How to get Vista Ultimate off laptop?

fifitrix123

Hi helpful chaps.
A dodgy computer repair chap has put Ultimate on my laptop which is now asking for a product key which he didn't give me!
Now I cannot get further than my password and then it asks for the key!
I do have an old XP disc so can someone tell me how to get into set up to boot from the disc please?
Or is there another way to get this dodgy Vista off?

Thanks in advance coz im a numpty when it comes to techie stuff and do not want to take it back to this cowboy who charged me for stuff not done or done wrongly!!!:mad:

Knub

I would advise checking that first of all your XP CD can be read by the computer (disk isn't scratched to hell) , you have a valid CD Key and finally taking a backup of anything on your laptop currently.

You will also need to find any instlalation CD's that came with your laptop. If its Dell for example they usually have an install CD with "Device Drivers" on them. You will need this to get all stuff on your laptop working after you install XP...such as sound and other things.

Then, you will be able to shutdown the laptop, and in the first screen you see you will see something like "PRESS DEL TO ENTER SETUP" or "F10 for BIOS" something like this...

Into the options and I can't guide you as every bios is different but there should be an option for "Boot Sequence" or "Boot Priority". It should be a list of 4 or 5 things in order:

1) HardDisk (HDD)
2) Floppy
3) CD ROM
4) USB

Ideally you want to change CDROM to the TOP of the list, save the changes in BIOS and reboot your laptop - WITH THE XP CD INSERTED!

When this is done you will see an option on screen to "Press any key to boot from CD". Once you have done this, you will be in the Windows XP boot screen and it will start to load drivers and software needed to run the installation.

It might auto-find a "Newer copy of windows", I would ignore that and go for deleting partitions on your hard drive then format the whole lot. This means it will wipe vista and anything else on the comptuer and let you start ALL OVER AGAIN with XP.

Jaffa.

Is that XP disk you have the recovery disk to the laptop?

fifitrix123

hi chaps
Thanks for replying.
I have a disk that I got with my emachine and have used it before with my laptop as that was wiped when I forgot all passwords as it was bought 2nd hand and not used for a while so I just had the bios battery out and restarted it and reloaded everything,

I cannot seem to get pasy the password screen for ultimate and when I put that in it tells me it wants a product key etc but how do I get into my computer or control panel.

I did press f10 to get into set up and it does have a list of boot prioritys but I couldnt get down that far as the cursor just kept going back to the top.

Also it is not an XP disc I have windows 98 disc with product key and the other one is the emachine start up disc I had with PC.

The chap who put this vista on has given me a disc which says Laptop Vista Drivers but I looked on my pc and I cannot find a product code or anything just a load of gobblegook to me?

Soz to be a pain chaps

stuartk

hi there

sorry to state an after a fact point but anyone ever installs / provides you a Windows OS PLEASE ask for the key. I'm sick of "PC wizard cowboys"

Otherwise your paying money for something that is stolen

Anyway I dont think the emachines disk will work as they are OEM disk from the manufacturer to be used on their own systems.

I think your options are to ask the guy for a valid key - doubtful he'll give you it or buy one from MS

regards

fifitrix123

Cheers stu have used the emachines one before and it was ok

I did ask for the key when I went to collect laptop but he refused saying all I had to do was call him!!! I said not I wanted it but he refused and also refused to give me a receipt and yes I have reported him to trading standards.................

Trouble is can't get out to search for another reputable place as im a kripple and can only manage to get out somedays

Goin offline now but will come back later to see your ace replies!!! Maybe I will turn into a computer whizz one day!

Thanks everyone x

[Deleted User]

If you've paid this person to install Windows you don't want to just ask for a key, you want the packaging, disc and certificates that correspond to it. Don't let yourself get fobbed off, and if there's any horseplay then don't hesitate at all to report it to Microsoft.

Software piracy in businesses is a serious issue, and you're probably not the only one to have fallen foul to this.

stuartk

anewhope wrote: »

If you've paid this person to install Windows you don't want to just ask for a key, you want the packaging, disc and certificates that correspond to it. Don't let yourself get fobbed off, and if there's any horseplay then don't hesitate at all to report it to Microsoft.

Software piracy in businesses is a serious issue, and you're probably not the only one to have fallen foul to this.

well said bud, thats what i meant - get the lot cd, COA etc

anyway here's a thought, if your emachines system has the COA sticker on side of the case and your not using it then:
use the emachines media with the emachines COA key or
borrow an OEM CD of the same version as stated on the emachines sticker and reinstall xp

regards

[Deleted User]

stuartk wrote: »

anyway here's a thought, if your emachines system has the COA sticker on side of the case and your not using it then:
use the emachines media with the emachines COA key or
borrow an OEM CD of the same version as stated on the emachines sticker and reinstall xp

That still wouldn't be a correctly licensed installation, as OEM editions are non-transferable and depending on what configurations it has been used on previously, the Hardware ID's registered on the serial may have changed significantly over it's lifetime and be at a point where activation is no longer possible.

Knub

Another option could be to download Windows 7 RC which expires in at least 6 months. This could buy you a better version of Windows than 98 and keep you going until you did sort out this guy.

Sounds to me like he just did an installation of Vista by forgoing the Product Key and leaving you with a 30 day expiration. If you do have a laptop recovery disk it might have a copy of WinXP on there and let you wipe it all and start over...then again it might not.

Although with these OEM style disks usually they just install windows and most drivers no questions asked, as it recognises it is the correct style laptop and installs the OEM version again. Can't be sure though.

FiFi - if you have found bios (f10 option as computer FIRST STARTS), you shouldn't be able to click the boot priority, it should all be done using keyboard arrows to navigate the order that you want to set (in this case CD/DVD Rom first!!) IF the first one is set to hard disk which I assume it will, try pressing ENTER on that and seeing if you can choose another option to select.

stuartk

anewhope wrote: »

That still wouldn't be a correctly licensed installation, as OEM editions are non-transferable and depending on what configurations it has been used on previously, the Hardware ID's registered on the serial may have changed significantly over it's lifetime and be at a point where activation is no longer possible.

hi there

im sorry but you are wrong bud. MS advise that as long as the correct key is entered for the correct version its ok. This method even features on the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) exam.

i've used this way for years especially when people have lost their CD and only have the sticker on the case. i simply use an OEM CD. its the COA that counts and NOT the media with the idea of one licensed COA per machine.

Which in this case thats whats happening

regards