Windows XP install

[Washington]

I have just ordered an original copy of XP to replace the not so legal copy of XP that is currently residing on my desktop pc.

Can I just install this new copy of XP over the one thats on there already or do I have to format the hardrive and start from scratch???

Don't particularly want to reformat unless its absolutely necessary as everything is working fine at the moment.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[mammikoura]

I gues u can just install it over the other one. Though even if u do it like this u will lose all installed programs and ur configs. But all of the files on the harddrive will be fine.

 

[draconum]

I know you can reinstall it over your current cp without loosing anything.
But why are you wanting to reinstall it, if you already have xp running whats your problem? is your problem with activation? Because you can just use the KEY from the xp your getting to activate it and it'll save you alot of time doing it that way.
Hope this helps.




Chris

 

[mammikoura]

I know you can reinstall it over your current cp without loosing anything.
But why are you wanting to reinstall it, if you already have xp running whats your problem? is your problem with activation? Because you can just use the KEY from the xp your getting to activate it and it'll save you alot of time doing it that way.
Hope this helps.




Chris

maybe the wga thingy. So u can't download updates if u are not running a legal copy. (well that was the point of it )

 

[Washington]

The version of xp that is already on there is activated. I don't know how to enter a new product key onto a version of windows that is already installed. Can I do this? If so how?

The reason I want a legal copy is that the copy on there is an old version before SP1. I'm pretty sure it could go pointy things up if I tried putting SP1 onto a dodgy copy of XP. I want to be able to use the desktop pc to connect to the net. I don't want to do that without SP1 and SP2 installed first as I believe there are a lot of security holes in the original release of xp.

Thanks for your help.