Issue with installation of OEM XP home

hi
I'm new posting in here.. but not new lurking.
This morning my dinosaur computer died and we have a backup all set to go.. have in hand the OEM of win XP home installation and SP2 discs - which is what came in the package a couple years ago when my S/O found a good deal. Anyway.. we seem to need an OPK to get this thing going.
Can anyone offer advice on a work around to the associate OEM thing microsoft has going now?

 

If you have a genuine XP, andyou have not installed it on another computer, it will work o.k.
OEM's will work as long as not previously activated, but if its from your old machine/motherboard/hard drive, microsoft are sometimes helpful- if it fails wga.

 

thanks for the quick reply. We attempted to install the software and without the installation kit, the computer does not realize there's a disc in the drive, although the cd drive does initialize.

 

Sounds like your cd drive has not been recognised - if it is set in the bios to boot from it.
Download a Windows 98se startup disc, and if you have a floppy drive, unpack it to the A drive, then use that to startup, with the XP disc in the cd rom, and choose to start with cd rom support

 

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

 

thanks for the link that's a fine site. I'm going to get a boot disc for the computer that died this morning too.. might make getting my data from the old one to the new one easier.
While I was lurking, I attempted to get it started from the ASUS motherboard disc, which is supposed to be a boot disc, and that didn't work either. I'm thinking maybe the motherboard doesn't know there's a CD drive.. hardware issue

 

As stated above by baklogic: have you checked the BIOS to make sure that the CD is set as the first boot device? Or that the BIOS sees the CD drive at all? Most motherboards require you to press F1 or F2 or Del to get into BIOS (also called Setup on some PCs). There is usually an on-screen prompt right when the PC is powered on that says "Press <Del> for setup..." or something similar....

 

I'm not getting a BIOS screen
the monitor doesn't display anything
not that F1 or F10 choice to get to set up
nothing at all

 

What comes on the screen right when you turn on the computer? If your monitor is slow to warm up you may not be seeing what is known as the "POST" screen (POST = Power On Self Test). When the PC beeps at powering on, this is when the POST screen is normally displayed. If the monitor is slow, or nothing seems to come up, tap the Pause key shortly after the beep and wait a bit to see if the monitor needs to warm up. Or you can just start pressing F1 and F2 and Del repeatedly after you hear the beep to try to get into BIOS. I have NEVER seen a PC that didn't allow you to get into the BIOS or Setup. Yes, sometimes they are password protected, and sometimes the BIOS is totally corrupt, but you can almost always at least get to a password prompt or something....

 

nope.. no BIOS at all.. not with del.. F1 of F2.. the monitor isn't slow.. I think there's a hardware issue.
I appreciate all the help btw.
I think it's time to recheck all the connections inside the box now

 

Are the fans to the power supply , and the rear of the case working ?
Does the screen show a short message like no input found ?
Has the pc got a seperate graphics card, or, an on- board ( or, both) - if both , try changing connection.
Try the screen on another computer to see if it is o.k.

 

Best idea of all - make sure you eath yourself, and power is off, and unplugged, and then press the power button to ensure it is .

 

ok.. lets assume that we find a connection problem.. fix it and get to the bios.. get that set to start from the CD
how do I get around the preinstallation requirement of using the preinstallation kit (OPK) that is supposed to be in the package with the OS software and isn't?

 

can someone explain to me what an opk is? you should just be able to put your disk in, and boot from it. different comps access the bios differently, some are f1, f2 keys,etc. you just need to look and see. g/l, sos

edit - ok, mine didn't flash anything either. you just start tapping that key, when you reboot, or startup your comp. mine was the f1 key. - sos

 

OPK = OEM Preinstallation Kit

 

Are you sure you are using the reinstall disk that came with the comp? If so, the pre-install is a folder on the reinstall disk and it should run fine for a recovery install.

You say that you have SP2 disks? If the reinstall disk is not XP SP2 it will cause a problem saying the OS loaded is newer than the one on the disk.

Just a couple of thoughts from a newbie.

 

Just a little note---- Some computers will trip very quickly past the bios access key , if you do not press it as soon as you start up the pc - I have had to restart it several times on some computers to get into the bios.

Do you get any beeps at all - you have not mentioned a beep ?
Beeps / beep codes can help us to help you.
What is the make of your pc ? Dell/ compaq/ e-machine , or, whatever ?

 

Thanks for all the help folks.. it was a hardware connection issue (note to self..ignore hubby when he starts reading the outside of OEM envelopes)
the installation went fine.. I'm up and running on the new machine.
We still have to install the SATA drive that apparently the motherboard didn't want to put windows on, and change how the computer files things .. but at least I'm up and running.. drivers updated.. security patches done.. my favorite other protection programs installed and running