This is a constant source of frustration for me, and I'm wondering
(hoping)
if someone has a suggestion that is straight forward that I can use. I
continually find myself in this situation: I'm "the computer guy" to my
friends and family, although, I'm just a lowly a Access Application
Analyst
with very little experience with Windows configuration... Until I got
on
Cox
Highspeed internet, and descovered quickly that I don't know squat
about
my
hardware and software environment and find my self increasingly baried
in
help files trying to figure things out. So I get the call from one of
my
friends who can't get on the internet to run their business or
whatever,
or
they can't boot up. So I go there and find all kinds of problems... Way
too
much software, spyware infestation, viruses, myriad problems that I've
spent
countless days nights weekends endlessly searching for answers that
never
seem to come easy enough... So in these situations, when it't "THAT
BAD" I
suggest a clean install, as I've done this many times and it used to go
smoothly, until XP and Automatic Updates. Now it seems every time I try
to
run the setup from the OEM disk or whatever they have, I end up in a
loop
of
error messages asking for a disk the PC owner never had, because the
file
being looked for was installed by an update. "Fatal Error! Setup can
not
continue. Please insert the Window XP SP1 CD to coninue setup." but
there
is
no service pack 1, the files may be on the disk, but I don't know
where,
and
at this juncture, setup seems to have gone to the point of no return,
as
it
just keeps looping back to the setup program and to the same error...
The
big
problem, and excruciatingly time consuming, is that these users have
one
household PC, it isn't operational, and they are completly helpless...
So
I
go home, get on the MS Sites and start trying to find help. I go to the
manufacturers sites and try to find help. But it always expends massive
amounts of time, as no one seems to have a Service Pack 1 (or whatever
it
is
being asked for at the moment) and Microsoft tells me I have to go to
the
manufacturer for help. Isn't there a license friendly solution for me
to
help
my friends (like I want to make a CD or two that contains the various
Service
Packs) but unless I am missinformed, I'm not allowed to do this because
of
license issues or complience validation or something... Sorry for being
so
wordy, but I'm going through this nightmare again, and I'm just kinda
frustrated... don't mean to vent, I just keep thinking, Microsoft put
the
file on there, why can't I get the file I need from microsoft, so
everyone
can go about there business and be happy
Much Thanks in advance
--
Everything in EXCESS!!! If you want to taste the flavor of LIFE, Take
BIG
Bytes. Moderation is for monks.
:
~ FreeSpirit ~ wrote:
Create a slipstream CD using your Windows XP CD and the SP2
download.
It is
easy to do - see here
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/slipstream.htm
===================
What about those of us who don't get the XP-CD when we buy our PCs?
I
have several CDs to reinstall WXP from HP.
FS~
It depends on what the OEM has given you. Check with HP's tech
support.
If you have only a restore image, you can't slipstream it. Sometimes
you can slipstream using the i386 folder on the hard drive if the OEM
set it up that way. Otherwise, you are SOL. You can check out the
links
that the following Google search produced for possibilities:
http://www.google.com/search?q=slipstream+XP+with+OEM+restore+disk&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=
Malke
--
MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic"
