Before September 1995, Microsoft Windows was an MS-DOS program. DOS was an easy to use command line operating system that provided you with complete ability to control and troubleshoot your computer. Microsoft's goal was to eliminate DOS, possibly to prevent you from having complete control of your own computer.
The last stand-alone version of MS-DOS was version 6. Unfortunately, that version is not Y2K compliant. Windows 95 and later came with MS-DOS version 7. Unfortunately, that version is too integrated with the operating system. It will not work without access to your hard disk.
FreeDOS is a PC compatible Y2K compliant DOS that you can download from www.freedos.org. FreeDOS fits on a single floppy disk and can be used to boot your computer. Download and unzip the file odin7bin.zip (756KB). Unziping will create the files diskcopy.exe and fdodin07.144. Put a blank formatted floppy disk in the drive. In the Start | Run dialog box, or at a command prompt type "diskcopy fdodin07.144 a:" to create a bootable FreeDOS floppy disk.
Why would you want to boot your computer with DOS? Maybe you want to use Windows XP without product activation.
First make sure that the BIOS boot sequence on your computer is configured with the floppy drive as the first boot device (or at least before the C: drive). To get to the BIOS configuration screen, press the "Delete" or "F2" key (depending upon your BIOS) while your computer is starting.
Insert the FreeDOS floppy disk in the floppy drive and start the computer. At the A:>_ prompt type DATE. FreeDOS will return your computer's current date, along with a prompt to enter a new date. Enter the date that you installed Windows XP (or at least a date before the 30 day expiration date). Remove the FreeDOS floppy disk and restart your computer.
Note: This will only work if Windows XP has never been started after the 30 day expiration date. The first time Windows XP is started after the 30 day expiration date will be the last time it starts.
Every time you start your computer, start it first with FreeDOS and reset the computer's date to the date that you installed Windows XP. Windows XP will think time has come to a standstill.
Note: Of course, Your file creation and last modified dates will not be correct, so this is not really a way for a serious user to bypass Windows XP product activation. However for certain purposes, like learning the Windows XP operating system, this can be a way to use Windows XP without product activation.
Microsoft should have made the expiration period much longer than 30 days. Maybe they want you to activate Windows XP before it crashes.
Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.
About The Author
Copyright(C)2004 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to bucarotechelp.com
Once upon a time not so long ago, there was... Read More
A few months back I really got sick of my... Read More
Collaboration SoftwareCollaboration Software, also known as group collaboration software or... Read More
Corporate ERP/MRP selection might be tough one, especially considering very... Read More
This article is the fourth of a series of articles... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains is now standard mid-market ERP application, serving... Read More
Looks like Microsoft Great Plains becomes more and more popular,... Read More
Microsoft CRM is CRM answer from Microsoft Business Solutions. If... Read More
Spyware and Adware infest over 90 percent of computers in... Read More
MS CRM is very close to document workflow automation, including... Read More
What is Interactive Mapping?Interactive mapping is a visual display medium... Read More
Our opinion is based on our Microsoft Business Solutions Great... Read More
As seeing large number of implementations ? in our case... Read More
If there still are few unprotected computers left, I haven't... Read More
With this small article we are continuing Microsoft Business Solutions... Read More
Microsoft Client Relation Management system (Microsoft CRM) and Microsoft RMS... Read More
Your computer cost you from hundreds to thousands of dollars,... Read More
It???s easy to understand why you might be drawn to... Read More
SOFTWARE PIRACY We regularly hear reports... Read More
Looks like Microsoft Great Plains becomes more and more... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions product, targeted... Read More
Mike Dunville* had a decision to make. As the new... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions CRM is web-based CRM application, deploying all... Read More
It won't matter how effective your WinRunner Team is if... Read More
The various resume software offered, particularly on the internet, can... Read More
Before being able to choose a secure Internet communication system,... Read More
While several preventive maintenance software manufacturers offer free trials for... Read More
When you first think about multicurrency ? you probably have... Read More
Spyware is software or hardware installed on a computer without... Read More
You've finally created databases that you can actually use to... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions accounting package... Read More
Professional services firm cuts costs and improves productivity with integrated... Read More
For a windows user like me, just can watch with... Read More
Best Software Act! is very popular CRM for small and... Read More
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Hawaii (HMSA) found itself... Read More
Looks like Microsoft Great Plains becomes more and more popular,... Read More
Does Microsoft Have any Real Competition? Copyright (c) 2003 Gregory... Read More
Have you ever noticed that when you look at your... Read More
I have recently created my first Php program. I wanted... Read More
Security flaws have long plagued Internet Explorer (IE), the market-dominating... Read More
Finally, you have some time to personalize your desktop with... Read More
In today's business world it's all but impossible to escape... Read More
Running Applications in Compatibility Mode With Windows XP, you can... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is very popular ERP/MRP applications... Read More
Customer Relationship Management or CRM is a combination of enterprise... Read More
Case study: A secretary using Corel WordPerfect 7 is often... Read More
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategy and processes used... Read More
Does Microsoft care for WebmastersIt's always been a problem with... Read More
Healthcare facilities such as clinics, hospitals, and biomedical laboratories can... Read More
When my daughter was getting into AOL instant messaging (AIM)... Read More
Software |