My win xp cd is no longer bootable. What should I do?

[jaffa]

I want to reinstall Windows xp on my system and also change the partition sizes on my hard drive, but I have run into a strange problem. My cd with Win xp has always been bootable until but no longer is. I have tried with other bootable cds and they work fine (no issue with optical drive). If I insert my win xp cd into the optical drive when inside the operating system I can browse/explore the windows cd just as normal. The only problem with it seems to be that I can't start from that cd.

I tried to burn a copy of the windows cd to a blank cd hoping that the newly burnt cd would be bootable, but it wasn't.

Any ideas what I can try here?

 

[pkme2]

If the disk has no scratches or visible damage, have you given thought of cleaning the disk?

There several brands of CD washers that can do the job. Usually dirt, grease and whatever clog the tracks and a little cleaning should do it.


Good luck.

 

[fuzzynavel]

If I were you I would hit bittorrent and get yourself a backup.

If you have a legal CD key then there should be no legal implications with this.

 

[ForumMaster]

have you tried using nLite? it should be able to create a bootable ISO images that you can then burn. you can also use the program to have a fullly updated instalation CD. or you could go with what fuzzynavel said. i don't think it's illegal if you have the CD key.

 

[oynaz]

Originally posted by: fuzzynavel
If I were you I would hit bittorrent and get yourself a backup.

If you have a legal CD key then there should be no legal implications with this.

I second that. You can even get some versions with SP2 slipstreamed to it.

 

[NelsonMuntz]

It is pretty easy to slip stream your own legal Windows XP copy with the latest service pack and the instructions to do this and create a bootable XP disk are online.
I have been using the same set of instructions now for so long I don't remember where I got them from. Google search for "slipstream windows XP" should give you what you need.