Re: Clean Install Questions

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

Nepatsfan wrote:
fttCg.2183$Qf.661@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Daave <dcwashNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Nepatsfan wrote:

The XP installation CD provided by Dell uses a Volume
License key during installation. Look on the CD for a file
named winnt.sif within the I386 folder. If you open that
file with Notepad you'll see the CD key that the two
keyfinders reported. That key allows you to install XP on a
Dell computer and skip having to go through the activation
process. For your purposes you don't have to use the key on
the sticker.

Thanks for the clarification.

You said I don't need the key on the sticker for my
purposes. So, just out of curiosity, what is this key on the
sticker used for? Also, for the slipstream process, am I
right assuming that the key needed is the same one in the
winnt.sif file?

And thanks for the links!
--
Dave

Thankfully I've never had to resort to this but it's my
understanding that if you lost your Dell CD you could use a
generic OEM XP installation CD along with the key that's on the
sticker to reinstall and activate Windows. I'm not sure but I
think you'd end up having to use the phone activation option in
this scenario. Bottom line, don't lose the Dell CD or the
sticker. When you finish making your slipstreamed installation
CD, store the original CD in a safe location.

When you create your slipstreamed CD, the original winnt.sif
file will be retained. That key should be used whenever you
install XP on your Dell.

That's good to know; I'll take good care of that Reinstallation CD! I
wonder if it's possible to make up a backup copy of it (for my use). Or
might there be some kind of anti-piracy encoding preventing me from
doing so?

FWIW, doing some Internet research I found that Dell OEM Windows CDs
aren't exactly "volume license"--but it's a similar idea. The
description I saw was the "special" product key is linked to a "golden
master" OEM copy of windows. Very large-volume companies like Dell are
apparently considered "royalty OEMs." Go figure!

Googling for "royalty OEM," I found this Web site:

http://www.grm.net/~robncjon/xplinx.htm

where I saw the following, which I found interesting:

"If your Dell CD fails to slipstream it's not because it's a restore CD,
it just has some
hotfixes slipstreamed in a funky way and it needs to be cleaned up."

and

"If you slipstream a SP on a royalty OEM's CD such as Dell's, the BIOS
checking feature WILL be eliminated. When you slipstream, the program
copies retail copies of certain files and those files do not have
instructions on checking the system."

So it seems that having a Dell makes life more complex. :-(

If my slipstream needs to be "cleaned up," I wonder what specifically I
should do!

And do I really want to create a boot disk that will not have the BIOS
checking feature? I'm asking these questions because I've never done
anything like this before, and it seems very daunting!

I went to the Microsoft Web site. Not too surprisingly, it recommended
against downloading the whole Service Pack if it's to be used for just
one PC; it stated that the Windows Update method is smaller and "more
appropriate." ;-)

After downloading it, I used Nero to burn a copy onto a CDR. I got some
odd, conflicting information: although the burn was "successful," there
was a message that the verification failed!) I wish I had written down
the exact message (but I *did* print out a cumbersome 5-page
report)--IIRC, one of the files was "different." Just for yucks, I
compared the two files. The one on my hard drive was 266 MB. Selecting
Properties, I saw it was exactly 278,927,592 bytes. But there was
another value--bytes _used_, which was 278,953,984.

I then looked at the disc I had just burned. The 266 MB file was also
exactly 278,927,592 bytes (so far, so good). However, the bytes used
value was slightly off at 278,929,408. I'm guessing this may not be the
correct forum for all this info, but I figured I'd mention it because
I'm concerned if there's not a 100% exact match, then maybe the
slipstreaming will be screwed up.

Well, thanks for taking the time to read all this stuff and for your
responses.

--
Dave


.

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