Prev: Virus infection on a T60 ==> how best to reinstall WindowsXP?Can I safely still use the special Windows installation partition?
Next: Virus infection on a T60 ==> how best to reinstall WindowsXP?Can I safely still use the special Windows installation partition?
From: Carmel on 20 Jan 2010 07:42
On Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:12:47 -0800 (PST)
Jose <jose_ease(a)yahoo.com> articulated:

> On Jan 19, 6:16 pm, ship <ship...(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > My T60 (WindowsXP Pro)  has been infected with several viruses.
> >
> > Is it safe to re-install from the WindowsXP partition?
> >
> > Or should I kill absolutely everything on the disk (eg. by running
> > KillDisk off a CD)?
> >
> > And if I do the latter, how on earth to I register it with Microsoft
> > because the laptop did not come with any CDs.
> > (I can borrow a Windows XP Pro CD from work - but I presume that
> > there will be problems with the Product Key and License number etc)
> >
> > Any thoughts?
> >
> > With thanks
> >
> > Ship
>
> If you think it is best to start from scorched earth, I would delete
> everything - even the special Windows installation partition. You do
> not know the status/health of it with 100% certainty. Even if you
> could use it, if something goes wrong later, you will always wonder if
> it was really part of the problem or not. Eliminate the possibility
> of that question ever coming up - whack it.
>
> You can certainly make a copy of a genuine bootable XP installation CD
> to keep with your computer. Don't borrow it, make a copy for you. It
> is not unethical to make a copy of a Windows CD. It is unethical to
> apply the same license key to different computers. Be sure it is of
> the same version you have now (Home, Pro, etc). If you don't need it
> now, you will be glad you have it some other day.
>
> Before you reinstall, you should determine the currently installed
> licensing information on your current system (if it runs) and use that
> when reinstalling. It may be on a sticker on your PC that is
> unreadable, lost or missing. You need to figure out what Windows
> thinks, not what some sticker says.
>
> The information is already on your system of course, you just need to
> find it and write it down for later.
>
> You can use one of several free tools, or use them all and see which
> one you like best:
>
> Magic Jelly Bean:
> http://magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/
>
> SIW:
> http://www.gtopala.com/
>
> Belarc:
> http://belarc.com/free_download.html
>
> It would be more fun to just fix your current unspecified problem and
> not reinstall, but you can/should certainly find out the licensing
> information and get a copy of a genuine bootable XP installation CD of
> your own and keep it in a safe place for the future - or the
> present...

A fresh Format/Installation would certainly eliminate a lot of
potential problems that might exist on your system. Before nuking the
drive, do insure that you have the "key" for reinstalling Windows.
Next, visit this site:

http://tech.icrontic.com/articles/windows_driver_collection

It has some information that might prove useful to you. You might be
interested in: DriverMax <http://www.innovative-sol.com/drivermax/>
also. It could save you a lot of time. Prior to running it, do insure
that you have the latest drivers installed.

Finally, download a copy of FreeDOS <http://www.freedos.org/>. Create a
bootable CD, and use it to start your system. Read the documentation
first. If used correctly, it will remove all existing data and
partition info from your drive. You can then use the same disk to
reformat the drive prior to installing Windows. No entirely necessary;
however, it does help to erase all existing data on the drive.

Ciao

--
Carmel |::::=======
|::::=======
|===========
|===========
|

 | 
Pages: 1
Prev: Virus infection on a T60 ==> how best to reinstall WindowsXP?Can I safely still use the special Windows installation partition?
Next: Virus infection on a T60 ==> how best to reinstall WindowsXP?Can I safely still use the special Windows installation partition?