Reinstalling windows - with no CDs

Hi folks, I seem to have come across a problem, which I was hoping somebody out there might have some answers to. See, my parent's PC keeps running worse and worse, and we have no backup CD for which to revert back to. We're running windows ME. Now, don't laugh, don't cringe, the PC is 6 years old and that was the latest and greatest*cough* version out at the time. My parents don't want to upgrade either - or spend any more money on it at all.

Anyway, the system keeps getting worse and worse. We're also unable to download anything beyond, say, 50 megs, as we're on dial-up (again, they don't want to spend money), and the connection kicks out after like 4 hours. So these ...alternative packages are out of the question, as we could never download them.

Would anyone have any ideas on how to restore a version of windows without a restore disk? I am still recommending they go out and buy WinXP, or get it via OEM sites, but I'm still fishing for alternatives. Any help would be appreciated.

Unless you copied the install CD (specifically the WinME folder I think it is called) to your hard drive, I'm pretty sure you are doomed.

I think I found the problem. =P


Anyway, as Toby said, without the actual CD there's not much you can do to restore the current setup, be best to backup whatever they got worth saving on that PC, format it, buy a new (better) OS, and install it.

also check in c:\windows\options\cabs

Most of the OEM pre-install's come with a copy of the installation CD on the harddrive somewhere. If you can't find that folder, just do a search for *.CAB across the system, and look for a folder that contains a couple of hundred MB of them...

If you find the setup & cabs that way, you can burn them to CD, and there's an option somewhere in the control panel (?) to create ME boot floppies, which you can use to initiate the install, since simply burning the setup files to a CD won't make it bootable.

(DISCLAIMER: use the following at your own risk. If your computer shoots lightning out of your optical drive and electrocutes everyone in a 3 mile radius as well as your computer itself, I am not responsible.)

Failing that, you could see if anyone you know has the ME install CD (Of course, friends don't let friends use windows ME, so it may be a little tricky to come by) -- should be perfectly legal to borrow it, provided you use your parents own ME installation key. (On most complete systems these days there's a tag with an installation key somewhere on the case of the computer. You could also use a 3rd party tool like Magic Jellybean keyfinder to tell you what key was used to install the OS on the system in the first place. Word of warning: OEM keys only work with the OEM media, and non-OEM keys only with the retail media, so be careful.

you could also contact microsoft directly for replacement media, which you should be able to install with the existing key.

Also, some computers have a 'restore' option where there's a hidden partition with the base OS install files on it, and upon bootup you may be able to select a recover option which will re-image your active partition with the standard install. Look for such options when booting, although major warning: It will likely also wipe out any other data on your computer, such as email, photos, and anything else. Use at your own risk!

Yeah. Get an NT or Linux based OS instead.

If your parents feel about their pc this way and let it fester in the goo that is WinME for that long, imho they are unworthy of having a PC to begin with!

Buy yourself a new one and let em choke in it :p

You must live in some parallel universe where Windows 98 doesn't exist, then??

Seriously though, your parents sound like a couple of Luddites. You're not doing bad to get six years out of a PC.

You should probably 'upgrade' to Windows98SE. You'll probably find it cheap on eBay or something.

If you're really desperate, get a copy of Norton SystemWorks that works on Win ME (check ebay etc). The latest one has a system optimiser which does a reasonable job of cleaning out the registery of all the gunk that accumulates in there, and it has a disk defragger that doesn't stop every 7 1/2 minutes because something wrote to the HD.

If it's your parent's computer and it's running slower and slower, have you scanned for spyware and other nasties?

that with Linux must have been a joke.
He is looking for an OS for a 6 year old system, this means current Linux versions are far out the game (they are far more demanding than Win2k or WinXP without luna), especially as they sure want to use their hardware.

Well, if they've lost the installation CD, I'd tell them to bite the bullet and buy a new (better) OS.

As for not wanting to spend any money - tuff. When something breaks or is lost, you generally have to pay to mend/replace it...

I took my car to the garage and asked them to mend it for free. They locked me in the boot.

do you have a licence sticker on the case? If so then you can download Windows ME from various p2p places and as long as you use the Licence info on your sticker then you are legal.

> You should probably 'upgrade' to Windows98SE.

Spoken like a true sage.

> I took my car to the garage and asked them to mend
> it for free. They locked me in the boot.

LIAR! :)

OK, ya got me. :P

A 6 year old PC can't be that bad, I have a 1Ghz Athlon and FC5, and it works very well indeed; RAM may be more of an issue here, I have 512megs (most systems in shops had 128 then as a great thing).

If your parents aren't into playing the latest commercial games, I guess they're not or they wouldn't be using a 6 years old PC with winME, then Linux isn't a bad option at all. You can always try a LIVE CD to see if all hardware is detected correctly.

Contrary to popular belief switching to Linux isn't that difficult. I was a win98 user and now I use KDE as a desktop, when I come across a winXP I'm even more lost than I was in KDE. Things aren't exactly the same, but then it's like buying a new car, "where are those damm lights?".

Installing Linux is also quite straight forward and with a bit of luck problem free (winmodems can be a problem, but then a real modem isn't that expensive and someone might even give you one) Sometimes printers and graphic cards take a bit of tinkering, but there is enough info on the web and nothing that should be to daungting for a Blitz Coder.

It's a 6 yr old PC running WinME for all that time. I'm suprised it still worked OK after 6 months...

>> A 6 year old PC can't be that bad

It's a 6 yr old PC running WinME for all that time. I'm suprised it still worked OK after 6 months... <<


I meant the hardware. :)

Actually, linux isn't very good with the latest hardware, simply because a lot of hardware still has no drivers in linux, or cause they were not added to the distro yet and therefor the devices are not detected automaticly during the installation.

Installing linux is easy AS LONG AS everything works well. When something (eg. a card device) doesn't work than it may be easier to replace the device by something that is supported than to get your hands dirty by trying to compile a driver for the device. And sometimes the only advice you'll get is "write a driver!". Good luck.

A machine that is 2 to 6 years old is ideal for linux. Where in windows you haven't got a lot of choices, in linux there are many distributions. To replace windows you should seek for a "desktop linux". KDE may be nice. There's also Suse linux, Kanotix is looking good as well, and Unbuntu from Southafrica.

But basicly I have to say "parents who used Windows ME" usually cannot handle linux. Things like mounting drives etc. are usually bejond their horizon. Imagine you need to mount a floppy disk before you can accecss it, and the disk format may even be something other than the windows floppy format. There are still lots of little traps to step into.

I'd also say, try to get a cheap original win98se installation cd. On ebay you may find one for little money.

At the other hand, if they want to learn about linux, why not. (They surely will enjoy to tell about their cool linux skills to their friends)

If your parents don't have a specific use of a Windows only app, then why not pop down your local newsagent and pick up a copy of Linux Format, it usually comes with some form of distro.

For a lot of casual users who just browse the net, send emails, type the odd letter, play card games, it amazes me why these people pay for Windows.

I'm no great fan of Linux, but for a free OS its outstanding and should be more popular for casual users.

When you say "Your parents" pc. This implies you have your own Pc. Do you have your own copy of windows? If so just insall that. We wont tell microsoft. Failing that just ask family, and borrow one of theirs.

Isn't that software piracy?

Nope. No it isnt. The have an active OEM. (Or what ever its called)

If someone wants to dissagree, then they can, cos Im not a copper. However The intent is not to make a "Free copy", rather to replace a "Damaged Original" instalation