I just recently cleaned a friend's computer which had over 1500 infections but it was still running slowly. I tried SFC /scannow and it immediately asked for the WINDOWS XP Professional SP3 disk. The strange thing is that there is Windows XP Home Edition on the computer and also he has the original disk which is Home Edition. The OEM tag on the computer is also for Home Edition. When I insert the CD it tells em that it is not the correct disk. Is there any reason why I'm getting this message? He has all the original DISKS that came with the computer.Dave, did you do this?
Open any folder in Windows Explorer.  Find the help Tabb and click on 'about windows'. It wile show a logo with the name of the XP version and build date.


[attachment deleted by admin to conserve space]This is a weird computer. There is no Windows Explorer or IE. I can get that same information by right-clicking My Computer, Properties and it states that Windows XP Home Edition.The Home Edition disc likely doesn't have the service packs...
I run into this all the time...the workarounds are labor intensive.
What exactly does it say on the Win CD ? ?The computer is a Dell and the disk is a Dell disk CALLED Reinstallation CD MS Windows XP Home Edition.On Dell's i have had success wiping the HDD 1ST then re-installing...
However if the disc is from a different Dell PC this may not work.
If it does not all you need is an XP disc of the same flavor and it'll accept a clean install that way...I'm sure that the disk is the original from Dell because he also gave me all the other disks that came with the computer. What I can't understand that when I do a SFC /scannow it asks for the Windows XP professional disk with SP3.It's because the CD likely doesn't have SP3 on it...which is why i asked what it said...
Your only choice is A) find a CD that is XP Home with SP3...unlikely...or B) Slipstream SP 3 into the current disc you have and build a new one...

See Here...Thanks, Patio. I'm going to try to create a new disk if only for the experience.Best of Luck Dave...
It's an annoyance in XP that only surfaced after SP3...even an original factory restore CD...or an MS CD would not work if the SP's came later...PITA...The only version I found of SP3 is a self-extracting one and I can't get it extract. Any idea where I can get a good version? Quote from: SuperDave on April 10, 2015, 04:12:02 PM

The only version I found of SP3 is a self-extracting one and I can't get it extract. Any idea where I can get a good version?