Formating &ReInstalling XP. Quick Question

[Engineer]

I am going to reformat my hard drive and re install XP. My copy of XP is an upgrade disk. I have a few quick questions

1. As I recall, in installing/reinstalling XP you do not have to install the original Windows OEM first (In my case Win98SE). You can start with the XP upgrade disk and it will prompt you to put in the original OEM as a check, then it can proceed.

2. After installing Xp I should download the SP1 before I load anything else right? I did not have SP1 before?

3. I will have to "activate" Xp all over again right? It is done through the internet adn there should not be a problem (I got a new vid card installed, lately the only real hard ware change since I first installed XP). There should be no problem with this correct?

Thanks

 

[Iceman]

1. yes

2. I would install sp1 before anything else myself

3. Yes you must reactivate XP all over again, and there shouldn't be a problem

 

[skamaraju]

1. If they are recovery CDs such as you get with Laptops, it will not work. It says it is not system disk. This happened with my HP Laptop which was supplied with Recovery CDs of Windows ME.

 

[yoyo]

2. If you reformat anyway the best solution is to install the Service Pack together with Windows. Make yourself a slipstreamed CD and you will avoid to replace almost all of the fresh installed systemfiles directly afterwards.

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?id=160&object=article.cfm Nero
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?id=157&object=article.cfm Easy CD