How to Create a Windows XP CD From a I386 Folder

1. Right-click on “Start” and click “Explore” to launch Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click on the “Local Disk (C:)” option and create a folder at the root of the C: drive for the XP installation files. Name the folder something that will be easily recognized, such as “XPINSTALL.”
3. Download the boot sector zip file for Windows XP (see Resources). Extract the files with WinZip or other archiving tool.
4. Copy all unzipped boot sector files into the new C:\\XPINSTALL folder. To accomplish this task, just drag and drop all boot sector files into the new folder.
5. Navigate, in Windows Explorer, to the i386 folder and right-click on the folder.
6. Click the “Copy” option. Be careful not to select “Move,” and do not drag and drop the folder. This action will also move the folder.
7. Paste the i386 folder into the “XPINSTALL” folder.
8. Right-click on the desktop and select “New,” “Text Document.” Double-click on the new text document and type \'Windows \' (without quotes, but with the trailing space) in the first line. Make sure the first letter is capitalized and all other letters are lowercase.
9. Click “File” and then “Save As.”
10. Type the following name for the text document: “WIN51” (with quotes). Saving the name with quotes will ensure the file has no file extension. Click the “Save” button.
11. Copy the WIN51 file into the XPINSTALL folder.
12. Copy the WIN51 file again and paste the new file into the XPINSTALL folder. Name the second file according to the version of Windows XP and the Service Pack that is installed on the computer. For each service pack, a new text file will be required. The following table provides the names for the second text file.Version . . . . . . .Service Pack . . . .. . . .Text filesXP Home . . . . .no service pack . . . . ...WIN51IC
XP Home . . . . .SP1. . . . . WIN51IC, WIN51IC.SP1
(2 files)
XP Home . . . . .SP2. . . . . WIN51IC, WIN51IC.SP1, WIN51IC.SP2
(3 files)XP Professional . . . . . no service pack . . . . WIN51IP
XP Professional . . . . .SP1. . . . . WIN51IP, WIN51IP.SP1
(2 files)
XP Professional . . . . . SP2. . . . . WIN51IP, WIN51IP.SP1, WIN51IP.SP2
(3 files)
13. Copy the WIN51 text files into the XPINSTALL folder.
14. Copy the following files from the C:\\Windows\\System32 folder into the XPINSTALL folder. (Copying these files preserves the Windows XP licensing on the bootable CD.)oembios.bin
oembios.dat
oembios.sig
15. Copy the following file into the XPINSTALL folder:C:\\Windows\\system32\\CatRoot\\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\\oembios.cat
16. Open the CD burning application and insert a blank CD.
17. Create a new CD project in the application.
18. Click “Burn”, and then click “Bootable” as the CD type.
19. Type a new name for the volume name of the new CD according to the version of Windows XP installed on the computer.Version ….. Volume LabelXP Home ….. WXHOEM_EN
XP Home, Service Pack1… XRMHOEM_EN
XP Home, Service Pack 1a and Service Pack 2 …. X1AHOEM_ENXP Professional ….. WXPOEM_EN
XP Professional Service Pack 1 ….. XRMPOEM_EN
XP Professional Service Pack 1a and Service Pack 2 …. X1APOEM_EN
20. Click the “Burn” button. The CD will eject when the burn process has finished and a bootable Windows XP CD will be created.
21. Test the CD by inserting the disk into the drive and rebooting the machine. Press the \'F12\' key when prompted, and select the “Boot from CD” option. The computer will boot from the new Windows XP bootable installation disk.

How to Restore Vista to the Factory Defaults Without the Install CD

1. Save all important files to a CD or a flash drive. Restoring your computer to its factory settings will erase any information that you have added to the computer since you bought it, such as word processing and music files.
2. Unplug any devices from your computer such as printers or flash drives. Restart your computer.
3. Press the 'F11' key when the computer is first started, and a menu will appear on the screen. Choose the 'Repair your Computer' option with your arrow keys and press 'Enter.'
4. Select the 'US keyboard' option and press 'Enter.'
5. Enter your user account number or screen name and then your password. If you do not have a password, leave it blank. Press 'Enter.'
6. A new menu will appear. Select the 'Factory Image Restore' option and press 'Enter.' The restore process will begin.

How to Detect Genuine Windows Using a Command Prompt

1. Click the 'Start' button on your computer's desktop to launch the Start menu.
2. Type 'cmd' in the textbox located in the Start menu and press the Enter key on your keyboard. This will launch the command-prompt window.
3. Type 'slmgr.vbs /dlv' in the command-prompt window and press the Enter key on your keyboard. If you have a genuine copy of Windows, the software licensing status will appear in a new window. If you do not have a genuine copy of Windows, you will get an 'Access denied' error instead.
4. Right click 'Computer' from the Start menu and choose 'Properties' from the menu.
5. Scroll down to the bottom of the 'System' window and click 'Change Product Key.'
6. Follow the instructions to reenter your product key or enter a new genuine product key to fix authenticating problems.

I Am Unable to Connect to the Wireless Connection: I Keep Getting a DNS Error

1. Click the 'Start' button in the lower left corner of the Windows 7 PC desktop, then click the 'Search' box. Type 'ncpa.cpl' and press the 'Enter' key. The 'Network Connections' window will appear.
2. Right-click on the wireless network connection icon and click 'Properties' in the menu that appears. Select 'Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)' from the list of protocols, then click the 'Properties' button.
3. Select the 'Use the following DNS server addresses' radio button. Type '208.67.222.222' in the 'Preferred DNS server' field, then type '208.67.220.220' in the 'Alternate DNS server' field. Click the 'OK' button to save the settings.
4. Click the 'OK' button in the 'Local Area Connection Properties' button to complete the configuration, then reboot the computer and connect to the wireless network and Internet.

What Does Error 1706 Mean?

Symptoms
When a user attempts to install, repair or remove an application, a dialog box may appear with the title 'Error 1706' followed by a variety of messages. The most common messages include 'Error -1706: No valid source could be found for product.' and 'Error 1706. Setup cannot find the required files. Check your connection to the network, or CD-ROM drive.'
Causes
Error 1706 occurs when users attempt to install an application from a network resource that is no longer available. Other possible causes include a dirty CD or DVD, or faulty memory. Corrupted files are a sign that your memory may be damaged.
Affected Applications
Error 1706 is related to the InstallShield installer, which is used to install, remove and repair third-party Windows programs. This error can occur during any installation, no matter who made the program.
Repairing Error 1706
The easiest solution to resolving an Error 1706 is to find the original installation media and insert it into your computer. In order to repair the error, update the Windows Installer to the latest version by downloading it from Microsoft. If all else fails, complete a memory test on your computer to ensure it is not an I/O problem.
Windows Installer Cleanup Utility
A program called Windows Installer Cleanup Utility may be used to fix Error 1706. The program removes all traces of the affected application from the Windows Installer database. By restarting the system, users can attempt to reinstall their application.

How Come My System Restore Won't Let Me Restore to an Earlier Date?

Run Safe Mode
1. Exit all programs. Reboot your computer and press 'F8' at the boot screen, until the boot options appear.
2. Scroll down to 'Safe mode' and press Enter.
3. Press 'R + the Windows key.' Type 'rstrui.exe' in the dialog box and click 'OK.' This launches System Restore.
4. Attempt to restore your computer to an earlier date. Running the tool in Safe mode might unlock a locked file blocking it.
Adjust the Settings
5. Click the Windows logo or the 'Start' button in the bottom left corner of the desktop.
6. Right-click 'Computer' or 'My Computer' and click 'Properties.'
7. Click 'System Protection' and click 'System Restore.'
8. Ensure that a check is next to the 'Restore System settings and previous versions of files' option.
9. Drag the slider under the 'Disk Space Usage' section as close to 'Max Usage' as possible. Exit the System Restore Window.Reboot your computer and run System Restore.
Remove Software
10. Press the Windows key and click 'Control Panel.'
11. Open 'Add/Remove Programs' or 'Uninstall a Program.'
12. Scroll down the list of installed applications. Remove any software that you don't need or use.
13. Reboot your system and attempt to run System Restore.

How Do I Correct Event Viewer Errors?

Opening the Event Viewer
Click on the Start button and choose Control Panel from the list of options. When Control Panel opens look for an icon entitled Administrative Tools. If you do not see Administrative Tools listed, click on Switch to Classic Mode on the left-hand side of the screen. Once the Administrative Tools option is open, double-click Event Viewer.
Understanding the Event Viewer
You will see four options: Application, Security, System and Internet Explorer. Simply highlight each of those options to see the Event Viewer events that have been generated. By default, events are listed in chronological order, starting with the most recent.
Researching Event Viewer Errors
Application logs are generated by your various software programs, and they are used to record problems like application crashes and unexpected shutdowns. Clicking on an event will highlight it and give you more information, such as an error code. From there you can do a search at Microsoft.com for the error code to gain additional insight into the source of and solution to the problem. If one application is generating a great many errors, it may be a good idea to remove and reinstall that program.The Security feature of the Event Viewer provides information on system access, and it can also provide evidence that unauthorized users have been logging onto your computer. If you suspect that someone else has been using your PC without your permission, it is a good idea to take a look at the events listed here. You will be able to view the events to find user names and other pertinent information.The System portion of the Event Viewer is used to provide information relevant to the performance of your computer. You will find information related to system crashes and unexpected reboots. Clicking on each event will give you additional information as well as a code that you can then search for at Microsoft.com for clarification on the issue.If you use Internet Explorer as your web browser, you will also want to check out the Internet Explorer portion of Event Viewer. This section details information specific to the web browser, so if you have been having problems with Internet Explorer crashing or behaving erratically, you can look here to fix any problems.