp formatting the harddrive in NTFS. this file system doesnt work in winME or win98 and therefore there system boot disks and there install cds wont work

what you have to do is somewho create a bootdisk on another pc. if the pc is winxp go to my computer and right click on the a: and select format. then select the option to create a system disk. this creates a boot disk and when you insert this in the dead pc and boot from floppy you sould get a msdos prompt. but if you type c: it will say something along the lines of invalid.

all you have to do then is type in the a: 'fdisk' this will open a small program in msdos and you will tel it to delete a non dos partition. it will only find a non dos partition. just delete it. this bit is fairly simple. then create a primary dos partition. this will happen and the computer may need to restart. then boot with floppy again and type 'format c:' this will then ask you to press y and then will format your c:. when this is done it will ask you for a partition name and then your hard drive it done and you can install any opperating system on it again.

all you need for that winxp disk is another cd key!

hope this helps if not please email me on [email protected]

thanks and good luck

 

Thank you for the help. I'm going to let him fix his foulup. I will give him the info.Thank you again.

 

pleasure

 

Good thinking!