Re: Repair Installation

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Rock (rock_at_mail.nospam.net)
Date: 02/06/05 

Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2005 21:48:35 -0800

wleman wrote:

> Is Repair Installation still included as an operating system recovery option
> on currently shipped copies of Windows XP Home Edition?

On retail copies, yes.

<snip>

> Is Repair Installation a feature that Gateway and perhaps other OEMs have
> stripped out of Windows XP, or has Microsoft stripped it out?

Yes it's possible the OEM stripped it out, but not MS.

> I need to know to decide how to get this feature back if it is still
> available somewhere, such as through an upgrade purchased directly from
> Microsoft. I need the Repair Installation feature because over the years I
> have found it to be quite reliable (nothing is perfect, of course) and it
> typically saves me about two weeks of work reinstalling my programs and
> program settings.

The only two options I can think of are purchase an installation CD from
Gateway if they offer one, or buy a retail copy.

<snip>

>
> Does Microsoft allow OEMs to strip out features of Windows XP?
>

Yes. The OEM is required to provide one of three means to restore the
system:

1. Installation CD
2. Recovery CD
3. Partition on the hard drive that has an image of the system as
shipped.

They are not required to provide access to the recovery console or a non
destructive repair option.

<snip>

One option is to invest in a good disk imaging program such as Norton
Ghost, Drive Image, Acronis True Image or BootItNg. Then you can keep
an image of the system after you make a change but while it's still
running good, to be able to restore at a later time. That works better
than a non destructive repair install in some ways.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Contacting Microsoft
    ... If it is retail Windows XP, Microsoft is not concerned about PC ... PC ownership is not relevant. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Windows XP
    ... I have talked to Microsoft sales person who ... > Microsoft Windows XP Professional Sugg. ... Retail Price: ... As noted, this is the OEM version, not the full version. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: XP disc with new computer
    ... difference between OEM and retail.. ... Microsoft will not provide a CD for free, ... If Windows came pre-installed on your PC ... Do I need to pay the full price for a CD ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment)
  • Re: Windows XP Professional
    ... >Professional that microsoft sells on its website and the ... >version found in retail stores. ... Insofar as I am aware there are only 4 versions of Windows XP being ... Windows XP Professional Full Install ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Apples poor positioning for the age *after* x86
    ... That's what they did to Apple with Windows, and what they are doing to Java with .NET. ... can be made about .NET and Java, but the larger pattern is exactly the opposite -- Microsoft creates inferior implementations and wins through leveraging its existing market power. ... smart, motivated developers. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)