Whistler

  • Thread starter Thread starter whitebluff
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whitebluff

Still trying to help neighbor get her HP windows XP going again. Found out
today she has Whistler. Is that a different version of XP home edition?
Asked for password and she said she never had to put in a password for
anything to get it running in the beginning. Any suggestions? This is the
one who installed SP 2 and crashed. Thanks in advance
 
Whistler was the original code name for Windows XP. If she has a whistler
copy it is an early beta version.
 
has the system been hacked or something. and is there a
password or id sticker on the case.
 
Whistler was the code name for Windows XP. If she has Whistler, then she
has an early beta copy of XP. When and where did she get this code?
Whistler was first released in October 2000. Does she have the recovery
disks that came with her PC when she bought it?
 
She purchased this HP from Sam's Club and it didn't come with any floppy or
recovery CD. She has tried HP to get these recovery tools but they told her
to go back to the store where she purchased the machine. We went to the
Microsoft site and I downloaded the 6 floppys they suggested. All 6 went in
just fine, then it asked for the recovery CD which she didn't have. She can
get into BIOS but the system just won't boot. Tried to do a restore and
also recovery but still nothing. Even tried my recovery CD but the floppys
hang up on disk 2 so can't try that either. Think I should try to make 6
new floppys and try again?
 
She purchased this HP from Sam's Club and it didn't come with any floppy or
recovery CD. She has tried HP to get these recovery tools but they told her
to go back to the store where she purchased the machine. We went to the
Microsoft site and I downloaded the 6 floppys they suggested. All 6 went in
just fine, then it asked for the recovery CD which she didn't have. She can
get into BIOS but the system just won't boot. Tried to do a restore and
also recovery but still nothing. Even tried my recovery CD but the floppys
hang up on disk 2 so can't try that either. Think I should try to make 6
new floppys and try again?
Click to expand...

I can't help. Warning to all of you who are not aware - just do not buy a
new computer without it having recovery CDs. I wouldn't give 5 cents
worth to any company that sells new computers without recovery CDs. Just
do not patronize them. What rotten companies.

I think you'll find the same problem again. Does your computer have a
Windows XP sticker on it by any chance - that might help solve your
problem. MY eMachines, though it came with recovery CDs, also has a
sticker on the back - an "XP home edition" sticker with a set of numbers.
This is the product key. Even if you didn't get recovery CDs, if your XP
copy was legit, I think you should have gotten an XP sticker with the key
on it on your computer.
...D.
 
HP Pavilions that ship with Microsoft Windows XP do
not come with recovery CDs. Instead, they use a hidden
space (partition) on the hard drive to store the recovery
information.

Read the following article thoroughly, then follow
the steps outlined to perform a "non-destructive"
recovery operation.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...docname=bph07145&product=71013&dlc=en&lang=en

Afterward, reinstall SP2.

HP and Compaq Desktop PCs - Important Information for Upgrading
to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...n&lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00218731&lang=en&cc=us

Windows XP Service Pack 2 - Direct Download
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Still trying to help neighbor get her HP windows XP going again. Found out
| today she has Whistler. Is that a different version of XP home edition?
| Asked for password and she said she never had to put in a password for
| anything to get it running in the beginning. Any suggestions? This is the
| one who installed SP 2 and crashed. Thanks in advance
 
Thanks - I will have her look for a sticker. Also told her next time she
buys a computer, don't look for the cheap ones - find a manufacturer that
gives all the tools you need and also good tech support.
 
How long has she had the computer?
She may be able to buy the recovery CD from HP for about $20, far less
than Windows XP at a store.
 
After the HP screen, the Windows XP Whistler comes up. After that nothing
happens - just quits booting.
 
whitebluff said:
After the HP screen, the Windows XP Whistler comes up. After that nothing
happens - just quits booting.
Click to expand...

Ok . Whistler shouldn't be displayed unless a beta version of XP was
installed. A few years ago, before XP went final, there was a public test of
XP Pro. This beta had a 180 day time limit on it but it would be possible to
hack the time limit out. It is likely SP2 didn't like being installed on a
beta and crashed. I don't know if you can roll back out of it. You should
look at a clean install using a retail version of XP.
 
Have another question. Are these beta versions legal to sell to customers
without them knowing what it is? This woman is 74 years old and bought this
computer from Sam's Club not knowing it was a beta version of XP. She is
still trying to get someone at HP to help her. Her computer crashed a week
ago. Thanks for all the info.
 
There is not a beta version of Windows XP on her
HP computer! I bought an HP Pavilion in 2002,
and the boot.ini file did indeed have 'Whistler' instead
of 'Windows XP Home Edition'. Apparently, HP used
a master Windows XP image that still had the Whistler
name, but it is indeed a final, released version of
Windows XP Home Edition.

I did modify the boot.ini file to make the correction:

Right-click on MY COMPUTER and select:

Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery Settings > Edit

CAREFULLY edit your boot.ini file.
Your boot.ini file should then look similar to this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect

As I pointed out in a previous post:

HP Pavilions that ship with Microsoft Windows XP do
not come with recovery CDs. Instead, they use a hidden
space (partition) on the hard drive to store the recovery
information.

Read the following article thoroughly, then follow
the steps outlined to perform a "non-destructive"
recovery operation.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...docname=bph07145&product=71013&dlc=en&lang=en

Afterward, reinstall SP2.

HP and Compaq Desktop PCs - Important Information for Upgrading
to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...n&lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00218731&lang=en&cc=us

Windows XP Service Pack 2 - Direct Download
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Have another question. Are these beta versions legal to sell to customers
| without them knowing what it is? This woman is 74 years old and bought this
| computer from Sam's Club not knowing it was a beta version of XP. She is
| still trying to get someone at HP to help her. Her computer crashed a week
| ago. Thanks for all the info.
 
Thanks - I will have her look for a sticker. Also told her next time she
buys a computer, don't look for the cheap ones - find a manufacturer that
gives all the tools you need and also good tech support.
Click to expand...
Well, eMachines usually uses Athalons & Celerons. My Athalon 3200+ is top
notch as far as I am concerned, yet the get-in price was good. All I am
saying is they are bargain computers, but a well known company. In fact
eMachines & Gateway have merged.

BTW talking about bargains - this week, 10-10 thru 10-16, At least in the
Bay Area here (San Jose), Office depot has a great sale as far as i am
concerned, a complete system - computer + monitor + printer, a Compaq,
all for $376.09 - after rebates. This is an Athalon 2800+ processor!
That is a pretty good processor & speed. Athalons compare to P4s. I have
a 3200+ and there are last years 3000+, but the 2800+ must be right up
there, though maybe a little older.
...D.
 
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