Customer calls me back after encountering a few further minor issues: ftp doesn’t work, emails can be sent, but not received, and sound isn’t working.
email is easy: smtp email address / userid is incorrect.
ftp is also easy: some sites require “passive ftp”, so once this setting is enabled, it all works fine.
Sound is a bit trickier: I download some sound drivers… at 20Mb each, they take a while… the first one doesn’t work, but the second one does (after a MS update over the internet).
While waiting for the downloads, we decide to call HP support, so we can get the “correct winXPMCE install CDs. It turns out the PC is still under warranty (I thought otherwise), and it has “onsite warranty” which means HP will send someone out to your house!
However, The PC must have the original failing HD installed & no non-HP hardware inside… somewhat inconvenient, given that the PC has now been almost fully repaired anyway… Anyway, we decide its not worth the hassle & decide to get the proper install CDs (for $66!)… But the friendly chap from HP says: the install CDs will only let you do a clean reinstall (none of the convenience of an in-place reinstall).
Oh well, scrap that idea… let’s just wait for the sound drivers to download & see what happens (turns out they work well, since the sound isn’t HP proprietary hardware).