Using a Home CD-Key with a different CD.

[Guest]

Simply question, can I use someone elses Home XP CD and use a CD Key located
on an e-machines computer? I asked a friend for his CD, but told no as CD's
are tied to an XP installation via the Product ID. Is this true?

To verify, I have a CD Key, but no CD.

 

[Rock]

Simply question, can I use someone elses Home XP CD and use a CD Key
located
on an e-machines computer? I asked a friend for his CD, but told no as
CD's
are tied to an XP installation via the Product ID. Is this true?

To verify, I have a CD Key, but no CD.

Yes any key will work with a CD of the same type. You'll need to use a
generic OEM XP Home CD to work with that key. It won't work with a retail
full or upgrade XP Home CD.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Simply question, can I use someone elses Home XP CD and use a CD Key located
on an e-machines computer? I asked a friend for his CD, but told no as CD's
are tied to an XP installation via the Product ID. Is this true?

No, it's not true. There is no Product ID or anything like that on the
CD itself.

You can use any CD that matches your version of Windows XP with regard
to Language version, Professional vs. Home, Retail vs. OEM, and Full
vs. Upgrade.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Simply question, can I use someone elses Home XP CD and use a CD Key located
on an e-machines computer? I asked a friend for his CD, but told no as CD's
are tied to an XP installation via the Product ID. Is this true?

To verify, I have a CD Key, but no CD.

If the CD you borrow is an unbranded, generic OEM CD, it might work.

Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of
CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are
purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any
retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice
versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD,
and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail
product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD.
Bottom line: Product Keys and CD types cannot be mixed & matched.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



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

 

[Alan]

Bruce (or anyone else),

Are the Windows XP CDs that ship with a new computer from a vendor such as
Dell or Gateway generic?

I'm not referring to the recovery CDs but the full Windows installation CDs.

Alan

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Bruce (or anyone else),

Are the Windows XP CDs that ship with a new computer from a vendor such as
Dell or Gateway generic?

No, not since before SP1, if memory serves.

When Dell (and Gateway, Micron, and several other OEMs) first
started shipping WinXP (pre-SP1), their OEM CDs were little more than
normal, generic OEM CDs that could be used on any machine; they'd prompt
for activation whenever a non-Dell motherboard was detected. These CDs
flooded eBay (probably mostly originating from less scrupulous IT
employees of companies who bought large numbers of computers at a time)
and were a major part of the reason Microsoft eventually stopped
allowing automatic Internet Activation of major OEM installations.

All of the major OEMs have long since tightened their control, and
recent branded OEM CDs won't work on differently branded hardware.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



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

 

[Paul Knudsen]

Bruce (or anyone else),

Are the Windows XP CDs that ship with a new computer from a vendor such as
Dell or Gateway generic?

No. Usually they will only work on the machine they came with. When
they start they check something in the bios to make sure.

 

[Plato]

Simply question, can I use someone elses Home XP CD and use a CD Key located
on an e-machines computer? I asked a friend for his CD, but told no as CD's
are tied to an XP installation via the Product ID. Is this true?

Perhaps. Perhaps not. There is no easy one, correct answer.