Hard drive crash and downloaded XP

[Guest]

I purchased a Dell computer a few years with WinMe with a coupon for a free
XP Home upgrade. I downloaded XP from MS and self-installed. Now, three
years later, my hard drive died and I have no way of retrieving the numbers
needed to identify XP since I never received a physical CD-ROM when I
upgraded?

I cannot boot up and my safty boot disk doesn't seem to work.

Since I have had Automatic Upgrades turned on, my computer was up-to-date
(with SP2). Do I have to purchase a new copy of XP? I'm not sure how to go
about reinstalling a new operating system once I purchase a new hard drive.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You'll have to go out and purchase a "full version" of
Windows XP and perform a "clean install". Unless you
are a MSDN subscriber, there is no Microsoft web site
that permits a download of Windows XP.

Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[ln];326246

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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:

| I purchased a Dell computer a few years with WinMe with a coupon for a free
| XP Home upgrade. I downloaded XP from MS and self-installed. Now, three
| years later, my hard drive died and I have no way of retrieving the numbers
| needed to identify XP since I never received a physical CD-ROM when I
| upgraded?
|
| I cannot boot up and my safty boot disk doesn't seem to work.
|
| Since I have had Automatic Upgrades turned on, my computer was up-to-date
| (with SP2). Do I have to purchase a new copy of XP? I'm not sure how to go
| about reinstalling a new operating system once I purchase a new hard drive.