I bought two netbooks which came with XP Home and they are full of bloatware. The netbooks came with no disks, and there is no optical drive anyway. There is also a lack of a restore partition. The only option they give me for backup is to use Roxio software to do a complete system backup onto CD/DVD, which I can't do without an external CD/DVD drive. Sure I can back up files to an external hard drive or flash drive, but the point is I want a system back up, but the Roxio software only supports doing such a back up to CD/DVD. Also it's a new netbook and I have no information to backup anyway. Before you suggest it, I already know how to install Windows off a Flash Drive. I had intended to install Windows 7 on this netbook. I was certain that this newer netbook would have SLIC 2.1 in the BIOS, but I was wrong. Normally I would just hard-mod the BIOS without a second thought, but these are gifts for my sisters and I don't want to risk it. I have thought about just letting it go and giving them the netbooks as they are now, but I just don't feel right giving them a system that is bloated and doesn't have a back up prepared. So I have opted to try the soft-mod for Windows 7, a process which I have never had any luck with. I've always had to end up hard-modding. If I fail at getting Windows 7 running and activated on their system I am just going to install Windows XP Home/Pro. This is my problem. I would gladly reinstall the legit copy of Windows XP Home (sans the bloatware), but I can't find an OEM version online. Also, the version that comes with the netbook is the ULCPC version, so I am not sure if the product key for that will work with a standard OEM copy. I could call HP/Compaq and have them send it to me, but that will take time and I don't feel like shelling out the cash for shipping. Instead I guess I could install Windows XP Pro, but I don't have a product key for Pro. I am well aware of how OEM activation for Vista and Windows 7 works, but I have no idea how it works for XP. If I want to install XP Pro, will it be easy since I own an OEM machine that came installed with a version of XP? Meaning I don't need any special loaders or BIOS hacks. Do I need to download Certs? Do I need SLP keys? What are the commands for activation? Sorry this post was so long. I just wanted you to see where I am coming from. Confused.
Thanks Medic. You mentioned to back up an OEMBIOS and dll files? Where/How do I do that? Also in the thread for your program you said that updates sometimes break the activation. Do I just run it again if this happens? How often does this occur? Thanks for the link to that XP Home ISO. Think this will work with my product key for the ULCPC version? This is my main concern really. I want them to have a legit backup of Windows if all else fails. Edit: I just checked the link to pro you gave me... it looks like the rapidshare links are dead. Is there a torrent available?