BleepingComputer.com: Factory restore and blue screen of death

Can you borrow someones (full) XP CD? If so, install the O/S from that. (If it's been more than 90 days since a machine was loaded from that CD, it will activate without problems).

Caveat: All you are really doing is reinstalling the O/S from a different media. Your machine is licensed for an XP install.

This post has been edited by Dan Penny: 26 July 2011 - 06:33 PM

Hello again Lex!

I'd like to point out, that if you borrow an install CD, it must be the same operating system as the one you have currently installed! This is important. If the disc you borrow is an XP Professional CD or Media Center edition, this may cause problems with activation!

Maybe we should back up just a little bit. In the mean time of trying to find a full install disc...let's just double check your 2nd installation disk you already have.

If you've cleaned the 2nd disc off as best you can and still cannot continue further, one thing you could try to do is burn a disc image of only your 2nd disc using ImgBurn from a working computer(You should see the latest download on the right of your screen in the link).

I would try to use a DVD for this burn as your installation disc may also be a DVD or be larger than a CD can hold.

You'd want to create an .ISO image of your 2nd disc and verify that image using the same software. Then use the software again to burn the image to a blank disc (DVD if needed), and verify again using the software.

If the disc is created with no errors, you can try to install again on the sick computer using the first disc as usual first. Then when asked to insert the 2nd disc, use the new disc you just created instead of your original 2nd disc.

If you've successfully created a clone of your 2nd installation disc without errors, the installation may go smoother for you.

Please post any problems you have during this method, or any problems after. Also let us know how it goes!

Good luck,

bloopie

I will post some detailed instructions to help you out with what bloopie has suggested in his above post: This will endeavour to rule out any issue your optical disc drive may be having with being able to read your original 2nd installation disc (a possible flaw in the disc itself, or the data readability).

On a working computer ...

Download and install ImgBurn.

Ensure that you UN-check the box agreeing to install the Ask toolbar during the installation.

Create and verify the .ISO image of your 2nd installation disc.

• Put your 2nd installation disc in the optical disk drive tray.
  
• On the ImgBurn interface, choose to Create image file from disc.
  
• On the next window:
  
  • Under Source, ensure that your 2nd installation disc is showing.
    
  • Under Destination, note the name of, and the location that the .ISO image file will be saved.
    
  • Click on the blue arrow below to create the .ISO file.
  
  
• If the above process completes successfully, verify that the .ISO image file matches the disc:
  
  • On the Main Menu, click on Mode > Verify.
    
  • Under Source, ensure the 2nd installation disc is showing.
    
  • Under Image File, navigate to and select the .ISO image that you just created.
    
  • Click on the "magnifying glass" below to begin the verification.
    
  • You will be notified whether or not the verification is successful, and if it is, proceed with the next step.

Burn the .ISO image to a new writable disc (CD or DVD, which ever the original 2nd installation disc was using).

• Place a new (blank) disc in the drive tray.
  
• Choose Write image file to disc.
  
  • Under Source, click on the Browse button: Navigate to and select the .ISO file that you wish to burn.
    
  • Place a check-mark in the box beside Verify.
  
  
• Click
  
  
• When the disc has been burned and verified as successful, you can be assured that it is an exact duplicate of your original 2nd installation disc.

Now, attempt installation of the system once again on your ailing computer, just as before, but this time using the new disc that you have created, in place of the original 2nd installation disc.

Success?

This post has been edited by AustrAlien: 27 July 2011 - 02:56 AM

thanks everyone! i will be trying this when i get home from work and will let you all know what happens