? ? Did my "License" die with my HD ? ?

[Guest]

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!!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

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.

 

[Phisherman]

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.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

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:



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

 

[Alias]

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.

 

[Zilbandy]

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?

 

[DL]

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

 

[Bruce Chambers]

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:



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

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Is the motherboard a single component?

That's a really DUMB question.

 

[Guest]

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

 

[Richard in AZ]

I would expect that the disks from the newer machine have entirely different sets of hardware
drivers.
Why do you contact Compaq and see if you can buy a set of restore disks for your model.
I know HP sells restore disks for older PCs for about $16 USD (including shipping).
Then your would have a set of the correct disks.

 

[Plato]

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

Not neccessarily, as many new PCs dont come with CDs now so they leave
it up to you to make the recovery CD ASAP.

 

[Plato]

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

Now your stuck with either asking, or demanding, a recovery CD from your
PC maker. It may or may not cost.

 

[Zilbandy]

That's a really DUMB question.

Why is it a dumb question?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

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

If they're identical models with identical motherboards (very unlikely,
after two years), it might work. It'd be a long shot. Have you tried
to contact Compaq (HP, now) to ask about obtaining a replacement
Recovery CD?


--

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

 

[Alias]

Why is it a dumb question?

Don't mind him; his screen name says it all.