How to reinstall Windows ME without an installation CD Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 10:45 am Windows Me Annoyances Discussion Forum Posted by Ed (741 messages posted) 1. HOW TO REINSTALL Windows ME WITHOUT AN INSTALLATION CD You can reinstall Windows ME even if you have no installation CD, by following the instructions in this post: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/1081893868 This overwrites your Windows folder, i.e. C:\WINDOWS (though not the rest of the disk), including the Windows Registry, so you will lose all your settings. You will therefore have to REINSTALL all of your PC's hardware and all of your programs. You *must* have the original setup disks and CDs to hand in order to do this. You *must* also have your "product key" (serial number) to hand. The Product Key is stored (in plain text, unencrypted) in the Windows Registry at -   HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion To obtain the product key at the DOS prompt, type the following commands at the C:> prompt, one command per line, press enter after typing each line - PATH=A:;C:;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND FIND "ProductKey" C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT > C:\ProductKey.txt You could make a copy of C:\WINDOWS (e.g. as C:\WINOLD), as a backup, if you have enough free space on your hard disk. Then if the suggested solution doesn't work you would have the option to delete the C:\WINDOWS folder and to rename C:\WINOLD to C:\WINDOWS in order to get back to the state you are currently in, and try a different solution. 2. USING THE SYSTEM RESTORE CD If nothing else works, you can reinstall Windows by running the System Restore CD which came with your computer. This CD erases everything in the computer. It will DELETE all your files, mp3's, and settings. It is ESSENTIAL to copy all your files (especially all your work, data and mp3's) to another disk, BEFORE using this CD. As you will lose all your settings, you will therefore have to reinstall all of your PC's hardware and all programs. You *must* have the original setup disks and CDs to hand in order to do this. You *must* also have your "product key" (serial number) to hand. The Product Key is stored (in plain text, unencrypted) in the Windows Registry at -   HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion To obtain the product key at the DOS prompt, see above. Ed On Monday, March 16, 2009 at 4:45 am, DanTheMan wrote: >ok i use to have a recovey partition but some thing must have delete it (probloy >norton ghost) >so i cant reformat and install windows me >but i notice in >C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS >their seems to be a setup for windows me in there >so can i put that on my d: drive >and then go in dos and format my C: drive and then type in the dos thing D:\OPTIONS\CABS\setup.exe >and install?? Written in response to: need to know how to, reinstall windows (DanTheMan: Monday, March 16, 2009 at 4:45 am) There are presently no replies to this message. All messages in this thread [show all] need to know how to, reinstall windows (DanTheMan: Mon, Mar 16, 2009, 4:45 am) re: need to know how to, reinstall windows (Keith Stanier: Mon, Mar 16, 2009, 5:39 am) re: need to know how to, reinstall windows (DanTheMan: Mon, Mar 16, 2009, 6:37 am) re: need to know how to, reinstall windows (Keith Stanier: Tue, Mar 17, 2009, 5:24 am) How to reinstall Windows ME without an installation CD (Ed: Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 10:45 am) Reply or follow-up to this message Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows Me Discussion Forum