Backing up Windows XP!!!!!!

[Jope]

By the way - if I own a Windows XP license but have no installation media, would it be illegal to use a home burned XP CD with my license key?

As far as I know it's like this:

It's ok, since you have the license. The CD is just a carrier for the data.

You're still bound to the license agreement, so you don't get to install the OS on many computers unless you have a license for each. Even the key you enter into the installer isn't important per se, but the piece of paper in the retail box or the license sticker that's glued to the machine's case.

If someone has a link to a MS website that clarifies this (or opposes what I said), please post it.

[Jope]

Carls,

Yes, totally true. Basically if you're able to create a CD that has an integrated SP, you shouldn't need to call MS for support..

MS also sells CDs that have the SP already integrated.. Anyway, if you need the MS support (wtf ?-) then you can just say you have XP with SP1 installed and not tell them that you integrated it yourself..

The SP release notes tell you how to integrate it and several sites tell you how to extract the boot.cat from the original CD and make the selfcompiled CD bootable.

Oh well, this is veering a bit too far from Amiganess .. perhaps we ought to continue this via pmail or email, if you have more to say.. :-)

Oh and re: the original subject, I use a DLT drive and MS Backup to backup WinXP (the windows dir and all the dirs where I have my own creations and installed sw), it's well under the 10GB that my DLTIII handles).. It lets you save the registry, so when your HD crashes, you just install a basic XP and then restore everything from tape and have a working system again, timewarped back to the point of your last backup!

[Jope]

ACE wrote:
Thanks to everyone for the helpful comments.  Looks like i've got to spend more money on my PC!  I haven't even recieved it yet.

So am I right in thinking that I can simply install somebody elses XP CD on my computer, if mine does go belly up?  I own the licence after all!

If you have a license key, yes. :-)

However, if it's an OEM license, the key might not work with your friend's XP CD .. Not sure if you're allowed to install a normal XP Pro if your license is OEM. (best to be paranoid with these things if you're running a business with the machine)