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Compaq nightmare


otter11

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Hello, I have a new Compaq desktop and the OEM XP is full of junk. Norton Internet Security, games with internet connections like it or not, on and on. Can I make a DVD of the OS, without all the prepackaged software? I have two DVD's for the installation, which all total, takes 4-5 hours. (makes recovery image) It is a legal copy, the sticker with the key is right on the PC. Even uninstalling what I don't want won't help, some part of XP ends up not working right even after uninstalling it following the programs instructions.

I looked at BartPE, but I don't want a recovery CD, I would like to have the whole XP, plain and simple.

I own XP lite, (CD ordered and received is about 3 months old) but that doesn't help with the preinstalled software.

Windows is ~XP Media Center Version 2005 with Update Rollup 2~

on two DVD's plus there is another DVD with 64NAemREA32 on it, which a new installation has never requested for when I reinstalled with the two DVD's.

Thank you for your time, Otter

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but his cd may not work with nlite being compaq & all.. ohh no he might have to get a retail copy off.. oh no dare i say it....

a friend (internet).. but oh no thats illegal

But he has a legit key. Why is that illegal if he uses it with his key?

This is why I hate M$.. Nuff Said...

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Use nLite and take the I386 folder (which will be a backup of all the Windows installation files) to remove, customize and make a bootable ISO from. In the mean time, I would backup your drivers so that after you reformat and install, you have them.

You can do an Unattended installation with nLite and put your legal CD key right in there.

That's all you should need to do.

I can't believe they provide NIS/NAV by default on new pre-loaded computers. How utterly disgusting.

You don't need nLite as it may break many things and you could be left without a working CD/DVD to reinstall your OS.

If he only removes unneeded Drivers and Languages, then he has a slimmed down OS that's suited for his language(s) that doesn't have anything critical to the functionality removed.

I wish people would stop generalizing nLite in that way, "You used nLite? You will need to reinstall as you removed something that is needed". What did you remove? IE Core? Or just a few languages that is harmless?

Edited by Jeremy
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I wish people would stop generalizing nLite in that way, "You used nLite? You will need to reinstall as you removed something that is needed". What did you remove? IE Core? Or just a few languages that is harmless?
Do not forget that the nLite generalisation is coming from someone who thinks services should be left alone :whistle:
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Do not forget that the nLite generalisation is coming from someone who thinks services should be left alone.

Well, Services tweaking won't make a different on 1 or 2GB of RAM, but on 256 and 512MB it will. That's off-topic, though.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yes, there is an I386 folder, and on the Compaq Restore CD, there's 4 more.

I've tried over and over to get the Compaq slipstream to work.

The end result is a fully slipstreamed OS DVD that installs as Windows XP SP(zero) when used in conjunction with the Compaq Restore CD.

Yes, I said DVD - the OEM XP CD that shipped with our Compaq PCs measures almost 750MB when copied to the hard drive and grew to about 900MB after slipstreaming.

No, I don't want to fiddle with removing features - Tried it and kept getting windows protection errors every time something changed on the PC. I just want low maintenance no fuss.

So, I figured fine, I'll just install the OS without using the Compaq restore CD. Who needs them anyway...

The result was Windows XP SP2 with all the current XP hotfixes, and all the correct OEM drivers. And even better, the system tray isn't cluttered with OEM junk. Wheeeeeee! - then wham! - the OS wants me to activate within 30 days.

So basically my question is, how do I integrate the two?

Regards

David

The Slipstreamed OEM Dell CD works perfect on our Dell computers - of course Dell integrated the activation into one CD.

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U can download an image of XP, and then use ur own key. Dont worry, this would not violate the lisence.

just make sure, you download the correct version. I mean Home or Pro.

You won't find many royalty Compaq OEM disc images out there. Dell, maybe, but not Compaq. Good luck.

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An alternative: (just a thought)

It's frustrating that it can take me, an experienced tech, over an hour to DE-Install the crapola, including Norton, that Compaq (and a few other mfgrs) puts on its new computers. They are grossly overloaded.

There are tons of games, demo's, trials and even spyware. Most come off neatly, but some insist on rebooting the PC, which of course, slows down the process.

Then, when I'm all done with all the removals, I tweak the registry, disable redundant Services and install all the best AV and AS software, arrange the desktop and set up the internet connection and eMail. (whew!) :wacko:

Finally, if there's time, I run Ghost 2003 from my boot CD and make them a Restore DVD.

Use Ghost, Acronis, whatever you like, but make that Restore DVD when you're done setting up your new PC.

At that point, you can forget the factory restore disks, etc. They all become redundant.

If there's ever a serious problem, you can always to back to that moment when you finished your initial setup of the PC.

It don't get no better'n that.

Y'all have a really great day now, Y'hear?

Andromeda43 :ph34r:

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Why not just download Windows XP and use your Product Key? That's what you pay for anyway; the code, not Windows. Then you can backup your device drivers, integrate SP2 (if necessary) and your drivers (or wait until setup is finished). Do an Unattended install with nLite so you don't have to input anything during setup. Format, install, install software, configure everything, then Ghost/Image.

@Andromeda43, we all know you're the guru of techs, no need to praise thy self. Also, the "best" Av and AS software is subjective and debatable.

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