"Nepatsfan" <nepatsfan@SBXXXIX.com> wrote in message
news:uMHh8e3tIHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Answered inline.
>
> "esgwat" <esgwat@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F133AE0B-2655-41B7-B708-808CFB26C1FA@microsoft.com...
>> OK, I figured out how to boot from the CD, and am now at the Microsoft
>> Windows XP(TM) Recovery Console.
>>
>> It is asking for an administrator password. When I just hit enter, it
>> prompts again:
>> C:\WINDOWS>
>>
>> I read in the manual that this process does not work if the Windows XP is
>> an
>> OEM version. Please advise...
>>
>> Thank you!
>
> In light of that warning, you might not want to run the procedure outlined
> in that MS article. Sorry about that. The few times I've taken those steps
> it's been on systems running an upgrade version of XP.

All it takes is the bootable install CD, just not a "system recovery" disk,
as those typically don't have the Recovery Console.

> I'm guessing that you didn't get a Media Center Edition installation CD
> with your daughter's laptop. My next suggestion would have been to run a
> repair installation but for that you'd need the correct CD.

Sorry, but if you see the C:\WINDOWS prompt after booting from the CD,
specifying the recovery console and entering the (blank) password, the
correct CD is at hand and the process should most definitely work.

The registry is not stored in a different place for OEM versions. You just
need access to the drive.

The OP is actually in the Recovery Console and ready to go, and just doesn't
recognise it. Which is hardly surprising, since the RC does not exactly
have a friendly UI.

> If the only installation option Dell supplied with this laptop is a
> restore process,

Yes, this is most likely the point of the "warning". It can't work with
System Recovery disks because they can't boot to anything but the reinstall.
The Recovery Console is not available. If you keep pressing the enter key,
you're likely to wipe the system.

I've gotten into the Recovery Console using any bootable XP disk at hand
regardless of the installed XP edition, Home or Pro disks on Pro or Home
installations. And yes, as you note, you can use Ubuntu Live CDs to do
this as well.


HTH
-pk


<snippage>