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I have no CD - how do I get at Windows XP setup?

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Summary: If you don't have your Windows installation CD there are still a few things you can do. If you have an image of your CD, you may be able to do more.

I have no CD - how do I get at Windows XP setup?

I discussed in a prior article what to do if you have no installation CD for Windows XP. But now once you've found your CD image - where's the setup?

What you need will depend on what you're attempting to do.

If you want to make a change to your system configuration - perhaps adding an accessory that you neglected at the original setup - then the place to go is not setup, but the control panel:

  • Start
  • Settings (if you're using classic start menu)
  • Control Panel
  • Add or Remove Programs
  • Add or Remove Windows Components

That will bring up the dialog that's extremely similar to setup in which you can select the optional Windows components to add or remove.

If you're looking to reinstall system files because you suspect corruption what you really need is the System File Checker. This utility validates that all of windows system files are correct and fixes those that are not:

  • Start
  • Run
  • Type: "sfc /scannow" without the quotes followed by Enter

sfc may ask for your installation CD-ROM. (See this article if you don't have one.)

Finally, if you really, honestly and truly want to re-install windows, the first step would be to run your installation CD. If you don't have one, you may have an image of the CD on your hard disk. In the I386 directory are two files:

  • winnt32.exe is the "32 bit" version of the character mode Windows setup. You may be able to run this from within Windows.
  • winnt.exe is the "16 bit" version of the character mode Windows setup. Why a 16 bit version? If you can't run winnt32.exe and are able to boot from an MS-DOS floppy or are able to boot to Win9x DOS mode, then this setup program will work for you.

WARNING: character.exe and winnt32.exe are the "start-from-scratch", "do-it-all-over-setup" programs. Use them only if you want a complete re-install of Windows - possibly losing any prior custom configuration changes you'character made, depending on whether setup is installing on top of and can understand a prior installation.

Article 133 | Posted December 31, 2003

Recent Comments
138 Comments

Hello, I've actually facing a corrupted/missing \windows\system32\config\system

I'm using Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2. I don't have the CD too.

I've just update my Service Pack 2 to Service Pack 3 from Microsoft Website. It seems to have fix the problem. During the install; it update, and do some sort of things. It does update the registry also, if I'm not mistaken.

So I was wondering have my corrupted/missing \windows\system32\config\system
being fix after that?

Posted by: Melvin at November 27, 2008 7:45 PM

i have lost my windows xp detup disk and i want to format my laptop (which already has win xp sp3 on it) then reinstall win xp to speed it up a bit

i dont have the i386 folder on this laptop either so i cant get the installation files

Contact the manufacturer or wherever you purchased your computer and get a Windows Installation CD (not a recovery CD). You need one.
- Leo
30-Nov-2008
Posted by: joseph at November 30, 2008 5:09 AM

I recently reinstalled windows xp using the I386 file. Now when I start up my computer, I have to choose between 2 versions of windows (the old one and the one I just made). How do I delete the old one without accidentily deleting the new one? The only reason I ask is that the old version takes up a lot of space on my hard drive and I want to free it up.

Posted by: Pat at December 11, 2008 6:21 AM

Hello, I hope you can help me! I bought a laptop for my b-day, it was used with new hard drive and with xp windows. Now microsoft is telling me that my windows is not legal, after 7 mos. of owning it. My computer has a product key for windows and say's it's right but microsoft say's not. So now I am to buy a new xp windows cd and re-install windows and loose every thing on my computer that I installed. I thought that you can only put xp on once, how is this legal for people who is just making it by, I am a mother of two and single and on a budget that I can't go and spend 150.00 so I can use my computer. Is there anything I can do? Thank you Diane

Reinstalling Windows certainly doesn't imply you need to lose your data or everything else you've installed. Backup first to save your data, and reinstall all your other applications once the Windows reinstall is complete.
If someone sold you an illegal copy of Windows, you're kinda stuck. Depending on your usage, you could investigate Linux (free), but likely you'll need to bite the bullet and purchase Windows.
- Leo
17-Dec-2008

Posted by: Diane lee at December 17, 2008 2:53 AM

I want to upgrade my pc from windows me to windows xp. Is it anywhere I can download the xp setup disk?

That would be illegal. You need to purchase one.
- Leo
22-Dec-2008

Posted by: brian at December 21, 2008 4:27 PM

I have a samsung NC10 that needs the registered name changing,can this be done?

Posted by: Andy Turner at December 23, 2008 5:37 AM

I have a windows 98 and want to upgrade to windows xp. I have looked on microsofts website to try and purchase a windows xp setup disk but the site keeps trying to get me to purchase Vistas and I want XP! Where can i purchase this?

Posted by: Douglas at December 25, 2008 9:50 PM

my computer says low disk space. I do not know what to remove. I have tried removing old security updates but it also says that removing them may cause the computer to stop working. What do I remove safely? Thanks

It would be better to start by understanding just what's taking up all that space, and the deciding from that what could be deleted.
- Leo
28-Dec-2008

Posted by: Zita Shuffield at December 27, 2008 10:26 AM

my laptop can not read chines.what can i do for it?

Posted by: kasimjan at December 28, 2008 5:15 AM

I am having an "unmountable boot volume" message and the repair requires the Xp setup disc and such which did not come with the laptop to run "chkdisc". All I have is the Toshibe recovery disc which wants to rewrite the harddrive and I don't think it will reinstall windows - what do I do? I cannot download the setup discs anywhere except onto 1.44MB floppy discs whick the laptop does not have

Posted by: Ryan at December 29, 2008 2:19 PM

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