I bought a computer with XP home on it. Of course, I didn't ever make the
recovery disc they tell you to make, so when my hard drive crashed (hard) I
don't have anything to re-install from. My question is this... Do I have to
go buy Windows all over again, or (as I would contend) since I bought a
"license" for Windows, and (as I would further contend) my license didn't die
with the hard drive, can I just buy a new hard drive, download Windows XP
Home edition as I had previously and install it "unlocking" it with my
"product key" which luckily is on a sticker stuck to the top of my computer??
If so, then please point me to where I would download this file from. I
thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
I promise to create a recover disc immediately after reconstituting this
computer!!

"2Dumb2Backup" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:C1263E16-F9C0-4FFA-BC4F-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I bought a computer with XP home on it. Of course, I didn't ever make the
> recovery disc they tell you to make, so when my hard drive crashed (hard)
> I
> don't have anything to re-install from. My question is this... Do I have
> to
> go buy Windows all over again, or (as I would contend) since I bought a
> "license" for Windows, and (as I would further contend) my license didn't
> die
> with the hard drive, can I just buy a new hard drive, download Windows XP
> Home edition as I had previously and install it "unlocking" it with my
> "product key" which luckily is on a sticker stuck to the top of my
> computer??
> If so, then please point me to where I would download this file from. I
> thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
> I promise to create a recover disc immediately after reconstituting this
> computer!!

The answer is "no" to both questions: Your product code is
still valid even though you will replace your hard disk, and
you cannot download WinXP home from anywhere even
though you appear to think that you did. You either need
a WinXP installation CD or the recovery CD supplied by
the manufacturer of your PC.

On Sun, 2 Sep 2007 09:58:04 -0700, 2Dumb2Backup
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I bought a computer with XP home on it. Of course, I didn't ever make the
>recovery disc they tell you to make, so when my hard drive crashed (hard) I
>don't have anything to re-install from. My question is this... Do I have to
>go buy Windows all over again, or (as I would contend) since I bought a
>"license" for Windows, and (as I would further contend) my license didn't die
>with the hard drive, can I just buy a new hard drive, download Windows XP
>Home edition as I had previously and install it "unlocking" it with my
>"product key" which luckily is on a sticker stuck to the top of my computer??
>If so, then please point me to where I would download this file from. I
>thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
>I promise to create a recover disc immediately after reconstituting this
>computer!!


You can't download XP from Microsoft. Your purchased PC should
include a bootable Windows CD, or at least a Recovery CD.

2Dumb2Backup wrote:
> I bought a computer with XP home on it. Of course, I didn't ever make the
> recovery disc they tell you to make, so when my hard drive crashed (hard) I
> don't have anything to re-install from. My question is this... Do I have to
> go buy Windows all over again, or (as I would contend) since I bought a
> "license" for Windows, and (as I would further contend) my license didn't die
> with the hard drive, can I just buy a new hard drive, download Windows XP
> Home edition as I had previously and install it "unlocking" it with my
> "product key" which luckily is on a sticker stuck to the top of my computer??


No, your license didn't die with the hard drive. An OEM license is
bound to the computer as a whole, not to any single component. So you
shouldn't have to purchase a new WinXp license.

However, your primary recourse is the computer's manufacturer. Only
they can provide the correct installation/Recovery media, with all of
the necessary device drivers for the computer's components. Contact
them for a replacement CD. (You might be able to get an unbranded,
generic OEM installation CD to work with your Product Key, if you can
find one. You'll still have to download any necessary device drivers
from the manufacturer's support web site.)


> If so, then please point me to where I would download this file from.


Unless you have a very expensive MSDN subscription (in which case you
wouldn't be asking), there are no *legitimate* sources from which one
can download a Microsoft operating system. You'd be wise to avoid
illicit sources, as you're likely to get more (in the terms of malware
and/or mysterious credit card charges) than you bargained for. You need
to contact the computer's manufacturer.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

Phisherman wrote:
> On Sun, 2 Sep 2007 09:58:04 -0700, 2Dumb2Backup
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> I bought a computer with XP home on it. Of course, I didn't ever make the
>> recovery disc they tell you to make, so when my hard drive crashed (hard) I
>> don't have anything to re-install from. My question is this... Do I have to
>> go buy Windows all over again, or (as I would contend) since I bought a
>> "license" for Windows, and (as I would further contend) my license didn't die
>> with the hard drive, can I just buy a new hard drive, download Windows XP
>> Home edition as I had previously and install it "unlocking" it with my
>> "product key" which luckily is on a sticker stuck to the top of my computer??
>> If so, then please point me to where I would download this file from. I
>> thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
>> I promise to create a recover disc immediately after reconstituting this
>> computer!!
>
>
> You can't download XP from Microsoft. Your purchased PC should
> include a bootable Windows CD, or at least a Recovery CD.

His included a hidden partition that is now gone.

--
Alias
To email me, remove shoes

On Sun, 02 Sep 2007 11:21:52 -0600, Bruce Chambers
<(E-Mail Removed)3t> wrote:

>No, your license didn't die with the hard drive. An OEM license is
>bound to the computer as a whole, not to any single component....

Is the motherboard a single component?

--
Zilbandy

If the win cd is supplied by the PC maker and its a bios locked cd then it
will only work with a motherboard supplied by that PC supplier

"Zilbandy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 02 Sep 2007 11:21:52 -0600, Bruce Chambers
> <(E-Mail Removed)3t> wrote:
>
>>No, your license didn't die with the hard drive. An OEM license is
>>bound to the computer as a whole, not to any single component....
>
> Is the motherboard a single component?
>
> --
> Zilbandy

Zilbandy wrote:
>
> Is the motherboard a single component?
>


Usually, yes. I'm not aware of any motherboards that come in pieces. Why?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

Zilbandy <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>>No, your license didn't die with the hard drive. An OEM license is
>>bound to the computer as a whole, not to any single component....
>
>Is the motherboard a single component?

That's a really DUMB question.

This happened to be a Compaq. I own another Compaq a couple of years newer
and a little faster. It is still working. Should I be able to make a
"recovery" disc from that computer and then use it to install on the new hard
drive of the dead computer?
Thanks again to everyone for all their comments and assistance.
2d2bu

"Bruce Chambers" wrote:

> 2Dumb2Backup wrote:
> > I bought a computer with XP home on it. Of course, I didn't ever make the
> > recovery disc they tell you to make, so when my hard drive crashed (hard) I
> > don't have anything to re-install from. My question is this... Do I have to
> > go buy Windows all over again, or (as I would contend) since I bought a
> > "license" for Windows, and (as I would further contend) my license didn't die
> > with the hard drive, can I just buy a new hard drive, download Windows XP
> > Home edition as I had previously and install it "unlocking" it with my
> > "product key" which luckily is on a sticker stuck to the top of my computer??
>
>
> No, your license didn't die with the hard drive. An OEM license is
> bound to the computer as a whole, not to any single component. So you
> shouldn't have to purchase a new WinXp license.
>
> However, your primary recourse is the computer's manufacturer. Only
> they can provide the correct installation/Recovery media, with all of
> the necessary device drivers for the computer's components. Contact
> them for a replacement CD. (You might be able to get an unbranded,
> generic OEM installation CD to work with your Product Key, if you can
> find one. You'll still have to download any necessary device drivers
> from the manufacturer's support web site.)
>
>
> > If so, then please point me to where I would download this file from.
>
>
> Unless you have a very expensive MSDN subscription (in which case you
> wouldn't be asking), there are no *legitimate* sources from which one
> can download a Microsoft operating system. You'd be wise to avoid
> illicit sources, as you're likely to get more (in the terms of malware
> and/or mysterious credit card charges) than you bargained for. You need
> to contact the computer's manufacturer.
>
>
>
> --
>
> Bruce Chambers
>
> Help us help you:
> http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
> They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
> safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin
>
> Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
>