Reformatting XP F-ing Home (Windows XP Home OEM Garbage)

[Bruce K]

I have lame OEM version of XP Home that was improperly installed FAT32 on my unit. I was so disgusted with the lack of features from incomplete install and improper format that I obtained a retail version. i wish to wipe my drive of the partition and data and do a full install oof the retail version and formatted NTFS. I, however, lack the experience fdisking and wish to locate sites or resources that might give step by step info on how to do this, painful or not. Please advise to this post or to bruce@krymow.com directly. Thank you!

[MaryJ]

The retail and OEM versions of Home are identical... what features were missing? Why didn't you either reformat and reinstall the OEM or use add/remove programs to add the features that were missing?

You could have converted the existing install to NTFS, without the loss of data, BTW.

[Bruce K]

Dear Mary ~ The retail & OEM are NOT identical. I already went around & around w/ Fujitsu staff about this & they explained that their OEM version is customized to their spec. Features missing are too voluminous to list here. They do NOT provide a full install. They improperly formatted FAT32. Fujitsu does NOT supply the original media, just a ghosted backup on a partition via PowerQuest Drive Image which is garbage as it is, again, an OEM version in FAT32. Add/remove is only for MS components, not features on media such as Ntbackup.msi, admin tools, some .INI files & a few .CABs, etc. You cannot reinstall w/o media, which Fujitsu does NOT supply. Converting to NTFS w/o media is not very smart as my backup stays FAT32 and is garbage in the first place. Were a virus such as Sircam to infect my local drive, the parameters that create the partition would be torn asunder, thus rendering all data useless & irretrievable.

Perhaps I should be crucified for obtaining a unit w/ an incomplete & improperly formatted OS, but now I just need a hand. I obtained a new full retail version myself. I LOVE my Fujitsu 7631-C Mobile Desktop.

I wish to wipe my drive of the partition and data and do a full install of the retail version and formatted NTFS. I, however, lack the experience fdisking and wish to locate sites or resources that might give step by step info on how to start from SCRATCH. Please advise to this post or to bruce@krymow.com directly. Thank you!

[MaryJ]

Well.. after you convert to NTFS, you could make a new ghost or drive image... and it's my understanding OEMs are very limited in what they can remove from windows. Home doesn't include backup in the OS to begin with, it is on the Home Cd though, as a valuepak option.. and that's one thing OEMs can leave out. Home lacks some common NT features found in Win2k and XP Pro - so don't be surprised if you don't have the features you think you are missing, even after you install a retail copy of Home.

After you've copied and backed up the data you want, you have two options. The best option is to put the cd in and reboot to cd. Follow the prompts and delete the current windows partition and reformat it. It's really very simple to do.

A second, less desirable option, but one that doesn't need reformatting, it to reinstall windows. The current windows folder is deleted but all other folders are left alone. You still need to convert the drive to NTFS. It also creates new user folders in the my documents and settings tree.

In either case, before you start, make sure you have all the xp drivers for your hardware, especially modems and nics.

[DaveA]

If this is a Fujitsu "laptop" and you do not use their OS you are going to be having more problems. The MS CD does NOT have the correct dirvers and tools to support the laptop. These items can only be obtained from Fujitsu. I have NOT found any XP features to be missing from the OEM versions

You may be able to find this data at Fujitsu webpage. Some laptop OEMs do not post the current market data that they are selling with a new machine, just what is needed to use on a older machine.

We had a Fujitsu laptop, and installed retail versions of Windows 98 and Me, they both did NOT run very well. We ended up in reinstalling the OEM version and it then word as designed. It is now in the hands of one of the kids and is doing well. I would suggest that you use the Fujitsu OEM OS.

Is the Fujitsu 7631-C Mobile Desktop the machine that you are having the problems with or is it another machine?
If the problem machine is a different one, give us the model number and specs, we may be able to help more.

[Bruce K]

This is a laptop Lifebook series C 7631. I have most if not all the drivers from Fujitsu. They gave me everything but the OS. There are many features missing from the OEM version, and this was confirmed by Fujitsu PC Corp. lead engineers after I worked my way up through the ranks. They are the ones that agreed my unit was improperly formatted FAT32 and the OEM version was culled, so they offered to foot the bill on a full retail version which is now in my possession. I have no OEM OS media so reinstalling or converting are not viable options. I am aware that I may be in for some headaches, but after research and careful consideration, I wish to start from scratch.

I would like to completely wipe my drive and start installing. I am not well versed in fdisking/formatting. I would like to know where I might obtain resource or reference to undertake this endeavor.

Attached is a profile of my unit per you request.

Best regard,

Bruce Krymow
bruce@krymow.com

[Bruce K]

Well, when you say put the cd in & reboot to cd do you mean the NEW CD? Or the old one? There is no original OS CD.

When you say reinstall Windows, do you mean install the NEW CD to write over the current OS?

What are nics?

[DaveA]

Go here http://www.pcnineoneone.com/howto/clean1.html for instructions on doing a CLEAN install of windows. This site(PC911) is a great site for step by step information. Note they also have a forum for additional help.

[Bruce K]

Dave ~ You are great! Thank you so very much for the referral. If any other resources come to mind, you may post them or send them directly to me at bruce@krymow.com.

How do you get your little GIF down there as your signature and how do you get the GIF of the hairy headed fellow inserted? Just curious.

~Bruce Krymow

[Leif]

Have you read the Help files? - section covering your profile here.

[MaryJ]

1) yes the new cd. it's silly to put in the old one. <img src=/S/smile.gif border=0 alt=smile width=15 height=15>
2) yes. but it tends to make a mess of your user folders, so a reformat is better.

[MaryJ]

the windows setup screens will present all the fdisk and format options you need. You do not need to use a utility and fdisk/format, just do it from set up. It's really very easy.

(You shoulda got them to spring for Pro. <img src=/S/smile.gif border=0 alt=smile width=15 height=15>

[Bruce K]

Hi, Mary Jean!
Yeah, I guess that would be silly. What are "nics"?

[Bruce K]

So you say to just put the new CD in, run it, and it will direct me to fdisk and reformat, yes??

(The last time I fdisk'd was a few years ago on an old laptop in Win95 and I seem to recall going to DOS to fdisk & reformat, but XP has no DOS, so I'm really not sure how to approach this, but I definitly wish to embrace the challenge.

Do I have to be at all concerned about my Phoenix BIOS??

BTW - I am stalling this process and gathering info as I am eagerly awating a copy of XP Pro!

[img]/forums/images/smilies/ohmy.gif[/img]}

[WyllyWylly]

NIC = Network Interface Card, geek speak for the thingy that you plug that cable that looks like (but most definitely is not) a phone cord into. <img src=/S/laugh.gif border=0 alt=laugh width=15 height=15>