Many desktop and laptop computer sellers that bundle Windows XP with your computer pre-install it and have stopped giving you the actual Windows XP install disk. If your computer gets fried or if you just want to do a clean reinstall, you'll need to buy another Windows XP license. Creating your own reinstall disk avoids this problem.
Instructions
Preparation
1. Back up your entire hard drive. Find a list of free hard disk backup software at thefreecountry.com (see Resources).
2. Locate your Windows XP license key (or product key) number. Often, this number will be taped to the side of your computer tower or the underside of your laptop. If you can't find it, see Resources for a list of free Key Finder programs.
3. Download \"wxp10,\" a Windows XP boot sector zip folder that comes on Windows XP install disks, from one of the download mirrors at Nu2.nu (see Resources).
4. Download and install the program ImgBurn at ImgBurn.com (see Resources).
Creating the Reinstall Disk Programs > Accessories). Type \"Windows\" (without quotes), then hit the space bar once, then hit enter once. Then go to File > Save and save the file as \"WIN51\" (this time, INCLUDE the quotes) in your reinstall folder. If your computer came with XP Home Edition, copy the WIN51 file and paste the copy in your reinstall folder under the name WIN51IC. If your computer came with XP Professional, do the same thing except name the copy WIN51IP.
9. Open the wxp10.zip folder. Navigate to cds > wxphome > files > w2ksect.bin. Drag the w2ksect.bin file to the root C drive folder (not to your reinstall folder).
10. Copy the text below verbatim and paste it in Notepad. Save the file (anywhere you like) with the name \"XPSETUP.ibb\" (quotes INCLUDED).
IBB
[START_BACKUP_OPTIONS] BuildMode=1 Destination=0 TestMode=0 Verify=1 WriteSpeed=0 Copies=0 FileSystem=0 PreserveFullPathnames=0 RecurseSubdirectories=1 IncludeHiddenFiles=0 IncludeSystemFiles=0 IncludeArchiveFilesOnly=0 AddToWriteQueueWhenDone=0 ClearArchiveAttribute=0 VolumeLabel_ISO9660=VRMHOEM_EN VolumeLabel_Joliet= VolumeLabel_UDF= Identifier_System= Identifier_VolumeSet= Identifier_Publisher= Identifier_Preparer= Identifier_Application= Dates_FolderFileType=0 Restrictions_ISO9660_InterchangeLevel=0 Restrictions_ISO9660_AllowMoreThan8DirectoryLevels =1 Restrictions_ISO9660_AllowMoreThan255CharactersInP ath=1 Restrictions_ISO9660_AllowFullASCIICharacterSet=1 Restrictions_ISO9660_DontAddVersionNumberToFiles=1 Restrictions_Joliet_InterchangeLevel=1 Restrictions_Joliet_AddVersionNumberToFiles=0 BootableDisc_MakeImageBootable=1 BootableDisc_MediaEmulationType=0 BootableDisc_BootImageFile=C:\\w2ksect.bin BootableDisc_DeveloperIdentifier= BootableDisc_LoadSegment=07C0 BootableDisc_LoadSectorCount=4 [END_BACKUP_OPTIONS]
[START_BACKUP_LIST] C:\\XPSETUP [END_BACKUP_LIST]
11. Open ImgBurn and select Mode > Build from the menu, then File > Load Project. In the box that pops up, navigate to the XPSETUP.ibb and hit \"Open.\"
12. Insert a blank CD or DVD into your CD/DVD burner. Wait a moment, then make sure the blank disk appears under ImgBurn's Destination section (which, depending on your version, will most likely be in the lower left corner of the window).
13. Click the Write or Build icon at the bottom of the ImgBurn window. If you get a \"You've only selected one folder, does it represent the root directory?\" warning, click Yes. The Windows XP reinstall disk will then be created.
Tags: your computer, your reinstall, reinstall folder, your reinstall folder, came with, computer came, computer came with
