new HD, emachines restore cd with XP?

[Gekko]

I currently have an eMachines desktop which I am about to upgrade. Just bought the parts, including a new WD 120GB hard drive. I plan to install the new drive and not use my old one as it is beginning to go bad. Question is this, can I use the eMachines restore CD to install Windows XP on the new hard drive? I've been reading around on the net and it sounds like it won't work but I'm not positive.

[david eaton]

No, you can not use that CD. except to use for landfill. the copyof Win XP id tied to the original hardware configrition,. Sorry., but your must best a copy of Win XP.

[Gekko]

I forgot to mention. I'm only upgrading the video card, ram and hard drive. The motherboard and processor ( and therefore the bios) will all be the original factory stuff. Will it still work in that case? I'm trying to keep from having to buy a new copy since I'm just upgrading the PC I already have.

[david eaton]

You might be able to reinstall it, but sonmeties, the install cd is so tied to the orininalg Hwarware, then you might not.,

[PtBetsie]

I replaced only a hard drive and power supply in an EEK machine. I ran ghost and it put everything back to my starting point.

[Paleo Pete]

OK, the restore CD should work, if you do it the right way.

Add the RAM and hard drive, but NOT the video card. Leave the old video card in until the restore is completed. Once you know everything is back in working order, then AND ONLY THEN uninstall the old video card and install the new one. Keep the old card for future installations, if needed.

The main components to watch out for as far as the restore CD is concerned are the motherboard (and therefore BIOS) and video card, since the video drivers are probably installed along with the OS when you restore the system. Changing hard drives shouldn't make any difference at all, adding RAM won't matter to the restore CD, just make it run a bit quicker. Realistically, I think the restore CD might even work with the new video card, but if video drivers are installed automatically at the same time you might have display problems after the installation is finished.

[Gekko]

Okay, the thing is I already have a different non-factory video card in the system. I upgraded to a GeForce FX 5200 a while back. The system came with onboard video from the factory. Should I uninstall the video card I have and reinstall onboard stuff before swapping hard drives? Someone on another board was skeptical that the restore CD even has the necessary files to install windows but instead uses files already on the hard drive to restore it to a like new install, if this is the case then there would be no way to use the cd on a new hard drive would there?

[Gekko]

I installed the new hard drive on Sunday. Ran the Restore CD and it gave me the option to re-install XP. Installed it no problem. It ran Norton Ghost and gave me a fresh install of XP home. So to answer my own question, the eMachine Restore CD will install windows XP on a new hard drive.