• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Windows XP is far too difficult to install.

S

Sukhoi

Elite Member
I have here two 100% legal copies of WinXP Pro that I downloaded from my school's ECE department. One is either no SP or SP1, and the other is SP2. The earlier CD doesn't seem to be bootable, and if I use a bootdisk it tells me that it's gonna take forever to install XP because I don't have SmartDisc (or something like that) running. The SP2 CD is bootable, but always crashes at the same spot during installation. I got a third XP Pro CD from a friend, and it installs fine. However it won't take either CD key for the two CDs I have. WTF Microsoft? So I guess I'm now stuck trying to install without SmartDisc and hoping it doesn't take too many hours to do. I should have just stuck with Win2KPro. I'm not really sure why I'm installing XP anyway.
 
Originally posted by: Kasper4christ
different types of windows xp discs need different types of serial keys
Click to expand...

Why? How many versions of XPPro installs are there anyway? I figured the SP2 key would work for sure, but I guess the keys aren't backwards compatible. Hell I even tried my Server 2003 keys and none of them worked either.
 
lol

home and pro keys are different, OEM and retail have different keys,
ones made post service pack 1 and or 2 will not be accepted by cds that are pre sp1 or 2 etc..
 
retail xp starter
retail xp home
retail xp pro
retail xp home corporate?
retail xp pro corporate
retail sp starter sp1?
retail xp home sp1
retail xp pro sp1
retail xp home corporate sp1?
retail xp pro corporate sp1
retail xp starter sp2?
retail xp home sp2
retail xp pro sp2
retail xp home corporate sp2?
retail xp pro corporate sp2
oem xp starter
oem xp home
oem xp pro
oem xp home corporate?
oem xp pro corporate?
oem sp starter sp1?
oem xp home sp1
oem xp pro sp1
oem xp home corporate sp1?
oem xp pro corporate sp1
oem xp starter sp2?
oem xp home sp2
oem xp pro sp2
oem xp home corporate sp2?
oem xp pro corporate sp2?

edit: listed oem and retail too, i think i got them all listed
 
Originally posted by: Koenigsegg
An Elite member who doesn't know where to post a thread? 😕
Click to expand...


I'm venting at 4 AM. I know where the software/OS forum is. I'm not expecting a solution here since there aren't any I am aware of that I haven't mentioned.
 
Just because your image/disk is fubard it doesn't mean it is Microsofts fault. Corperate and retail have different cd keys. And with corperate you do not have to register. That is why it won't work.
 
I'm amazed that a dumb person like found a way to post a thread on ATOT and you're an elite member?????

P.S: Don't you also hate general computers as it may be too difficult for you to turn it on?
 
Originally posted by: cirthix
retail xp starter
retail xp home
retail xp pro
retail xp home corporate?
retail xp pro corporate
retail sp starter sp1?
retail xp home sp1
retail xp pro sp1
retail xp home corporate sp1?
retail xp pro corporate sp1
retail xp starter sp2?
retail xp home sp2
retail xp pro sp2
retail xp home corporate sp2?
retail xp pro corporate sp2
oem xp starter
oem xp home
oem xp pro
oem xp home corporate?
oem xp pro corporate?
oem sp starter sp1?
oem xp home sp1
oem xp pro sp1
oem xp home corporate sp1?
oem xp pro corporate sp1
oem xp starter sp2?
oem xp home sp2
oem xp pro sp2
oem xp home corporate sp2?
oem xp pro corporate sp2?

edit: listed oem and retail too, i think i got them all listed
Click to expand...

There's no such thing as an "OEM Corporate" or "Retail Corporate" version.
The only "Corporate" version is called Volume Licencing Key (VLK), and IIRC, there is no Home version of that.
Plus, it's not Retail or OEM, it comes direct from Microsoft.
 
Sukhoi: Grab a Windows 98 bootdisk from bootdisk.com, boot with that, type "smartdrv" to turn on the disk cacheing, and then x:\i386\winnt.exe (replace x with your CD-ROM drive letter).

Voila.

It's not Microsoft's fault if the CD supplied by your school isn't bootable. I'd suggest ranting at them a bit 🙂

Failing that, remake the CD yourself using some of the easily-found methods on the web.
 
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
I have here two 100% legal copies of WinXP Pro that I downloaded from my school's ECE department. One is either no SP or SP1, and the other is SP2. The earlier CD doesn't seem to be bootable, and if I use a bootdisk it tells me that it's gonna take forever to install XP because I don't have SmartDisc (or something like that) running. The SP2 CD is bootable, but always crashes at the same spot during installation. I got a third XP Pro CD from a friend, and it installs fine. However it won't take either CD key for the two CDs I have. WTF Microsoft? So I guess I'm now stuck trying to install without SmartDisc and hoping it doesn't take too many hours to do. I should have just stuck with Win2KPro. I'm not really sure why I'm installing XP anyway.
Click to expand...

Unless you got an upgrade copy, all XP CD's are bootable 😕 From the sounds of things you have an older computer that may not be 100% XP compatible.
 
Originally posted by: Fritzo
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
I have here two 100% legal copies of WinXP Pro that I downloaded from my school's ECE department. One is either no SP or SP1, and the other is SP2. The earlier CD doesn't seem to be bootable, and if I use a bootdisk it tells me that it's gonna take forever to install XP because I don't have SmartDisc (or something like that) running. The SP2 CD is bootable, but always crashes at the same spot during installation. I got a third XP Pro CD from a friend, and it installs fine. However it won't take either CD key for the two CDs I have. WTF Microsoft? So I guess I'm now stuck trying to install without SmartDisc and hoping it doesn't take too many hours to do. I should have just stuck with Win2KPro. I'm not really sure why I'm installing XP anyway.
Click to expand...

Unless you got an upgrade copy, all XP CD's are bootable 😕 From the sounds of things you have an older computer that may not be 100% XP compatible.
Click to expand...

He got it from his school, which means that someone probably didn't make the ISO correctly, or forgot to make it bootable, especially if his friend's copy boots fine.
 
Originally posted by: Phil
Originally posted by: Fritzo
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
I have here two 100% legal copies of WinXP Pro that I downloaded from my school's ECE department. One is either no SP or SP1, and the other is SP2. The earlier CD doesn't seem to be bootable, and if I use a bootdisk it tells me that it's gonna take forever to install XP because I don't have SmartDisc (or something like that) running. The SP2 CD is bootable, but always crashes at the same spot during installation. I got a third XP Pro CD from a friend, and it installs fine. However it won't take either CD key for the two CDs I have. WTF Microsoft? So I guess I'm now stuck trying to install without SmartDisc and hoping it doesn't take too many hours to do. I should have just stuck with Win2KPro. I'm not really sure why I'm installing XP anyway.
Click to expand...

Unless you got an upgrade copy, all XP CD's are bootable 😕 From the sounds of things you have an older computer that may not be 100% XP compatible.
Click to expand...

He got it from his school, which means that someone probably didn't make the ISO correctly, or forgot to make it bootable, especially if his friend's copy boots fine.
Click to expand...

OH, so it's not an original copy. Yeah, if it wasn't made bootable, it's not going to install right.
 
Originally posted by: Phil
Sukhoi: Grab a Windows 98 bootdisk from bootdisk.com, boot with that, type "smartdrv" to turn on the disk cacheing, and then x:\i386\winnt.exe (replace x with your CD-ROM drive letter).

Voila.

It's not Microsoft's fault if the CD supplied by your school isn't bootable. I'd suggest ranting at them a bit 🙂

Failing that, remake the CD yourself using some of the easily-found methods on the web.
Click to expand...

winnar!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top