Hello i didnt get a installation cd with my computer 5 years ago and would like to do a clean install. if i run the winnt32.exe from the i386 folder located on c:\ will it reinstall windows xp and delete my registry and data and files? i had a run in with some virus 1-2 years ago of and on and remnants are still left and reappear every once inawhile and i would just like to fresh install and start from scratch will this work? i have my original windows xp key on my computer tower i have a windows installation cd burned from a torrent site i usually dont but i figured i own a a paid for version of xp and i dont have a cd i think its kind of legal but im afraid of backdoors being placed in there by the author of the torrent so help please =)
heres the directions to make a bootable cd from your i386 folder http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml xp repair install http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm You can use the free macrium reflect to make an image of your current windows installation, that will allow you to return your computer to it's current state, if you run into problems. Also it's a good idea to have all your drivers that you need available on a cd. When I have been attacked by viruses, I always do a clean install of windows. Usually I have a known good image backup that I made of windows right after I installed windows and just restore it. It's as good as a clean install but quicker.
Thanks for the guide i was looking at the stickies and saw this http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/479305 and i read somewhere else that its called slip streaming well i was wondering if with nlite i can just use that to create my bootable cd and also include some programs so it will be ready from the beggining all on one cd i have the driver cd with me also im not sure how to run a virtual machine but i read that i should test it there first if all else fails i do have that windows xp install disk i dled wich i did test and it does work im just not sure how safe it is and i also have a vista ultimate cd wich i could but use with a key if needed
Original XP CDs are easy enough to find/buy. You do need to make sure that you get the right one for your key. It could be base XP, SP1, or SP2, but make sure that you get a 1-2 CPU version.
To test the boot cd that you make. Just use the free virtualbox, thats what I use. You just install virtualbox in your computer and it can load/install windows in a virtual environment (actually a folder you create). If it loads in the virtualbox, it will work in real life. If you have Daemon tools you can skip the part of burning test cd's and just use ISO images, which daemon tools can mount in a virtual drive. Virtualbox is quite easy to use, It took me all of 30 minutes to learn the basics and start loading windows in a virtual environment.
