Alright well I'll try and keep this simple and brief. Please keep in mind before reading this that I'm a newbie to this stuff.. I just need a bit of help :| .

 

 

 

My cousin's computer received a nasty virus last weekend. In fact, he recieved a FEW nasty viruses. His whole family was fed up with the thing so they decided to get a new one. Not the point. The point is, however, that I offered to take their modem (just for a bit of fooling around). Well last night I 110% COMPLETELY wiped the hard drive on it (used DBAN to do this).

 

 

 

Now when I cut the computer on, all it says is "Operating system not found". I expected that. But uh.. exactly how can I fix this :oops: ? To be perfectly honest I would like to somehow get my hands ahold of a Windows XP Home Edition disk and load windows xp on that bad boy and have an extra computer laying around :) . But I wasn't sure if that is all that it would take. Then Linux popped in my mind, but I haven't a clue on anything about that.

 

 

 

I guess my question is what should I do? Any opinions are welcome along with any ideas and/or help. Please keep in mind I'm a novice at all this stuff.

Well since you wiped the computer, there's nothing on it. You'll need to install an operating system; just pop in a WinXP CD into the computer and install. You should then be able to use it as a spare :)

ya operating systems stoped coming ONBOARD about a year ago...

 

 

 

:P

 

 

 

But anyways, yes you need to get one.

 

 

 

And linux is not a very good idea for you. Depending on the distro, it is highly complex to the average windows user. And if you dont know the in's and out's of how an operating system work, along with command prompts, then you will be stumped

Oh alrighty then, thanks very much :) . Guess I'll have to get my hands on one of those sometime soon.

 

 

 

But while I'm still hooked on the subject I was wondering something. Could there be a way to make this some-what outdated computer into a much better computer? Figured I would ask. I hear people talk about Linux and all this great stuff but I haven't a clue how to use it or what good it (and other operating systems) actually do.

 

 

 

Just wondering.

read my edited post, sorry i didnt post it originally, i had to re read your first post :P

Thanks for the heads up TunaBoy. I do have 1 last question though. My brother's computer has a Recovery Disk (somewhere... I'm still looking for it lol). If I were to pop that in to the wipped computer, would the recovery CD start up and "recover" windows xp and stuff?

 

 

 

Thought I would ask. I'd save me a headache trying to get my hands ahole of a Windows XP Home Edition disk.

Thanks for the heads up TunaBoy. I do have 1 last question though. My brother's computer has a Recovery Disk (somewhere... I'm still looking for it lol). If I were to pop that in to the wipped computer, would the recovery CD start up and "recover" windows xp and stuff?

 

 

 

Thought I would ask. I'd save me a headache trying to get my hands ahole of a Windows XP Home Edition disk.

 

 

 

No it will not work. Recovery disks check to make sure it's the same computer the disk came with.

 

 

 

You can however find a guide to extract just the windows XP from the disk and burn it to a CD to use. I don't think you can discuss that here because it's against the rules.

Thanks for the heads up TunaBoy. I do have 1 last question though. My brother's computer has a Recovery Disk (somewhere... I'm still looking for it lol). If I were to pop that in to the wipped computer, would the recovery CD start up and "recover" windows xp and stuff?

 

 

 

Thought I would ask. I'd save me a headache trying to get my hands ahole of a Windows XP Home Edition disk.

 

 

 

No it will not work. Recovery disks check to make sure it's the same computer the disk came with.

 

 

 

You can however find a guide to extract just the windows XP from the disk and burn it to a CD to use. I don't think you can discuss that here because it's against the rules.

 

 

 

Umm, as long as you personally do own a copy of the program its self, you are at right to make as many copys as you wish, but are only allowed to use them for yourself.

 

 

 

So basically, if your computer did come with windows XP, you can obtain it anyway possible and are at right to use it for yourself.

Thanks for the heads up TunaBoy. I do have 1 last question though. My brother's computer has a Recovery Disk (somewhere... I'm still looking for it lol). If I were to pop that in to the wipped computer, would the recovery CD start up and "recover" windows xp and stuff?

 

 

 

Thought I would ask. I'd save me a headache trying to get my hands ahole of a Windows XP Home Edition disk.

 

 

 

No it will not work. Recovery disks check to make sure it's the same computer the disk came with.

 

 

 

You can however find a guide to extract just the windows XP from the disk and burn it to a CD to use. I don't think you can discuss that here because it's against the rules.

 

 

 

Umm, as long as you personally do own a copy of the program its self, you are at right to make as many copys as you wish, but are only allowed to use them for yourself.

 

 

 

So basically, if your computer did come with windows XP, you can obtain it anyway possible and are at right to use it for yourself.

 

 

 

Wrong.

 

 

 

When you use Windows XP, even if it was preloaded on computer, the license agreement only lets you use it one computer at a time. Installing it on more than one is an agreement violation, and technically illegal.

 

 

 

Although most people do it anyway.

Just read the entire agreement, and looks like your right. I must have been thinking about windows XP pro.

 

 

 

Sorry :(