Installing OEM Windows onto PC with new H/ware??

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brensec

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I think I've managed to put this post in the right place...

I have (HAD) and DELL Dimension 8100 (1.7Gb). When it had a major 'dummy spit', I was advised by my PC man (whom I trust) that my best option (due to financial restraints) was to supply a new case, mobo and processor and use all my other bits, to basically give me 'roughly' the same power and capabilities I had with the Dell (with which I had always been completely satisfied).

I now have (or will tomorrow) an Asus 7 mobo with AMD 2300+ and 512 DDRram, along with my Geforce FX5200, drives and extras etc from my old PCU.

I only have the original Dell OEM Windows Me Installation CD and an XP Home Ed 'Update'. How do I install the DELL OEM Operating System onto a system which is no longer a 'DELL'. Will I run into problems with the system recognising the CD (or vice versa)?? Is this a relatively normal process or do I need to do anything like talk to DELL (God, I hope not!!)

Of course, I'm hoping my repair bloke has installed the OS and I'll just need to install all my programs. Is it a normal practice when such a 'rebuild' is done - for the repairer to install the OS? I assume that an OS would need to be installed for the new stuff to be tested effectively???

Thanks for any assistance or comment...

Regards,
brensec :D :)
 
just try to install it. if it dont work, you might need to rebuild the cd, recopy it, and then install ME and then update to XP
 
Thanks for your time and help, but fortunately, the repairer just dropped it off and he has installed the OS for me. So all is well.

Although, of course, it's good to know that the OEM CDs are still 'workable' and I don't have to buy a new OS.

Thanks Again,
Steve
 
No, he did it at the shop.

I was all relieved when he delivered it and said all I had to do was install the programs....... Well, it goes to show you, whatever can go wrong, WILL GO WRONG.

It would seem that he (or his underling) has made a complete balls-up of the OS install - I've been trying for 10 hrs to get my programs and hardware installed and all I'm getting is errors concerning 'missing drives', "cannot find AUTORUN.EXE" everytime I try to run a CD. It won't restart from the "START" option. The control panel will not appear at all...
It's a complete Stuff up...............!!

I've tried repairing the install, but as soon as I try to install or repair the OS with the Dell CD I get a message "Your PC is not compatible with this operating system - Please refer to your PC manufacturer."
EXACTLY WHAT I EXPECTED WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT MY DELL WOULD NOT BE A 'DELL' ANYMORE.

However, I have a solution - an even better one. I have an XP Home Edition CD, which I inherited from another PC I bought second hand a couple of years ago. It's a 'Windows' one, so it should install OK (I hope). I've only been resisting XP because I;m set in my ways and am used to Me. But NO MORE!!

I have tried to install the XP but during the process it says it has to go to the MS site to get some updated stuff (I dunno what). I don't know anything about partitions etc, so I wanted to do a format and clean install, but it won't let me because the 'UPDATES' are contained in the SINGLE partition on my HD - They will be needed during the install.

Can I ask if anyone can explain to me (as if I were a 5 year old), how to make a partiton in my HD, so I can install the XP and then DUMP the Me crap???

I have no hardware or software successfully installed, to speak of, so it doesn't matter what happens to the bit that is there.

I'm getting very frustrated because of my inability to understand the terminology in the Partition Instruction pages on the web. I just need it in plain English.

Anyone who can help or direct me to a PLAIN ENGLISH website, that goes thru it very simply, will save my life (and the PC I'm about to kill)...

Thanks again
brensec
 
go to www.bootdisk.com and download the windws 98 oem executable. Get a floppy, put it in the drive, click the exe you just downloaded, onces it write to the floppy, reboot and boot from the floppy..start the pc with cd support, fdisk and delete the partition and then make a new one, format it and then instal xp.
 
Thanks, I'll give it a try.

Also, has anyone got any idea how I "go to DOS" with my system?? (Whoever DOS is!)

Asus 7S8X (AMD 2300+) Win Me

I've also been trying for an hour to find out how to get to the place where you can choose to reboot from another drive. On the Dell, it was F2 (while the DELL LOGO displayed, but I've tried "F everything" and it won't go there.

P.S. Warez - if I delete the existing OS, I will lose the 'Install" updates that the XP Setup has downloaded (that's as far as I got before I couldn't go any further without a partition. Also if I delete the drive, the XP Setup won't be able to access the MS site to get them.

Actually, while I was playing around, trying to get XP to install, I tried to delete the existing drive but it said - "You cannot delete this partition because iot contains 'updates' which are required to complete the installation of XP!!"

That's why I think I have to partition first, format the new partition, install XP and the chuck the leftovers on the first partition.

Thanks :eek:
 
you just need to install it on a different folder, I cant remember which way to go after this....wish I could see it
 
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