[Solved] Formatting old computer, need help with installing Windows XP MCE 2005

Discussion in 'Windows XP / Older OS' started by Magnak, Dec 29, 2013.

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  1. Magnak

    Magnak MDL Novice

    Dec 29, 2013
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    Greetings to all of you,

    Thank you for stopping by my thread. Right off the bat, I would like to declare that I'm rather a newbie when it comes to playing around with formatting Windows XP. :biggrin:

    My Situation:
    My parents computer from 2005 has become very slow and unwilling to do things properly (HP Media Center PCm7170n, bought at FutureShop back then.) I then decided to format in order to 'clean it up'. The computer has a product key sticker for a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, and from what I understand that means its OEM.

    So far, I have found that MCE '05 has an integrated 'CD' and I ran winnt32.exe. The setup went well and I am now able to access a very brute Windows XP. Unfortunately I seem to not be able to connect to the internet to update it.

    Thus, I am unsure if I did anything wrong and of what to do next.

    Background:
    I have a Pavilion dv6-3134ca laptop. The hard-drive died back in September of this year. I bought and successfully installed a new SSD. Why I am mentioning this: I used "Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO from Digital River" (unable to provide a link due to being new on this forum) to install my Win7 on a USB drive and then successfully install it on my new SSD.

    Thus being said, I thought I would have the same ease with reinstalling MCE '05 on my parent's computer but it seems that it is a little bit more complicated than that.

    Question:
    I know that Microsoft doesn't like supporting anyone in anything... so, is there a way to get Windows XP MCE '05 properly reinstalled with all of its updates and what not (Service Packs, etc)?


    I am sorry for causing trouble and coming at you with a very novice skill set. I hope that someone will be able to help me with my problem. Thank you very much for reading and for your understanding.
     
  2. tonto11

    tonto11 MDL Addicted

    Jun 18, 2012
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    OK
    So you've got XP running, sort of but you're missing drivers for your network card so you can't connect to the internet to update.

    Go to the HP website look up your computer model and download all the WinXPdrivers for it to a flash drive.
    Go to control panel/system/hardware and identify the missing drivers, and install them from the flash drive
    Once you get the network card going you'll be able to use windows update.

    Was given a Dimension D300 once that had a weird dvd integrated with the sound card, never did get it working right, turfed it got a regular dvd and regular sound card and now all is well, moral is don't suffer weird junk too long.
    ...T
     
  3. Magnak

    Magnak MDL Novice

    Dec 29, 2013
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    Thanks tonto, I will try that out. Parent's computer is parent's computer after all. Maybe I will convince them to get a new one... eventually.

    I will keep you updated. :)
     
  4. 911medic

    911medic MDL Guru

    Aug 13, 2008
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    #4 911medic, Dec 29, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2013
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  5. Magnak

    Magnak MDL Novice

    Dec 29, 2013
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    I'm just curious, what would be the difference between a 845P and a 945P?
     
  6. oldsh_t

    oldsh_t MDL Expert

    Dec 23, 2009
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    Have you looked to see if there is a recovery partition on the Hard drive? If there is you should be able to boot into it from the startup screen and reinstall the whole system like the day it came from the factory.
     
  7. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    100 ;)
     
  8. Magnak

    Magnak MDL Novice

    Dec 29, 2013
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    #8 Magnak, Dec 29, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2013
    (OP)
    Well, the drivers available for the 'HP Media Center PCm7170n' on HP's website are very limited and there is nothing there concerning the network card. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place.

    Gah... it's a puzzle that I cannot solve. Why do you say it is a 845P, while your link has it marked as 945P? @_@ I'm confused by that. I know that it would be unwise of me to just try different updates blindly without knowing which does what and how.

    Indeed there was, but I wanted to do the same thing I did for my laptop with Win7... I don't want any of the bloatware and useless and unnecessary programs. I thought that by just installing WinXP MCE '05 without anything else would give me the freshest start over I wanted.

    EDIT: Well, it seems that old programs are still on the hard drive. I guess that my actions did not format the hard drive at all. Instead I am now unable to access the internet and all the drivers got deleted.

    I have the Prod. Key for WinXP MCE 2005, maybe it should be best for me to start the process from the beginning. Is there a way for me to clear the HDD, get Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, install it on a USB flash drive (or even DVD) and then install it on the old dinosaur?
     
  9. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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  10. Magnak

    Magnak MDL Novice

    Dec 29, 2013
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    #11 Magnak, Dec 30, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2013
    (OP)

    I apologize for being unclear. Right now I am trying to get XP (MCE '05) functioning on my parents' 'HP Media Center PC m7170n' desktop.

    I just wanted to provide the information of what I was trying to do based off of my experience with installing Win7 on my laptop. In other words format the HDD of the desktop, have XP MCE '05 on a flash drive (or CD/DVD) and freshly install it as if it was a brand new HDD.

    I never done a fresh install on the desktop. Up to this point I just used the provided HP Recovery to 'format' it.

    My only experience with doing a fresh install of anything was with my laptop. I was able to download and install Win7 onto my USB flash drive. Once WIn7 was installed on my laptop, I just entered the product key from the sticker and everything is fine up to this point. (I got the know-how information from MDL main page)

    That is why I thought something similar could be done with WinXP MCE '05 and my parents' desktop.

    EDIT:
    Will do, thanks for the tip. xD But for now I just want to get this old box working again so that they stop nagging me about not being able to check their emails, pictures, etc.
     
  11. Magnak

    Magnak MDL Novice

    Dec 29, 2013
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    Thanks a lot for the heap load of help you are giving me.

    I have encountered an issue, it seems that my product key does not work for it. Is it because I'm installing XP Pro SP3 and not XP MCE '05? I am guessing there is no way of getting XP MCE '05?
     
  12. 911medic

    911medic MDL Guru

    Aug 13, 2008
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    #15 911medic, Dec 30, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2013
    keys are in the changer program with oem install. unzip it and look in tools folder.


    the board is 945G..typo with 845...sorry

    see PM

    you can user the oembios changer to install the oembios when you get it installed...
     
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  13. 911medic

    911medic MDL Guru

    Aug 13, 2008
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    Also, I would not worry about "end of life" issues, the XP/MCE is still very functional for web and such with third party browser (firefox,chrome, etc)
     
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  14. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    Been a while since I messed with XP.

    Tell you what I could do. I will offer to make you a HP OEM disc and upload it to my site for you to get.

    Too busy at the mo but should have some free time later on today.

    Also I could PM you a code for XP Pro SP3, this should allow you to get one step further and start addressing any driver issues.

    On mi iPad at the mo. Will crank my PC up later. Have to go do some retail theropy with her indoors.
     
  15. tnx

    tnx MDL Expert

    Sep 2, 2008
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    I have just made two new XP Pro SP3 HP OEM .iso images and rar'd them up.

    I have NOT added a modded WINNT file, so that KEY I sent will be needed at install.

    I am upping them as I type to my site.

    Once you have managed to find out which OEM BIOS is in the machine get back to me and I will PM you a link to my site.

    Or if in fact your BIOS holds different OEM I will need to make a totally new disc image. Does not take long.