More Awesome Than You!

So, my computer went kablooie on the weekend.  Long story short, my CD drive stopped reading as a valid drive and kept getting corrupted somehow (the computer store guy said something about the CD burner software).

Anyway, I reinstalled Windows XP Pro and reformatted my computer and now everything is working fine.  I couldn't find all of my recovery disks and so I used my mom's Dell XP Pro installation CD.  Problem is, the activation required doesn't work with my comp because it's already recognized on hers.  How do I get around this activation?  Is it going to make my OS stop working?  Or will the only repercussion be that I can't download certain Microsoft programs (like Anti-Spyware as a I already discovered)?

Another question, about partitioning.  When I was reformatting, I saw I had 2 partitions (my OS came already installed, so this is the first I've seen of it), and I have no idea how to make partitions bigger, smaller, delete them, use them, etc.  The smaller of the two was about 4gigs, and then the main was the rest.

What is it for?  What's the best config to make it all run smoothly?  Someone at work mentioned installing the OS on the smaller one, and then keeping all your main stuff on the big one, so if you have to reinstall, you don't lose all your stuff (seeing as, you know, my CD drive was corrupt).

Thanks in advance for reading this rambling post that may not make any sense at all!  :P

As for the partitioning its supposed to be so that information can be found quickly and also it makes it useful if you want to reformat say c drive but want to keep all your info etc untouched on the other.  The partitioning can take place either before reformatting using f'disk or I believe there are programs such as partition magic which will allow you (i think) to partition from withing the windows operating system.

I'm not sure what yours is for, but on the two recent laptops I've bought, there is a small, hidden partition where system  restore utilities are kept. On my new Toshiba, there is an option to delete the hidden partition if you don't  need it anymore (after burning a set of recovery CDs--they don't provide them, they just give you a utility that creates them) Perhaps that was what was on your smaller partition?

smvb, that baby's mouth is "killing" me...:). Never saw such a sweet mouth! Is that you or your  baby?

Well, I do actually have 3 partitions. The third is very tiny, so I didn't mention it.  I have no idea what was on the second.

 :) Yes, it's me--a long, long time ago....

I think you're probably hosed on getting your mom's win to activate on your system. But I'd try copying the wpa file off of hers and onto yours and see if it works. Run a search for wpa.* on hers to find it, copy, then put it into the same folder youfound it in on hers on yours. It's probably in the windows folder. Might work, probably not.....

With the XP disks, there is an option to erase and re install only the XP folder, leaving your other files in tack, even your 'my documents'--the new 're-install' will simply make a new my documents folder then you can move your old my docs over into the new one. You can get utilities that will allow you to add registry entries forall your other programs, altho I don't use them so my experience with them is limited. As for those partitions, man I'd wipe if I was you. It's kinda like wasting space. A partion limits the use of the space within the partition to use by only the programs in that partition.

If you've already used the key for XP Pro, and the setup accepted it, then the only problem you'll have now is using Windows Update, and possibly some other Windows services. On my old XP Home, it gave me 30 days to register my keycode online with Windows, but when I installed XP Pro over XP Home, it never asked me to register. The only problem I've ever had with not registering is not being able to use Windows Update. If you already have SP1 (is SP2 out?) then you dont have to worry about this, but if you're concerned with keeping windows up to date, you might want to call microsoft/dell up and explain what happened- usually they'll let you register that way.
  Blue, the above advice is from a young man who put together and has been running his computer from a "borrowed" copy of the installation cd for a couple of years.

Actually, that's not true.  You can use space on any partition whether or not the program using it is on the same partition.  I have used my computer for years with multiple partitions.  I set it up so that my C drive contains Windows and all my programs.  I put all my user data such as the My Documents folder, pictures, downloaded files, etc. on my D drive.  I actually have a secondary hard drive (E:) which I have a backup installation of WinXP on in case the first one gets hosed, then I have a backdoor into the system.  I also have a secondary partition on the secondary hard drive (F:) which contains two or three Sims neighborhood backups as well as backups of my Sims downloads and my email and other things.

And wiping a partition will not get rid of a partition, by the way.  You need to either use a program like Partition Magic, Paragon Hard Disk Manager Pro, or Partition Commander, or else redo the whole hard drive and use fdisk or whatever Windows XP uses now.  I recommend the former, however.  Much fewer headaches. 

I recommend reformatting and fdisking anyway. It seems like you've installed Windoze XP Spyware Edition.

You mean there is a non-spyware edition???

Yeah, I have one that doesn't make unsolicited attempts to phone home. Evil thing, that Windows-XP-Spyware-Edition. Maybe I could arrange a copy of it for Fat Head.

Micro$ux is Evil.

I assume by "Spyware Edition" he means those versions of Windows that come pre-installed on all of those brand name computers (Dell, HP, etc.) that are cloged up with useless programs and clutter your desktop with icons that have offers for software and other BS.

The first thing I did when I bought my computer (a Compaq) was reformating and fdisking it.  Then I installed a clean copy of XP Pro.  (a copy of which I obtained by "questionable means")

Even "regular" WinXP wants to phone home every time it has an error, so it can tell M$ what you were doing and all the information loaded in your computer at the time.  They claim no personally identifiable information is included, but I don't trust them.  I turn off Error reporting.  Even Windows Update gives me the creeps because I don't know what all they are doing while "scanning" my computer.  It does make it easier though than the good ol' days when you had to search for updates and figure out which ones you needed and which ones you already had and which ones were for your version of Windows (was that Win95a, b, or c???)  Don't forget that version of Windows 95 you could only get with a new PC.  But anyway, it seems with making things easier, you always give away some of your privacy.  :(

Partition are very useful.  Personally my C: drive have 20 gig on which my windows is install and the rest of the space is on my d: drive.

Very useful when you need to reformat and don't want to loose everything, I actually keep a back-up of most of my things on d: drive and also on cd in case my hardrive get burninated.  Though by reinstalling windows you probably will have to reinstall Sims 2 since the registry of it will not be in c: anymore and your game won't start unless you edit that registry and place back the missing information (I cannot tell you how to do that, it can be done but I don't exactly know how). My game is install on my D: drive since there is a lot more space there than in my c:

As for how to elimaninate or create new partitions, I think it depends on which windows version you have.  I personnally use the professional one.  But this must be done at first, meaning when you want to reinstall window you should make it so your computer read cd 1st (might have to go in the bios to trigger that) and place the cd in and reboot so it will actually use the cd to start your computer.  A blue screen window set-up will appear and in there you can check the partition you have, create or delete some and also format your drives.  It is better to delete the ones you don't want anymore before you create new ones so the small partitions meg are available to make a big chunk if you wish.

I am sure if you google or go on the windows site you will find more details on how partitions works, how to delete and create new ones without making your computer go into a BFBVFS.

I also have The Sims on my D: drive.  It is easier to reinstall programs instead of trying to edit registry info.  You can install it over the top of your existing installation, but you have to install all the EPs exactly as they were.  I'm not sure how that would work in terms of patches and such.  It might be better to delete the folder from your Program files and then reinstall.  You won't be able to use the uninstaller because the program doesn't exist according to Windows at that point. 

I also have 20 GB on my C: drive, and it is amazing how quickly Windows and other programs fill it up. 

Rainbow, when I can, I uninstall all the complete collection of Sims 2 before I reinstall Windows but it is of course not always possible.

Deleting the eagames or Sims2 fodler after installing Windows will work too, I have done it maybe once or twice in the past without problems.

I have a copy of Windows XP Non Spyware edition (also known as Corporate edition if you want to ebay it :P).

It tries to phone home on errors, but didn't need activation, and all the software updates work. I've since made a Non-IE version of XP, that was about 200 megabytes. I might be able to upload it if you need it.

my step-sister had to reformat her computer and her(legal) copy of XP would not register either. we tried every activation code we had and finally we called microsoft told them we reformatted and now it won't work and they gave her a new code, i think they asked for the old one but i can't remember, anyway microsoft will give you an activation code

They will, but only after you've CALLED THEM so that they know exactly what your phone number is and where you live now. This is why it is EVIL.

I'm dealing with something similar. I installed a new harddrive on my laptop a few weeks ago. My laptop has xp pro, but did not come with a disk, "to discourage piracy". So am I just screwed as far as getting xp pro on my new harddrive? I had a disk from the Compaq laptop I had right before this one, but it's xp home, and I figured I'd go ahead and install that one. Unfortunately, the serial number it asked for was one printed on the bottom of the laptop I no longer have. So now my brand new harddrive is back in it's box, and I have my slow-ass 4200 rpm harddrive back in.

What the hell do they expect me to do? Buy a new copy of xp for each harddrive?!

Well, we expect you to attend to channel more often if you want to get Windoze XP, obviously. Silly Brynne.

Which means you have to pirate it if you ever have to reinstall completely! I wonder if anything goes through the heads of people who make decisions like this - other than breezes on windy days. :P

***ECHELON transmission begins***
Most of the stuff I have (games, music CDs, DVDs) are original, but give more money to Gates? Fuck no! Arrr! Well, the Windoze that are installed at my work computer are original, but I didn't pay for those, it's the Uni's money, they can do whatever the heck they want with it!
***ECHELON transmission ends***

Ouch!  If it was just the software and driver for your CD, you didn't need to reinstall your OS - just the drivers/cd software. If your computer is still in warranty, you should be able to go to your vendor and get replacement disks.


Activation - Your mom's computer has a single user license that's registered in her name. Sure you physically could install it on your computer but you'll have problems whenever you want to add hardware, get updates, etc.  Microsoft has a validation process that checks to see if you paid for your copy and a single user license will only work for the original user/computer.




I recommend that you don't mess around with your partitions.  You could make your computer non functional.  You need certain kinds of software and drivers to create a computer configuration from scratch.  If you have some friends who experienced in computer builds, consult with them.

I don't recommend that you practice on your primary computer until you get the hang of computer builds.  However, if you have a victim computer to practice on, go head on. Learn what you can.  :-)  You could probably find someone's old computer to practice on.  LOL - building computers is FUN!  and when the hardware gets outdated, you can recycle them and make those old 32MB RLL drives (6"x4"x10") into conversational piece doorstops!   Yea... one of these days I'll get rid of them... but I'm rather fond of my dinosaurs...   ::)

I still think the activation code is just plain wrong.  I paid a whole chunk of cash for my XP Home a few years back, and was disgusted when I realised that I would have to phone Microsoft everytime I had a major hardware upgrade.  With home you have 30 days to activate or it goes 'splodie.  I still get mad every time I have to call them, which means they have to endure my griping about how disgusting it is, every single time.  Well hell, if I have to phone them they can bloody well listen to my bitching! :D

Yeah my mum has the same problem miramis, thats why I won't use home version

You need to get the Corporate version. ;)

Well, I haven't paid much attention to my computer lately, since it's been working fine.  However, I got a popup that reminded me I need to take some sort of action soon.

Thirteen days...

That means in 13 days, you will no longer be able to log onto your PC.  So you definitely need to do something soon.

I guess now that I'm done with Inge's stuff (for now, seeing as a few people have burned me out from trying to help for the moment  >:( ), I can work on that.

Corporate Version? It looks like you just buy extra licences, or am I missing something?

Blue, if you're desperate you could phone for a new code and say that your old pc died so you've installed the OS on this 'new' one.  It could be problematic if your mother needs to reinstall hers though since the various hardware components get tied to the code, which is how they identify you.

I did call them.  I think I got busted. :P  They said to call Dell, and of course I don't have Dell.

I may need to actually find my disks and reinstall, once again.  When I installed my mom's disk, it didn't ask me for a license key or anything.  :-\

I think that's probably what you'll have to do.  Shame the phonecall couldn't solve things for you.

Can't you just turn off the genuine validation in add-ons?
That should stop it from validating for those who wish to update.

WinXP Home gives you 30 days to activate the software, at which point it will not let you log on.  There are ways around this if you want to use "hacks" on your OS that will disable the warning and resets the 30 day countdown every time you start your PC.  A Corporate version does not require activation, because it is intended to be used in a corporate environment where admins do not have time to call Microsoft and activate every single PC in the company.  They would still have to buy license keys for each PC.  So if you were to somehow acquire this version, you could plug in the CD key and not be bothered with activation.  Of course, Windows Genuine Advantage would still complain that your key was not valid.  But there are other ways to acquire updates, and critical patches are always free.  Of course I only know this from talking to people and reading about it on the Internet.  I would never try to cheat Microsoft.   ::)

You really need the OS key on the original dics for your system.  Either you or your Mom will get called out, depending on who has most recently used the Microsoft site.  It will try and verify your OS in order to give you updates and sign device drivers.

You may want to go to the Windows site on another computer and check out this info:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/getstarted/troubleshoot.mspx

Also specifically about partitions - they can explain it much better than I and probably in less words:
How to Partition and Format a Hard Disk in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313348

Good Luck!

Update:

I found all my recovery disks and so set about reinstalling Windows with the recovery disks, since I had a legal copy I wanted to use it.  However, the powers that be didn't agree with me.  I installed those disks about 8 times, and all eight seemed to install just fine until the part where it tells you that you need to remove all disks and restart the computer.  I did so, only to get shut down with a back screen playing music for about ten minutes, then just a back screen. 

So then I installed my mom's disk again, this time on the smaller partition (so I had two OS's) and that one worked totally fine but the other one still didn't.

Finally, I gave up.  Reinstalled Pro on my main hard drive, and "activated" it and "registered" it so I could download programs.  Hopefully, saga over.