Panarchy Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Hi! I have a tower computer with Windows XP (I bought it a while ago). It asks me to activate it as soon as I log in. So I connected my Internet (not wireless) and it wasn't activating what do I do? :( I have decided to format it. But the CD isn't booting at startup! Is there something I need to do in the BIOS? If so what?Please help! ;) (Just like you helped me before) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theleader Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Hello there, it's pretty easy, when you computer boots up, just press something like f2 or f12 to go into bios setup. In there (location differs per computer), there should be a boot sequence option, just change it to something like CDROM - HD - Floppy. Simple, as long as it boots from CD first. Make sure the CD's in and away you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Thanks!I hope that will work!Is SP3 stable yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trackrat Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 The most common keys for accessing the BIOS are as theleader said F2 or the delete button.When you access the BIOS check the different headings out, you are looking for an option to change the boot sequence.What have you heard about SP3, as it is not supposed to be out till 2008?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 I heard about it on thehotfix.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 I am in the BIOS.It has:STANDARD CMOS FEATURESADVANCED BIOS FEATURESINTEGRATED PERIPHERALSPnP/PCI CONFIGERATIONSPC HEALTH STATUSFREQUENCY/VOLTAGE CONTROLIt is a: 2003 Award SoftwareWhat do I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Okay thanks. Now it says:Boot From CD.Boot From CD.And I have put a Windows XP cd in each of my cd drives (2) yet it isn't running from the cd! Please help!In fact it has frozen at the boot from cd screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Is it a problem with my hardware? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Hello again.The boot sequence should beBoot from CDBoot from HDOtherwise Windows will not start after the installation.With this sequence, it will boot into the Windows install disk (if it is bootable), or straight back to Windows (if the CD is not bootable).You will probably ask me why a Windows install disk would not be bootable. Frankly I don't know, but all of my Dell Windows install disks are not bootable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 My computer has 3 or 4 hard drives. I have tried making each one the primary boot drive. Each one (except 1 which is either 2000 or ME) is XP. With the same log in name and password. As soon as I log in it asks me to activate. So I say yes. Then it says it has failed. What do I do? Should I activate by phone?In other words i CAN log in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Thanks!I hope that will work!Is SP3 stable yet?What have you heard about SP3, as it is not supposed to be out till 2008?.I heard about it on thehotfix.netSo is it stable/worth downloading? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 If interactive activation fails, telephone is the only other option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Okay thanks. I have already decided to do it. Thanks for the reinforcement.Also can you please answer the 11th post? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 You mean about SP3? I do not recommend to download hotfixes, or even more, service packs from anywhere else than the Microsoft download sites. This "SP3" is not an official service pack, but a collection of hotfixes. See http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4754.html for a more detailed description.I would only install such a pack on a test machine, and even there with a full backup at hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panarchy Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Or on a virtual PC :P :lol: B) ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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