Didn't get an XP disk and need one

[Guest]

In trying to install a new hard drive it appears I need an XP setup CD. I
bought my Compaq Presario with XP Home installed, but recieved no CDs with
the package except Quick Restore and Emergency Diskette. Can I use someone
else's CD or will Microsoft provide me with a CD for my 4-year-old system??

 

[Osiris]

In trying to install a new hard drive it appears I need an XP setup CD. I
bought my Compaq Presario with XP Home installed, but recieved no CDs with
the package except Quick Restore and Emergency Diskette. Can I use someone
else's CD or will Microsoft provide me with a CD for my 4-year-old system??

you did get a registrationnumber or whatever they call it.
With that, you should be able to use a friends original CD...
You are already registered with MS to be a genuine user, so there
should be no problem...
Unless....

 

[John John]

you did get a registrationnumber or whatever they call it.
With that, you should be able to use a friends original CD...
You are already registered with MS to be a genuine user, so there
should be no problem...
Unless....

That most likely won't work. The Compaq OEM license won't install with
a non-OEM disk and the OEM disk will most likely be bound to the Compaq
BIOS.

John

 

[John John]

You will have to contact Compaq (HP now). The operating system is on a
hidden Service Partition on the original hard disk. Is the hard drive
still functional? If it is you can make a copy (ghost/image) of the
partition or create an XP installation disk. Search the Compaq site or
contact them for more information. Typical instructions are shown here:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&docname=bph07143

Search the site for your particular model number.

This is an OEM issue and Microsoft will not help you with this problem.

John

 

[Guest]

I was searching this Board for EXACTLY this problem, and I also have exactly
the same computer!! Thank you so much for the help.

 

[Guest]

I checked out the HP link provided by John John, but I'm horrified at having
to do a complete Recovery on my PC. My only problem is that I need to
uninstall and reinstall Service Pack 2 to stabilize an OMDB problem I'm
having as advised here: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/331094.html.

Because I don't have these Windows disks, is my only choice to use the
Recovery disks?

 

[John John]

The proposed solution seems a bit radical to me, but I don't know about
those programing issues. You can try to reinstall MDAC components
instead. If it fails, oh well... weren't you going to reinstall anyway?

John

better late than never...

Hint: Search for mdac.inf