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Windows XP

01/18/2009 1:26 PM

Hi, I got a second hand laptop with the hard drive blanked, but when it was bought, without using the XP home key, the previous owner just used put XP pro on it. I have a re-installation CD from my Dell, but it says it should only be used on Dells, and consequently not Packard Bells. Is there anywhere I can get the CD without the key, so I can use the one I already have, or will the dell CD work. Thanks

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#1

Re: Windows XP

01/18/2009 2:41 PM

When you say 'only on Dells' does the CD recognize the different brand of computer or is it just printed on the CD or jacket?

Typically XP can be re-registered every six months, and thus re-used on home computers.

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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Windows XP

01/18/2009 3:33 PM

It's just printed on the CD

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#4
In reply to #2

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 3:18 AM

Regards.

This seems to be a fake copy as MS embeds their license LABLE on the Guidebook they provide & OEMs paste a Sticker on book or below the laptops/Notebooks

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#6
In reply to #2

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 9:35 AM

Give it a try then, nothing to loose, and when it asks: do you want to register this copy, say yes and follow the on screen instructions to activate the OS.

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#3

Re: Windows XP

01/18/2009 11:02 PM

It should be ok i guess, maybe some Drivers are missing on the CD that XP uses so you have to download those

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#5

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 8:43 AM

Visit www.hp.com there'll be a lot to be downloaded for your HP laptop. Isn't it a Compaq?

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#7
In reply to #5

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 11:13 AM

Its a Packard Bell Easynote R4622

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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 11:25 AM

Oh sorry, it's rare bird in my countryside. But it changes nothing in principe. Install your XP with ugly VGA mode. Then you must have downloaded drivers for ACPI, USB, SounCard, BIOS, videocard, modem, whatever.

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#15
In reply to #7

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 12:29 PM

Yes, new toy, new problems. I downloaded all the drivers for the laptop, and updated to SP2, hasn't prompted me for 3 yet. BTW, thanks for the trust, and if you mean a key, yes it did have one, which worked perfectly Thanks for the extensive answer...

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#19
In reply to #15

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 1:13 PM

Hello Bondy,

how u doing?.................There is a whole lot of stuff on that site. Doesn't really mean much unless you have a packard bell on your lap though? I am glad it helped. There is so many sites around, it is just pot luck that I found the right one!

Tace care OK...................

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#11
In reply to #5

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 5:32 PM

Hello caramba,

As to the date, I am guessing but I think it was about 18 months ago Compaq was taken over bu HP.

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#13
In reply to #11

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 11:22 PM

Hello babybear, I didn't count how long month one's taken over to another. But yes my "village" had been inundated by HP Compaq laptops as tsunami. I didn't like a price offers though.

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#14
In reply to #13

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 12:19 PM

Hello caramba,

I think there is to many laptops around. A lot have not quite made it to the double 64 of Intels. But I think maybe they made too many with the lower spec and now have to get rid of them ASAP. As they will be out of date, I mean seriously out of date in six months!

Thank you for the post caramba............

Take care................

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#17
In reply to #14

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 12:44 PM

I've dealt with a lot of brands (HP, IBM, Siemens-Fujitsu, Dell, Acer). In most cases someone charged me to sort some problems out or install linux along(instead of) preinstalled Windows. I need laptop for my work to adjust controllers on remote sites. For this task any very modest machine suits all my needs. Yes set of drivers stored on CD/DVD is a crucial thing to get rid of inevitable headaches if one has occasionally broken. Especially for second hand laptop. Depleted batteries is the next nuisance though. Ones are very cost-biting things for old stuff.

t care of yourself too, caramba

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#18
In reply to #17

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 12:54 PM

I know what you're talking about on the battery front, I must have the best ever battery, it lasts about 9 minutes from full charge, but a new battery isn't as expensive as others i've seen, mine is only £27

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#21
In reply to #17

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 2:00 PM

Hello caramba,

I have not had that much experience. Nowhere near as much as you.

Can I ask you to read the last post I sent to Bondy111? It is what I wanted to say to both but can't very well duplicate stuff like that you know? I think it is post 22 I have just typed.

I really appreciate your posts, thank you.

Take care..............

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#24
In reply to #21

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 3:02 PM

Hello babybear,

I have very pragmatic viewpoint how to use the PC/laptops so I'm so careful to give any suggestions about particular brands OSes and etc. If MAC is affordable for you and you wish make a change at your experience. Why not?

If you don't want to be overloaded I'd advice you to buy something ordinary and reliable (DELL,HP Compaq,ACER, Lenovo).

There should be bluetooth, WiFi, web-camera, card reader, etc.

I had HP Compaq nx9420 (17'') with all bells and whistles. It's too heavy for my shoulders to bear for long.

Now I'm using HP compaq 6720. Very good though maybe some obsolete for nowadays arms racing. It's not mine but my employer.

I do like ACER for its best performance quality/price.

I'm thinking thoroughly now of ACER EEE netbook (ATOM proc based). Very good for business trips and my bad habit to cover my desktop by all those papers, books, gadgets etc. Just get stuck between Linux and Windows based.

WiFi speed connection is quite sufficient for most cases. I suspect most problems are caused by ISP (at least in my village).

I'm not a gamer. I do not see a point to have two-core processors while most of software and OSes simply don;t use this feature.

There're just my sporadic thoughts.

hope it helps, not sure though

regards, caramba

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#26
In reply to #24

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 3:51 PM

Hello caramba,

Thank for posting me like this!

I started with one of the first to have a decent TFT screen. A laptop. Can't recall what make it was. But it got broken beyond repair.

I may get a MAC and a PC.. I want to see what the MAC is like and from what I have heard it is just a great machine. It does depend on which MAC you get really. But to get used to the OS

I think I will just get a cheap one. There is some which are somewhere between a laptop and a desktop and, There is one with a 24" wide-screen which is the best Monitor I have seen. But it is also a computer as well. Behind the screen it is about 4" thick and it is the computing part. I have not looked that hard and I would like to go to a dedicated MAC shop, if not to buy, then to see what the full range of choices you have. And there is people there who should know what they are talking about?

The Asus EEE 901 looks a great little machine. It does not have the bells and whistle but for doing stuff like this and email, which a grands worth of software when £150 will do? Lenovo I like the look of but, as with them all, I want to check the spec and see is the apparently very similar laptops are actually the same.

I think the Evesham collapse open a can of worms as it was shown they were selling pretty poorly spec'd CPU and they were not a cheap computer. They were good value at the time, but they were for the people who know nothing and just want a machine to send email and move some pics around now and then?

I know I will get a laptop PC but which I am not sure able. But I will think seriously about machines like the Asus, or Acer is it? Asus EEE 901. The other thing is, you cannot judge the latest mini laptops by the same standard you judge other PC by. You do not need a super fast CPU if the machine will like be doing just email and perhaps some odd print polishing. But I would have other more suitable machines to do that on. So it mean smaller mobo, and a tiny CPU and the weight comes down substantially. With my first laptop I took it out a couple of times, but, it was 2.5 Kilos but it is a whole lot if you are carrying it for more then ten minutes. I think the Asus EEE 901 is just over half a kilo? Personally I probably would not use it much outside. Maybe in the garden but not when I go to London or Paris or wherever I am at the time. I am happy using it mostly indoors. I could catch up on work on the train?

Really appreciate your help! And I am now going to make a coffee.

Take care and thank you.

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#9

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 11:55 AM

There are several versions of XP (Pro vs. Home, OEM vs. Retail, and Upgrade vs. Full Version). In your case, the version on your cd should be XP Home, OEM, Full Version. The key on the MS sticker on the bottom of your laptop should be for the same version - meaning that it should work fine. The activation keys are not manufacturer specific.

You may, however, run into an issue if either the key or CD is for SP2 and the other is not...

Either way, it should take less than an hour to try it! As mentioned above, you will then have to find the drivers for your specific model.

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#10

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 4:01 PM

Thanks everyone, the cd worked great, and the key on the bottom worked a treat. I followed a link someone sent me, and downloaded the drivers

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#12

Re: Windows XP

01/19/2009 6:17 PM

Hello Bondy,

If I understand you correctly, you have at least one 'spare computer which you use to talk to us. So install whatever is in the PB CD and use the good computer to download and drivers to your external USB ssd. Then tranfer it to your PB machine?

Tell us how you get on please?

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#16
In reply to #12

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 12:34 PM

Yes, I have 3 pcs which I could talk to you with, but this one is the best all rounder because the one which is wired with ethernet is slow, this one has fast wireless, and is fast enough, and the other one's wireless is hopeless. I did that, and installed the wireless driver to the PB, so I could go online with that and download the rest of the drivers. Thanks for everyone's help

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#20
In reply to #16

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 1:52 PM

Hello Bondy,

I built myself some while ago now. I want to get another but am torn between a PC and a MAC. I am so pis-ed off with the in ya face Microsoft. Not to mention being obliterated by spam and virus, Trojans etc. I spend half my time just coaxing it along to try and keep it working. I may just get myself a cheap laptop until I make up my mind. If I have another PC I can get some planned for external ssd Solid State Disks to transfer the stuff I want to keep onto and not have to worry about not getting on-line. Need to go back to basics really. But can't really when I have only one PC. Need something to use as a kind of switch table to move my stuff from the ssd to the new computer and then off load onto a separate disk. Perhaps on of the two in the desktop PC?

I came into wireless just a year to soon. Another year and there was virtually no set up'ing to do. It was all more or less auto'.So I kind of blundered my way through and having to do it all myself including every little digit of the wireless set up. I kind of lost heart when things started to go wrong. Three times I thought the router/modem was broken as I could not get on-line. That is how little I knew of radio. Each time I would think , YES!! I have cracked it, the modem part would appear to stop working. I now know I only had to reboot the modem and it would have been tickady boo! I had no problems with the set up of the radio side, including the keys and MAC's etc. I has a mental picture what should go where and the problem was I took so long in set up each time by the time it was set up the bloody modem was not working! It's got so I do not trust myself to set a wireless system up now. Not too sure if I have forgotten something and I am broadcasting to the world, you know.

And what you say about wireless systems being different. The first I had was 54Mbps. The second was similar but seemed to work faster. The last one was the same speed as this I have now. I think if I could set it up on a new clean machine with no other preset wireless con-fig' of any kind I could do it. But Those problems and other personal problems knocked my confidence for six. And I am just finding my feet now.

Least ways, if I have a spare, I can try things out which I couldn't with just one.

Hey, I must be burning your ears! Sorry.

Take care my friend............

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#22
In reply to #20

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 2:00 PM

The laptop I just got was only £20, all working except the battery is as good as dead and the wifi range isn't brilliant (20 metres max), but hey, if you know the right people, and especially those who either upgrade, or have no sense of money, you can make yourself a fine deal, look around. What anti virus do you use, I use AVG free and malwarebytes antibytes, and they seem to sort everything out. PS. Some wireless routers can deal with more than 54mbps, but to take advantage of this, you need to make sure you're wireless card is up to the job, because most on the market for about £10 are only 54mbps, but to be honest, it's enough. Take care

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#23
In reply to #22

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 2:54 PM

Hello Bondy,

will have to stop meeting like this, people will talk!

I am not in a circle of friends with computers. It seems I am the only anorak round here. No one understands when I start talking about the simplest ref' to computing, or software, whatever. You see the glaze come over the eyes! I know I am on a looser from then on. Do you know, I liken it to cars. I could not get enough of engines when I was in my teens and twenties. It is the same with computers. I just want to look under the bonnet to see how things works! I do not know of another copunutter like me round these here parts. The boys and young men I know with a computer do not do computing of any kind. They use it for games. But as they are, after a while you are just chasing 'scores'! 'I got one more than you now'. That sort of thing and boy is it boring. It is not computing in any sense of the word.

I wanted to move to AVG a month ago but I could not get any updates. I still have the same problem with the less than perfect spyware doctor + anti virus. But I had to put something on and I already had a disk of it. AVG is the one I would choose. Not hear of the other one you mention.

I used to have Kaspersky, and Lavasoft. But I used Kaspersky for three years and for the last two months I used it I had none of the several Trojans and virus' stopped from getting on my machine. It may have been one virus which stopped the kaspersky from working right?

As you go through the anti virus of various kinds, they can only be 'top-dog' for maybe three years before some smart arse sends a Trojan version it knows nothing about and it is down hill from there?

I tried to run Kaspersky, lavasoft, and spybot, plus Regcure. But I had serious compatibility probs with the spybot. It did not like lavasoft and visa versa.

I am not sure if I will have a reg cleaner on the new one, because I think it my have been my lack of knowledge when I first got it which could have screw up and possibly trashed some of the important reg files. I do not now, but when I first got a reg cleaner it seemed just too complicated to sort out the paths and what is right and or wrong with this etc ............so I just clicked clean all. Wrong perhaps but I was trying to do my best.

AVG has anti spyware doesn't it? Next time I will buy the antivirus as I did originally or download a free version and see if I can get a CD as well. Only started doing that about 18 months ago.

When I started I had a rough idea what I was doing. Now I know enough to plan better than that. So I will keep a hard copy of all apps on my machine and keep a list of any problems I have had with it/them. I know I have too much on my machine in terms of apps and updates. But, after a really nasty Trojan hit almost three years ago I started downloading anything, not always knowing what it did just to see if it would help with similar graphics problems I am having now actually. It did not help. And after a nasty virus 4/6 months ago I can not un-install hardly anything. There is a kernel corrupted and it could be that which is the problem.

As well as that, I will be the only one to use my next computer and the upgraded one I have now. I let a friend's son borrow it half a dozen times, and he goes to sh-t sites and alters all my controls, I will put a password on and leave it on. I noticed all my problems stemmed from the first time I allowed him onto it. The problem was, if anything went wrong, instead of telling me he would try and put it right when as with all his other mates they use a computer for games. No respect you know? Just click on here, don't matter is it screws up it aint mine?

I am going to make a drink soon. Sorry this is so long.

Take care.............

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#25
In reply to #23

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 3:40 PM

Don't worry, something to do on a long tuesday night. AVG free edition is really a great program, and it updates every day. If it comes up saying that there's an error, just go onto AVG program files, and delete the CTC or CFT files, cant remember which, and all is fine again. Malwarebytes is a really good program, that just does an extra thorough clean of your system, or it can do one in about half an hour. Yes,AVG does have anti spyware in it. Kids hey. Hope you have a nice drink, and have a good evening.

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#27
In reply to #25

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 4:02 PM

Hello Bondy,

Still haven't made my coffee yet.

I may well try them and I can check them out on their sites? I actually downloaded AVG four times. But I could not get it to finish installing as it could not reach its site to update. I have an Archive of CR4 stuff which can stay on my destop I have at the moment.

As I was just saying to caramba, I rather like the Asus EEE 901. Supposed to be really well build and yet light. I get a couple of computer mags so will sit down with them and trawl through and check the specs etc.

I am going to make that drink now!

Tace mate............

BTW what are you doing with that animal in your Avatar? Is it a pig with its ears pushed forward or, a rabbit?

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#29
In reply to #27

Re: Windows XP

01/21/2009 11:16 AM

I think that it's a panda with its hands over its eyes, Its from the internet somewhere. Take care...

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#28

Re: Windows XP

01/20/2009 7:48 PM

Regards

I think the discussion deserves *****

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