Creating my own recovery CDs

So, I have a major burning question here.

Will I be able to create a recovery cd for a gateway 7415GX? (Previous owner had already created them and lost them and I don't want to pay for them) I have access to download all the drivers.
Below is a link showing how to add drivers for a SATA drive to windows xp, is there any way I can add all my drivers for my notebook to the xp cd I am slipstreaming sp2 into? I do not need SATA support, but I need my broadcom wireless drivers, and all that other stuff without the bloatware...

http://www.ntcompatible.com/Custom_install_CD_with_extra_drivers_t25442.html

So if I understand, all I have to do is open up the notebook and make notes of all the drivers registry entries, one at a time and add them into the DOSNET.INF and TXTSETUP.SIF files as per the instructions in that last link. Anyone think I'll have issues creating these recovery cds?

Last thought, would it be easier to just install windows and then download the drivers to disk?

And can I copy the wpa.dbl files from the /system32 folder and install using a purchased windows instead of an oem one and still skip activation?

Thanks all

 

Why is this a poll?

To answer your question(s)--your best bet for a "recovery" set is to image the disk using something like Ghost or Acronis True Image. That will recover you to where you are now.

What you seem to be after is a fresh install disk, which you can likely do using an older version of an eom disk and the above process.

However, the wpa.dbl trick does not work like people think--a wpa file is an activation file of a moment in time--there are many variables. Installing the wpa file to a new install almost never works because the variables of the installation are different

 

When I got the notebook it was infested with viruses. I ran the TRK recovery suite, and it removed the viruses after updating and everything. Windows will still boot, but now I do not have any ipconfig or internet ability, either via wired or wireless. So I was going to do an install of XP, I do not have the oem disks, just the ones I purchased for a seperate computer. Will the WPA work for that? The notebooks hardware should be exactly the same.. But I cannot take a disk image because I need to repair windows and the windows recovery wasn't easily navigated. I didn't see a way to repair it in the console the windows cd provides. What command would I use to get it to repair the ipconfig.exe program? (when stuff like that happens, I usually fresh install but this is unique for me because I've not dealt with notebooks in the past.

Thanks again Gerryf19 for the quick reply too.

Phoenix

PS I don't know why I put the poll, I had just learned about it and thought I'd ask. Is there a way to erase that poll at this time?

 

no, the wpa will not work, but that does not matter. WPA is not the evil thing that it has been painted out to be.

You can use the OEM disk from another machine as long as you use the cd-key provided on your computer on the Certificate of Authenticy sticker. Gateway puts them on the bottom

This assumes this is a real OEM XP cd, and not a specially configured OEM cd key (for example, a restore cd from another machine). I mean a real Windows OEM cd.

The only difference is that you will need to activate; the Gateway cd came pre-activated, and it actually does not use the cd-key on the bottom, but a special key for Gateway.

Your key, on the machine, is still good and will work with any true oem key.

In addition to doing a clean install, the OEM key can also be used to do a repair, though the degree of damage to that machine might mean a repair will not achieve the desired results.

The repair process is similar to runing a clean install--lots of Internet guides like this one
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

This is a real windows upgrade cd, I have to put in an older copy of windows on disk into the computer before it will load when doing a clean installation.

Will that key on the notebook work for an upgrade cd instead of an OEM??

Again it was purchased for another computer so I don't want to use the key for it on this notebook is all. That guide is excellent too, according to it I just put in the disk and hit enter(which I was hesitant to do) and then it should give the repair option. I'll definitely try that first. Worst case I guess I can make a disk with the drivers and a second disk with the xp-sp2 slipsteam setup, though that also would be an upgrade now wouldn't it?

Hopefully the upgrade cd i have works for a slipstream setup as I'm doing that as we speak. I was going to try to add in the drivers, but it looks like 2 disks will be infinitely easier. Thanks again, I really really appreciate all your help,

 

no, your oem key will not work with an upgrade cd. You need an oem cd

Each windows cd comes with a product ID burnt in to it in a file called setupp.ini--the productID determines what cd keys it will take to install.

 

Thanks again, awesomeness, I'll get a cd to take that key and much appreciation for all your help today

 

You should be able to use any cd that you have a seriel to load it, once loaded it will fail activation. At this time it will let you put another seriel in, use the seriel from your COA on the bottom of your laptop. You will have to call MS and tell them that you have the coa and it is not installed on another computer. They will usually give you an activation number. GL