Is it possible to do the following:

I have a maxtor backup program which I ran before my computer was sent for repair. At repair the HD crashed. The laptop is a compaq. Right now the OS was installed from standard XP disks. I do have an old registry backup, although not too old.

Can I:

1. Install from the HP disk set to a USB attached media and then move the HD intenally or do you have to install to C:

2. Can I:
a. Install to C from the recovery disks.
b. restore the maxtor backup
c. Do a Windows repair and have the registry from the registry backup

Can I:
a. Install to C from the recovery disks
b. restore the maxtor backup
c. move the registry backup files from a DOS only prompt.

I believe they have everything rigged nowadays that you have to install the OS with the original discs or everyone would use the method you suggested and tap dance past the disc method.

I also thought of another method:

1. Load the OS
2. Load the backup on top of the OS
3. Use system restore