How do you reformat and install windows xp?

• nikoz

  17 Nov 06, 09:48

  As title, if you don't have the recovery cd anymore? But still got the xp home license at the back on the cpu tower...
  
  1 Can the license still be used?
  
  2 How do you reformat it without the recovery cd, can i use a friends xp home cd and my own license key.
  
  3 Can create partition along the way?
  
  Thank-u.
• NekoRin

  17 Nov 06, 09:51

  Insert the CD, go to BIOs and change boot priority to CDdrive.
  
  From the windows setup you can specify format partitions, format the disk and reinstall windows.
• ndmmxiaomayi

  17 Nov 06, 09:53

  Question 1 and part of Question 2 answer.
  
  Question 2: Some brands can let you recover without the CD. Acer is one. The others I'm not sure. Refer to the manual. If you need the Acer the manual, I will get back to you at night, or somebody can just post up.
  
  Question 3: If you reformat, yes. If you are doing a recovery, I don't think so. However, a reformat and reinstall usually requires the Windows CD, not just the recovery CD, as recovery CD don't contain all the necessary files.
• Y_Shun

  17 Nov 06, 18:15

  Compaq have =)
• ndmmxiaomayi

  17 Nov 06, 18:53

  Restore without the Recovery CD in Acer
  
  

  [*]Turn on the PC and access the BIOS (Press F2 when you see the screen prompting you to do so)
  [*]Check to see if Acer disc-to-disc Recovery function is enabled.
  [*]Make sure the Acer D2D Recovery setting in Main is set to Enabled.
  [*]Exit BIOS and save the changes. The system will reboot.
  [*]When you see the screen prompting you to press F2, press Alt + F10 to enter the recovery process.
  [*]The system will prompt you: "The system has password protection. Please enter a password. Enter 6 zeros and press Enter to continue.
  [*]You will see Acer Self-Configuration Preload. Use the arrow keys to select an operating system and press Enter to select it.
  [*]Follow the on-screen instructions.
• zocoss

  17 Nov 06, 22:42

  
• ndmmxiaomayi

  17 Nov 06, 22:44

  Originally posted by zocoss:

  Thanks guys for the info, so you mean i don't need to do the same old way like windows 98 put in a start-up disk in drive A and fdisk, format C: anymore?
  
  I just Insert the CD, go to BIOs and change boot priority to CD drive.
  
  From there, everything move by itself? i don't need to do anything, Must i type anything? like setup or something...

  From Windows XP onwards, it's as easy as putting in the CD and follow instructions.
  
  Don't need to change anything, default settings work well.
• kenn3th

  18 Nov 06, 23:05

  for sony laptops it's easier.. there is Recovery tool that allows you reformat ur computer and it does this automatically without any disc.. although u can create ur own recovery disc.