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My wife has a HP Pavillion XE783. A few weeks ago while just sitting with the screen saver running it froze. It was cold booted and windowsME would not start. Would not start in safe mode and using any other method I have tried. I'd like to reinstall windowsME from the cab files only if I can. So my question is this if it is possible to reinstall ME from DOS how do I do that. Will I need the numbers? I have recovery disks but I tried once a long time ago to reinstall ME and it said it was the wrong disks for this computer(wife bought computer from sister and could be wrong disk). Can anyone help? Thanks
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You can boot from a Windows ME or Windows 98 diskette and the change the directory to the C:\Windows\Options\Install (or \CABS on some OEM systems) folder and from there run SETUP.
You will need the current systems "ProductKey" code (numbers). You can get this out of the Registry by searching for ProductKey and it will be the 25 character code that follows. If necessary you can use the Windows ME boot diskette and its EDIT program to edit the C:\Windows\SYSTEM.DAT file and use the search function to locate the ProductKey keyword and the productkey code for the system.
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m.e wont start
http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/30687.html••• Resistance is invigorating! •••kill spyware
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Hello everyone
Do as JackG stated and go to the sub-directory that contains the .cab files and type setup.
An easy way to retrieve the ProductKey from a DOS prompt is the following command.
At C:\Windows\>type
find "ProductKey" system.dat
Press [Enter], and it will be displayed at the top next to the words ProductKey.The P and the K must be in CAPS and the quotation marks included. Also note the space after find and the other one before system.dat
Best Regards,
Mesich
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Thanks everyone. I tried locating the product key using find "ProdctKey" system.dat and I get the message File Not Found. Why would that be and what can I do about it? Last night before seeing this I tried some suggestions I found in another thread the sys C: and receievd the system transferred message. The computer would still not start but could that have something to do with not finding the system.dat file and the product key?
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no system transferd and system dat are completely diferant.
most product keys finders i know of work from windows. is this where this one works from?••• Resistance is invigorating! •••kill spyware
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Hello everyone
To find the productkey code from DOS when you cannot access Windows do the following, I have done this not only with the ProductKey but many other entries in the registry and other files.
Start the computer with a Bootdisk.
This will take you to an A:\> prompt.
At A:\>type C: and press [Enter]
You will now be at C:\>
Type cd windowsYou will now be at C:\Windows\>
Type find "ProductKey" system.datType everything that is bold including find and the quotation marks. "ProductKey" must be typed exact. "productkey" will not work.
You should now see a bunch of garbled text. On the top line you will see the word ProductKey and a 25 characters directly after. That is the Product Key Code.
All of the above is assuming that Windows was install in the C:\Windows directory.
Best Regards,
Mesich
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Hello everyone
Mick,
That is exactly what one will get if the Key is not found in the system.dat file.
This could happen if one typed in the command
find "Productkey" system.dat as the Productkey does not exist. "ProductKey" does and would show the location within the system.dat file.In other words the ------- system.dat means it did not find the word you typed within the quotations.
It could also be that the key has been deleted.
The find command is looking for the exact wording within the quotations.
Give me a few minutes and I will make a few screenshots. Pictures sometimes are worth a thousand words.
In the meantime go to C:\> and type
dir then press [Enter].Do you see [Windows]?
Best Regards,
Also do you see [Windows.000]
Mesich
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Thanks Mesich but please don't go to a lot of trouble. Yes, Windows is there but no windows.000
Thanks
Mike
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Hello everyone
Mike,
It's not a problem. My internet connection has been messing up all day is the only hold back.
In the screenshots below I am using the Find command to search for "SourcePath" in the system.dat file. I am using it as I don't want to display my ProductKey in a public forum. Works the same though.
shows the incorrect command when looking for "SourcePath" within the system.dat file.
It also shows the message you received.This screenshot shows the correct command when trying to find the "SourcePath".
This screenshot shows what will be displayed. In the middle of the screenshot about 5 lines down you will see SourcePath and then the entry for it.
The ProductKey will show the same results also.
I'm late picking up the little lady from work, glad she is understanding. :-)
Hopefully my connection will stop falling off when I return.
Let us know how it turns out.
Best Regards,
Mesich
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What about using REGEDIT.exe in DOS to extract the contents of the registry file and then using EDIT.exe to search the text file for the registry key?
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Mesich, I have very carefully typed in the command and I still get the same thing, exactly what you show in your incorrect scrrenshot. Any idea?
Thanks
Mike
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You could also try regedit.exe then enter when registry opens go to:/HKEY LOCAL MACHINE/software/microsoft/current version
And look on the rite for product key
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Open Note Pad and copy and past the command line below.
C:\Windows\Command\Find /I "ProductKey" C:\Windows\System.datNow Save As findkey.bat
Copy the findkey.bat to a floppy and boot up and at the DOS Prompt A:\> type the following command.
findkey.bat and press the Enter Key, you should have the Product Key to reinstall your Windows 98 OS.
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