Old HP PC running OEM XP

[mcstout]

I have an old(10 years) HP Pavilion desktop, running the original XP OS. I
want to reinstall the OS, but do not have any of the original CDs. Can I use
the MS change product key program to create a new key, and then use one of my
legal copies of XP to reinstall the OS?

Thanks,
MC

 

[Bob I]

Since the HP Pavilion didn't come with XP, you had to buy it after the
fact. If you bought a generic OEM copy of XP to install on it for that
purpose, simply retrieve the key and install using a generic OEM XP of
the same flavor.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

I have an old(10 years) HP Pavilion desktop, running the original XP OS. I

want to reinstall the OS, but do not have any of the original CDs. Can I use
the MS change product key program to create a new key, and then use one of my
legal copies of XP to reinstall the OS?

Thanks,
MC

Sometimes they don't give you the actual CD media but often there IS
an C:\i386 folder ion the C: drive that has the whole XP installation
in it but may not have the Windows XP setup.exe installer. If you can
find out what your XP key is using WinKeyFinder, you may be 2/3rd the
way there. You'd likely only need to find the actual setup.exe from
any XP CD or the XP setup floppies, burn it and the i386 folder to a
CD, and you more or less have an XP installation CD. Since it wouldn't
be a bootable CD, you'd have to go out and get the Windows XP Setup
floppies here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[David B.]

If this PC is in fact 10 years old, it did not come with XP, it came with
Windows 98.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have an old(10 years) HP Pavilion desktop, running the original XP OS. I
want to reinstall the OS, but do not have any of the original CDs. Can I use
the MS change product key program to create a new key, and then use one of my
legal copies of XP to reinstall the OS?

It depends.

First find your product You can find the Product key with any of
these:

ViewKeyXP www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/ViewKeyXP.exe (for Retail versions
only, and for pre-SP2 versions only)

ProduKey http://nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

AIDA32 http://www.aumha.org/freeware.htm

Everest http://www.lavalys.com/index.php?page=product&view=1

Magical Jellybean www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

Belarc Advisor www.belarc.com/free_download.html


Then, you can use a CD you already have in conjunction with the
product key you found *if* the CD matches the installed version with
respect to Home vs. Professional, Retail vs. OEM, and Full vs.
Upgrade. If any of those don't match, your key won't work.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have an old(10 years) HP Pavilion desktop, running the original XP OS.

How is that possible? WinXP didn't become available until just 6 years
ago; it couldn't possibly have come pre-installed on a 10-year-old computer.

I
want to reinstall the OS, but do not have any of the original CDs.

Contact the computer manufacturer for replacement disks.

Can I use
the MS change product key program to create a new key, and then use one of my
legal copies of XP to reinstall the OS?

Impossible to say for sure, without knowing what specific types of
licenses are involved, but I'd think not.


--

Bruce Chambers

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