I don't have an installation CD for Windows XP - what if I need one?

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Hi Leo

I'm trying to upgrade Office 2000 and have the i386 directory as per this article. I've downloaded Office SP3 and it asks me for the installation CD so I used your instructions and tried browsing i386 BUT it's trying to locate a file called data1.msi which I can't locate. Any suggestions?

This article is all about the WINDOWS CD ... the I386 directory contains the Windows XP files. You need the OFFICE CD, which is where I believe you'll find data1.msi.

Good luck,

Leo

I work at a call center and found this article to be usefull on some calls, but I just had a customer that got a box that said " retry, more info, or cancel". There was no "OK" box or place to type in the path.

Rodney Wise
Tier II DSL Tech Support Agent for an undisclosed company

Usually either "retry", or "cancel" will cause another dialog to come up asking for the path.

Firstly, the HP Recovery Disks includes the XP installation for your new HDD so simply attach your new HDD and boot with the Recovery Disk# 1 and follow the instructions.

Also a DELL WinXP HE CD can be used on any other PC including a HP. I have personally done it many times. It is just like any XP HE CD and lets you boot with it for installation.
But the main concern is Product Activation. So make sure you use your HP licensed XP CD Key when you are asked to provide the CD Key for activation.
When you do that it will reactivate your XP online without any problems.

I am a PC service Technician and have encountered this problem several times...

Hi, quite useful. You mentioned doing a clean install of XP, that is what I am searching for. I do not have the WinXP CD, and all HP gives me is 8 recovery cds that restore it to *factory default settings* which includes all the programs I am trying to remove. I need to run the setup for XP and only install core components, thus having a clean system (no preinstalled packages IE musicmatch). Is there any way I can do this. Any help appreciated.

Normally one of the CDs you get with a machine is only XP. That's not the case here? If so, my approach would be to get "as clean as possible" with the CDs you have, and then before anything else, UNinstall (through control panel add/remove programs) all the applications you don't want.

The restore ability uses those 8 cds, created using the restore cd creator, and it asks for one at time, in order, and you may not just use one cd... Also, it resets *everything* back to what it was the day of purchase. P.S. noticing above advice, my current setup has pretty much everthing uninstalled, yet what about "just XP" being installed, is there a way. O, and sorry I may believe I am using the wrong thread--- I just saw "I have no CD - how do I get at Windows XP setup? "

Hey Leo,
I read this article and i was wondering if i can use the I386 file to install xp on a 98se based computer. I want to upgrade my old computer to xp but don't have the xp install disk. I only have the Emachines Recovery disk. How can I install xp by using either the I386 or the Emachines Recovery Disk?

Hi, if you are searching for "howto make Xp installation CD from restore cds" (but actually from factory installation on your notebook's hdd) take a look on http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/forum/ and serach for "clean install" the compaq forum. it is legal, and you can make your install cd before your notebook crash... -- to be prepared . bye

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