-=PCTechTalk=- " Situation Now All Fowled Up "

Hiya ... I writing this from my mail account using NetZero dial-up ... yoike`s 
is it slow compared to the DSL that I have been using ( groan ) .
Anyway`s ... I had several strange thing`s occuring with my XP Home operating 
system on my Dell Inspiration 2400 ... so I decided to try a re-install of 
Windows XP ... using the instruction`s that I saw on Fred Langlas site .

I put the OEM Reinstallation CD that came with my computer into the CD drive 
and it booted up ... and informed me that the total installation would take 
about 51 minute`s ... so I brought over some cookie`s and hot chocolate and 
pressed ( Install ) .

It was going pretty good although I was not given the " Press R " choice ... 
and it proceeded to install Windows XP over my old origional XP system .

I got to the last 7 minute`s of the install and was asked if I wanted to 
register and re-enter the internet accessability ... and I pressed " Yes " ... 
I should have chosen " No " but I did`nt ( dummy me ) .

It asked me for my registration information ... which I entered then pressed " 
Next " ... then it just hung up and refused to budge ... I waited for 30 
minute`s ... and nothing ... so I shut the PC off waited for 30 second`s and 
powered back up with the Windows Re-Intall disk still in the CD drive ... it 
was still hung up ... so I shut the machine off and called Dell Tech Support .

I got a female and male support staffer`s whom I could not understand ... so I 
thank`d each one of them and hung up and redialed the support number ... and 
finally got a nice male whom I could understand ... although I could tell that 
he was a bit perturbed that I had gotten myself into this situation ( another 
groan ) .

I was told that I should have first installed the " Drivers and Utilities " 
from the CD ... no where in the operating instruction manual does it mention 
this proceedure ... nor does it even mention how to re-install Windows should 
it ever fail ( pout ) .

So I thanked him for trying to help and hung up .

I got to thinking that I still have this IBM back up PC to make a floppy of the 
" Eraser " program to erase everything on the Dell hard drive overwritten with 
1`s and 0`s to give me a new start ... also I can make a floppy of the Boot 
disk from the Windows XP system to use on the Dell to give me the necessary 
file`s to accept the re-installation CD for the Dell .

I also have a full version installation Window XP-sp2 CD that I bought for the 
IBM back-up PC when I changed it from Windows Melenieum (sp?) to Windows XP ... 
could I use it to re-install Windows XP on the Dell and then use the Dell 
re-install disk to install over that installation so as not to violate the 
Microsoft Users License Agreement against using the same disk on two different 
machine`s ?

Sorry that this mail is so lengthly ... " I have never been known for my 
brevity " ( grin ) .

LiL OL Me

Teri Lee 

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