Need to reinstall

[Linda]

When i bought my computer the microsoft windows was already
set in my computer. Had to start over, like from the being.
How do i get my windows me program back without having to
go out and buy one.

[Noel Paton]

Use the disks that came with the PC - ask your system manufacturer
where/what they are and how to use them
Why do you need to do this? - it's VERY rarely necessary!!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's
or
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2001/Mar01/Mar27pmvp.asp
"Linda" > wrote in message
...
> When i bought my computer the microsoft windows was already
> set in my computer. Had to start over, like from the being.
> How do i get my windows me program back without having to
> go out and buy one.

[Ken Surplice]

Hi All, after I'd been away for a week, I returned to boot
my PC and it reported a registry error and the need to do
a fix. I did this but the system was in an unusable state.
As key data is on a second disk, I attempted to do a
restore from the original disks supplied with my Presario
PC. I have restored twice with no problem. This third
time, the process fails and I was asked to contact Compaq
(now HP) support. After a long time on the phone with a
technician giving truly sympathetic support, I received
some ideas to try around the hardware as my original CD
ROM has failed. Unfortunately these do not work. My system
is dead and I'd like to ask Microsoft if I can get source
disks and do a fresh re-install. Unfortunately the web
support requires me to enter a product ID. I need a
running system to produce a product ID and I do not have
one. I do have my Windows ME key. Is there a way to get
new disks from Microsoft, when all supplier efforts have
failed? Thanks - Ken

[Mike M]

Contact HP, they are obliged to help you. They entered into a contract to
provide full support for the operating system in return for purchasing copies
of Win Me at a considerable, in fact enormous, discount.

However you can try contacting Microsoft but remember that as the user of an
OEM system they are not obliged to help you. Hopefully they will do so.
Explain that HP are refusing or unable to help. See KB 326246 - "How to
Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or hardware"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=326246).
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Ken Surplice > wrote:

> Hi All, after I'd been away for a week, I returned to boot
> my PC and it reported a registry error and the need to do
> a fix. I did this but the system was in an unusable state.
> As key data is on a second disk, I attempted to do a
> restore from the original disks supplied with my Presario
> PC. I have restored twice with no problem. This third
> time, the process fails and I was asked to contact Compaq
> (now HP) support. After a long time on the phone with a
> technician giving truly sympathetic support, I received
> some ideas to try around the hardware as my original CD
> ROM has failed. Unfortunately these do not work. My system
> is dead and I'd like to ask Microsoft if I can get source
> disks and do a fresh re-install. Unfortunately the web
> support requires me to enter a product ID. I need a
> running system to produce a product ID and I do not have
> one. I do have my Windows ME key. Is there a way to get
> new disks from Microsoft, when all supplier efforts have
> failed? Thanks - Ken

[Ken Surplice]

Hi Mike - thanks for this. I did spend over 30 minutes on
the phone to HP this morning but they cannot provide
original disks it seems, just more restore disks. I've
just reseated cables and memories and am still stuck.
However, your knowledge base link is a great next step.
Thanks! Ken

[Mike M]

Re-reading your post I see you can boot into Win Me. If this is the case you
don't need a CD to reinstall Win Me as you should have all that is required on
your system already.

Win Me can usually be reinstalled without loss of data or installed
applications. This can be done using a Win Me CD or, better, by running
setup.exe from the windows\options\cabs folder (windows\options\install if Win
Me was originally installed using a Microsoft rather than an OEM CD).

If you have an OEM recovery CD rather than a Win Me CD, use a floppy and boot
to a DOS prompt. If you at the A:\> prompt you now type:

DIR C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\*.CAB

Do you see a list of CAB files including BASE2.CAB, PRECOPY.CAB and various
DRIVER, NETWORK and WIN CABs? If so you should be able to reinstall Win Me if
necessary, hopefully without loss of any data, by
running C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\SETUP.EXE from the DOS prompt.

If you do choose to reinstall Win Me this can cause other problems especially
if you had previously upgraded from IE5.5 to IE6 (See below) and possibly if
you had installed an early (beta) version of Windows Media Player 9. Any WMP
problems can be avoided by renaming c:\windows\system\wmploc.dll to wmploc.old
before reinstalling Win Me. You will also need to reinstall some critical
patches even though the Windows Update site will not show them as being
required due to the original "IsInstalled" flag remaining set in the registry.
The Belarc Advisor (http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html) would help you
here in identifying which patches needed to be reinstalled.

If you have installed IE6 ideally this needs to be uninstalled before
(re-)installing Win Me. If this is the case you might want to have a look at
MS KB 312451 - "How to Remove Internet Explorer 6 by Reinstalling Windows"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=312451) and also KB 293907 - "How to
Uninstall Internet Explorer 6" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293907).
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Ken Surplice > wrote:

> Hi All, after I'd been away for a week, I returned to boot
> my PC and it reported a registry error and the need to do
> a fix. I did this but the system was in an unusable state.
> As key data is on a second disk, I attempted to do a
> restore from the original disks supplied with my Presario
> PC. I have restored twice with no problem. This third
> time, the process fails and I was asked to contact Compaq
> (now HP) support. After a long time on the phone with a
> technician giving truly sympathetic support, I received
> some ideas to try around the hardware as my original CD
> ROM has failed. Unfortunately these do not work. My system
> is dead and I'd like to ask Microsoft if I can get source
> disks and do a fresh re-install. Unfortunately the web
> support requires me to enter a product ID. I need a
> running system to produce a product ID and I do not have
> one. I do have my Windows ME key. Is there a way to get
> new disks from Microsoft, when all supplier efforts have
> failed? Thanks - Ken