Windows XP: If I have the disc?

JerryClower

I already have Windows XP on my computer right. OK, so I was wondering if I could buy it and then install it over again. Would it delete all of my old files so that I could restart over from the ground up? I can't do System Recovery or System Restore (my pc is infected). I can barely boot the computer up.

More questions :
If I reinstall XP will it delete/restart everything on my hard drive?
What would happen if I formatted my hard drive and then reinstalled Windows XP?

slider142

If you bought your computer from a reputable source, you already have a valid license to run Windows XP on the machine you own and you do not need to purchase another. That license key should be on a sticker on the case or in the documentation that came with the computer and allows you to reinstall that operating system on that machine indefinitely.
If you cannot access any recovery tools on your system, request a recovery CD from your system's manufacturer or the manufacturer's website. If you are lucky, a friend or acquaintance will have the same version of Windows XP as that listed on your license key's sticker and you can borrow their CD (retail CDs work as well, but only the same type: Home or Professional/Media Center) for a fresh installation. In that case, you will need to reinstall the drivers for each hardware component in the system after installing the operating system. You can usually download these straight from the manufacturer's website.
All reinstallations of Windows XP from the CD (not a system restore from a restore point or backup) will allow you to format the drive before installation. This is recommended to mark bad sectors (full format) and remove any files that may be part of any virus, as formatting will replace the file allocation table, effectively wiping the drive clean for a fresh set of files.

JerryClower

Thanks. That was a helpful reply. Does Microsoft still make Windows XP?

slider142

Microsoft no longer distributes new Windows XP retail licenses, although resellers may have unused copies available for purchase.

flyingsleuth

No.

No.

The system would behave as it did when you first purchased it without the nasty malware. My advice, if you can afford it buy a cheap low cost laptop.

rcgldr

If your computer is one of the popular ones like Dell or HP, there may be a hidden partition on the hard drive that will let you restore your system to it's original factory state. To access this recovery software, you need to boot up your system while tapping on a function key, like F11, or F12, and perhaps holding down the <ctrl> key while tapping F11 or F12.

If you have the model number of your system, you should be able to go to the web site for the brand of computer you have in order to get the exact key sequence it takes to get into the restore to original factory state process.

jhae2.718

And, if we could go back in time two years, that advice may have been helpful.

rcgldr

I didn't look before the prior post, wasn't expecting this to be a relic from the past.

jhae2.718

I've done it a few times before. Ancient threads seem to be brought back quite often in this subforum.