Windows XP forum: How to reintall Windows XP

Hi mrgnic

I had this same problem a few years ago but first, Microsoft stopped allowing computer manufacturers some time ago from selling O/S installation disks with their PCs and I am sure it was long before 2003. So, chances are, your PC did not come with any disks.

Anyway, I had to buy a retail copy of WinXP Pro from a small PC repair shop, again MS will not allow major retailers to sell copies of O/S they want to get rid of.


UK Bob

The makers were pressured for lower costs and including restore media was a cost item. This cost was much more than the cost of the media. It cost to have the staff to create them, the artwork on them, the inventory item and it goes on and on.

The new system was to push the cost off the machine and we enjoyed lower prices but had to create the media on our own.

It was a cost issue and not a mandate by Microsoft.
Bob

Dear Bob

I do not doubt that cost played a part in PC manufacturers no longer supplying installation disks with their products but, as I worked in the computer industry at the time, let me relay to you what I know.

Microsoft announced, before 2000, that PCs were no longer going to be supplied with installation disks but instead the installation routine would be held on a hidden partition on the HD. To install windows on a newly purchased PC the manufacturer would supply a 1.44mb 3.5 inch diskette that would have the necessary programs on it to boot from, access the hidden partition and install windows on your PC.

In 2001 I bought an XP Home PC. which I needed urgently, from a big Computer retailer (never again) and apart from a range of built in limitation it was as described above.

Finally, remember that all manufacturers stopped supplying installation disks at approximately the same time, this would not be logistically possible unless a powerful player was pulling the strings.


UK Bob

If folk don't backup, how could they complain about loss?

In the USA, all the Dells provided a means to create restore media yet folk failed to do so.

Here, Dell may offer a download as you can read at http://forums.cnet.com/7726-13974_102-5325452.html?tag=posts;msg5325452

Let's get down to it. You seem to be writing as if there was some conspiracy or pressure from Microsoft. Here I went to the Microsoft seminars and DSP meetings on this subject and there was no mandate from Microsoft to stop providing media. The pressure was on the makers to reduce costs. And this is a cost reduction.

If you feel like there was a conspiracy, that's fine too.
Bob

From your reply I was able to get to this address and ordered a replacement disk to reinstall the OS.

The link is: https://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/en/backupcd_form

Hopefully I will get what I want.

Thanks.

I brought a Dell Desktop in 2002 with XP Pro and they provided me with the XP Setup disks with it, as well as the Office XP (2002) setup CD (which was part of my order). Not XP recovery disks, genuine Windows XP installation CD and drivers CD.

I had to use them once as well to reinstall XP onto the system.

So, that was well after 2000.

My new Alienware Desktop, (new 2 years ago), arrived with Vista preinstalled and with the Windows Vista DVD and drivers.

I have not seen any Microsoft intrusion myself and I always understood this change to recovery partitions, then to 'create your own recovery disks', to the manufacturers' own cost cutting exercises.

Mark
UK

you are saying to the OP, (Original Poster), to check on eBay.

If so the OP may have the difficulty that Bob pointed out with a retail XP CD.

And of course that post you found, from 2008, I doubt that poster is still around.

Mark