It's Time To Start Over

Hi-

I going to be reinstalling my OS soon. I have my laptop backed up in case something goes wrong. I have a couple questions I was hoping someone could help me out with.

  1. My OS is Windows XP Media Center. I don't have the Windows XP Media Center installation disks, but I do have Windows XP Pro. I know that I can locate my product key for Windows XP Media Center using Belarc Advisor. Would I be able to use that product key to install Windows XP Pro? Also, is it possible to load Media Center on the Windows XP Pro if I am able to install it? Would I be able to take the installation files off my laptop before I reinstall the OS?
  2. I want to create partions on my hard drive after I reinstall the OS. How do you create/delete them without software.

Thanks for your help,

Joe

I highly doubt you can interchange the licenses!

I highly doubt you can interchange the licenses!

Thanks for the reply. I actually don't have to interchange licenses (if I could, that is). I found that my Gateway recovery CD has an option to install the OS without all the prepacked garbage. Also Acronis has a partition tool, so I am set.

So, I reinstalled my OS and got everything updated and put all my software on it. Then I rebooted and got the message that Windows could not start due to hal.dll being missing or corrupt. So, I did a nondestructive with the Gateway recovery disk which moved everything that was on the computer before to a folder called "My Backup -- 08-05-11 0208PM".

Any idea on how I can restore this backup?

This may help:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm

http://www.informationweek.com/news/window...cleID=185301251