XP Installation Undetected/Invalid Installation CD?

[Dataslycer]

I am trying to install a fresh version of Window XP (Home Edition) on my computer and have reached the point where it asked me to hit ENTER so it can check the CD drive. However, shortly it displayed the message "Setup could not read the CD or the CD is not a valid windows CD". This is a copy of Windows XP that I had bought a month ago and had successfully installed on my mother's friend's computer (albeit I had to delete their previous Window XP since it was corrupted). Can anyone give me a few solution of what is needed to be done?

 

[Grok451]

If it is a copy of the original XP CD, then everything may not have copied correctly. However, even if it was an exact copy, you would not be able to use it since Microsoft ties each copy of XP to a specific hardware configuration (didn't you have to go through registration with your mother's friend's computer?). If you are able to install XP to your PC with this copy, registration would fail, since the original XP copy has already been registered.

Solution: buy another copy of XP for your PC, stay legal and out of trouble. :grinthumb

 

[Dataslycer]

The other computer had XP activated but not registered.

 

[Spike]

Err, I would agree that you've probably installed it on the wrong PC first!

I don't know that you acctually knew that you'd be in the wrong doing this, and I suspect you didnt.

Grok is right though. If you activated the copy of XP on your mums friends machine, then it's not likely to activate on yours. It should however install, and last for 30 days until it has to be activated.

If it's a retail XP disk and not OEM/recovery, then you should certainly be able to get past the screen you are on. My guess is to give the disk a thorough cleaning (properly! else you risk damaging expensive software! lol) and failing that, you may like to try it in another drive if you haven't already.

 

[Grok451]

My bad, I should have said "activated," not "registered," in my previous post. Activation is the what can only be done for one copy of XP on one computer configuration. Therefore, if you activated on your mother's friend's PC, you can no longer legally activate that XP CD on any other PC.

As for the message you got that Setup can't read the CD, you had stated, "This is a copy of Windows XP that I had bought a month ago..." That tells me you burned a copy of the original XP CD and like I said, the copy will probably not work.

 

[Spike]

That tells me you burned a copy of the original XP CD

how!?!?

I must say tough, as much as ****** copies of XP disks steal money from MS and are therefore illegal - unless of course it's just for backup purposes - (make the morality judgement for yourselves. lol), if a retail XP disk is copied properly, it will still work as though it were the original disk.

As for copying them properly, well, that's best not given by me here for the obvious reasons - but sufficed to say it's not hard. See the elder geeks slipstream cd for xp sp2 article if anybody needs to find it.

 

[Dataslycer]

Actually, this is the actually Window XP I bought from an electronic store legally thank you very much .

 

[Spike]

I did think that's what you meant.

Welcome to TS btw.

back to your question.... are you able to try the disk in a different drive!?

If not, are you able to run the installation from insde windows instead of from boot?

 

[Dataslycer]

Are you refering to a different hardd rive? I tried it on two separate hard drive. One was one old one that I am trying to reinstall but a lock-up forced me to restart minus a Win XP OS. The second drive is the dirve I was planning to partition as a backup.

 

[Grok451]

Actually, this is the actually Window XP I bought from an electronic store legally thank you very much .

My apologies again. A lot of misunderstandings occur through the written word, especially with lag time between posts.

I guess when you stated "This is a copy of Windows XP that I had bought a month ago," I did not understand the phrase "a copy" to mean "the (original) copy."

Are you refering to a different hardd rive? I tried it on two separate hard drive. One was one old one that I am trying to reinstall but a lock-up forced me to restart minus a Win XP OS. The second drive is the dirve I was planning to partition as a backup.

I'm still confused as to how you're trying to perform the install. Are you booting from the CD?

Lastly, even if you are using the original XP installation CD, you're gonna have the activation issue as I mentioned before.

Sorry again that I've misunderstood your posts. :blackeye:

 

[Dataslycer]

Not a problem, it happens.

As to answer your questions, yes I am booting from the CD. Will the activation issue deter me from being able to install (not use) Win XP?

 

[Grok451]

You should be able to complete the install.

Since you are booting from the CD, have you been able to format the hard disk you're trying to install to?

 

[Dataslycer]

Not yet. I take it that you can be able to do so before the installation screen but after the CD boot-up?

 

[Grok451]

• At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup.
• Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP.
• Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Windows XP Setup.

 

[Spike]

And if that doesn't solve the problem, my suggestion was to try another CD-drive

 

[Dataslycer]

Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP.

I get the message before I can even access a partition.

And if that doesn't solve the problem, my suggestion was to try another CD-drive

Tried that, same problem sadly.

 

[Grok451]

Well we don't seem to be getting anwhere here, do we?
It would appear that the culprit must be the installation CD. I guess the last gasp option to validate this is for you to try it on a totally different PC, but stopping before you actually start the install, assuming you get that far.

 

[Dataslycer]

I can upgrade to XP with no problem but I can't make a fresh new windows installation. This is from the website http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316941

1. Start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM. To do this, insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD drive or DVD drive, and then restart your computer.
2. When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.
3. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to start Windows XP Setup.
4. Read the End-User License Agreement, and then press F8.

This is where the problem occurs

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Windows XP Setup.

As you can see, I didn't quite manage to reach the area where I format a partition or where I want to install Window XP. I was able to format it through Recover Console though and fix a problem with ChkDsk though I am still getting the same problem.

 

[Grok451]

Shot in the dark: Is you XP installation a full or upgrade version? I think the upgrade version asks for you to insert the qualifying previous version's install CD for software compliance.

 

[Dataslycer]

I am a first class ***** -_-

Ops, I just discovered via phone service that the windows CD that I bought was the upgrade CD, not the full installation, though the person that I had fixed the computer via the upgrade CD had already reimbursed me for the purchase for the Upgrade CD cost so basically that was free.

Probably best for me to give them that copy to them and buy a full installation from the electronic shop that I got it from. Anyways, thanks for the help and sorry to have bugged you all with a computer blooper x_x.

 

[Spike]

That does explain a lot These things happen.

One last ditch attempt though (as even the upgrade CD contains all the files nessecary to install windows) might be to try installing it by running setup from the boot floppies availiable for installing XP home on Microsoft.com. you never kow. It might get you going untill you get chance to get hold of the full install version.