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Installing XP. Usually easy. Not this time.

Navy Chief

Navy Chief

Senior Member
Ok, here's the story.

My stepson brought over his computer today, as it has been having problems. Upon startup, a "Spyware Guard 2008" menu popped up. I knew immediately it was a virus, and tried to download a freeware Malware program to remove the darn thing, but was not able to connect with any website, except the hijacked one from the "Spyware Guard 2008" crap.

Ok, no big deal, I downloaded the Malware removal program on another computer, and put it on a USB flash drive.

Try as I may, the program would NOT initiate on his desktop, OR from the flash drive.

After considerable cussing, and fussing, I decided to go ahead and reformat his drive, and reinstall XP. Completed the format ok, and proceeded with XP. I got to the part where I needed to input the Product Key.

Here's where I am at an impass. I have typed/retyped the Product Key , but it says it is "invalid". It is not invalid, as I have used this same XP to install on my existing 3 hard drives. I called MS, and they said my copy is an OEM copy, and would have to charge me $59 to help me fix it. Wrong.

Sooooooooooooo...... I decided to go ahead and install VISTA Ultimate. I have a registered copy of that also, but have never installed it on anything.

But I am not able to install VISTA, because the hard drive is formatted for XP, and it keeps asking for the XP Install disc, which will not go past the point of asking for a valid Product Key, which won't work........and so I keep going in circles here.

My question is this. How can I REFORMAT his hard drive, so I can install VISTA? Since I am not able to complete reinstalling XP.

WHEW!

Merry Christmas!

Pete
 
Pull the drive out of his computr, install it as a slave in yours, then reformat. Reinstall in his.
 
Ok, sounds fairly simple, but what do I need to do to set it as a slave drive in my setup? Simply plug available cords to it, and boot?

Thanks.

Pete
 
navychief said:
Ok, sounds fairly simple, but what do I need to do to set it as a slave drive in my setup? Simply plug available cords to it, and boot?

Thanks.

Pete
Click to expand...

no, you also have to move the little jumper on the back of the drive to the slave postion, and move the jumper on you boot drive to master. you'll need a really small pair of needle nose pliers
 
Hi all,
If you are sure that it is a virus and so not want to actually put it in your machine.Go get a cheap external HD caddy and put it in that.Just plug it in to the USB port and format from there.

Buddha13
 
Where did he get his computer from? I had the same problem with a computer when I trying to install WIndows Media Center 2005, it was a Gateway computer, and the product code would not work at all with the Media Center discs I provided. Ultimately had the person get a recovery CD from Gateway, but that had a glitch in it to where it would just loop the install over and over.

We finally installed a copy Windows Pro and that seemed to like the product code, even though it was for Media Center, ran the Windows Repair on the Media Center disc and was able to get Media Center installed.

Got to love Windows! :banghead:
 
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