How to Backup / Restore XP Activation

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dir wp*
Volume in drive C has no label.

Volume Serial Number is 8447-0571

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\system32

10/24/2001  08:28 PM            12,584 wpa.bak

01/14/2002  09:05 AM            12,642 wpa.dbl

After you reinstall XP, to restore the Windows Product Activation database files:  

• Start XP to Minimal Safe mode
• Change directory to the \%systemroot%\system32 folder
• Rename the newly created wpa.dbl to wpa.nonactivated and wpa.bak, if it exists, to wpabak.nonactivated.
• Copy your backed up wpa.dbl and wpb.bak files to the system32 folder
• Reboot

This should work if you want to avoid activating XP after a reinstall or restore on the same or very similar hardware. It will not work if the hardware is significantly different from that in place when the Windows Product Activation database files were created. This is not a hack to avoid activating installations.

And if you are able to open then at the command Prompt type the following

oobe/msoobe /a or Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Activate Windows. 

Set up could not detect hard disk drive

Have you ever encountered installing or Downgrading to a Fresh Windows Xp to your Laptop Hard Drive but it always turns to a Blue Screen of Death after booting up to you Xp installer.

Today a costumer came to our shop and with his Extensa 4230 and the problem is he always ends to a "Blue Screen of Death" or "set up could not detect hard disk drive".

This steps will gonna make it easier to understand.

Before Starting again to boot from your Xp installer,

Step 1: Enter the BIOS Setup

Step: Locate the Sata Mode.

Step 3: from SATA or AHCI Mode Change it to IDE Mode

Step 4: Save and Exit.

ANY Windows setup that you do where you want to install Windows to ANY mass storage controller that is not legacy IDE-compatible will require the F6 procedure and a manufacturer-specific driver. This includes AHCI, RAID, SCSI, Fibre Channel, some SATA, and most proprietary controllers. 

Common problems switching to AHCI under Windows

* Enabling AHCI in a system BIOS will cause a 0x7B Blue Screen of Death STOP error on installations of Windows XP where AHCI/RAID drivers for that system's chipset are not installed. Switching to AHCI mode requires installing new drivers before changing the BIOS settings.

* When attempting to install Microsoft Windows XP or a previous version on an AHCI-enabled system will cause the setup to fail with the error message 

"set up could not detect hard disk drive...". This problem can only be corrected by using a floppy disk with the appropriate drivers or by slipstreaming 

* Enabling AHCI in a system BIOS on installations of Windows XP or Windows Vista, will cause SATA Optical drives to disappear. A Hotfix for Windows Vista is available. SATA optical drives are not available after you start a Windows Vista-based computer.

Vista fixes this by natively supporting AHCI. In other words you can smoothly install a Vista on the Hard drive without worrying anything.

Have Fun on installing Xp!!

Create Config.sys & Autoexec.bat

This is a simple but most forgotton command to create

files like config.sys and autoexec.bat files, well heres it...

Even if u dont have a dos boot disk u can work ur way

to some extent.

********************************************

At c:\ prompt

type

copy con config.sys

devicehigh=c:\dos\himem.sys

device=c:\dos\setver.exe

devicehigh=c:\dos\emm386.exe ram

dos=high,umb

last drive=z

then press CTRL + z

press enter

Config.sys file will be created.

********************************************

Similarly u can create autoexec.bat

@echo off

prompt=$P$G

path=c:\dos;c:\

lh mouse

lh doskey

Press CTRL + Z

Auto End Tasks to Enable a Proper Shutdown

Change The Default Location For Programe Files

As the size of hard drives increase, more people are using partitions to separate and store groups of files.

XP uses the C:\Program Files directory as the default base directory into which new programs are installed. However, you can change the default installation drive and/ or directory by using a Registry hack.

Go to :-

- Start > Run
- Type “regedit” (without “” NOOBS!)
- Go to this directory…
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

- Look for the value named ProgramFilesDir. by default,this value will be C:\Program Files. 

Edit the value to any valid drive or folder and XP will use that new location as the default installation directory for new programs.