Installing XP with somone elses disk

[MedRxMan]

I want to re-install XP Home on a friends PC. They do not have the original
XP home disk.

Can I use another HP Home disk and use my friends product code from the COA
on the
PC?

The PC is a Dell Vostro Laptop.

 

[Alias]

I want to re-install XP Home on a friends PC. They do not have the original
XP home disk.

Can I use another HP Home disk and use my friends product code from the COA
on the
PC?

The PC is a Dell Vostro Laptop.

No, you need a Dell disk. Call Dell about a replacement.

Alias

 

[MedRxMan]

If the disk is from another Dell with XP Home, can I use it?

 

[Daave]

I want to re-install XP Home on a friends PC. They do not have the
original XP home disk.

Can I use another HP Home disk and use my friends product code from
the COA on the
PC?

The PC is a Dell Vostro Laptop.

Did this laptop come with a CD? Sometimes, PC's don't come with disks,
but instead come with a hidden recovery partition on the hard drive.
Post back with the specific model or better yet, go to the Support part
of the Dell web site and enter the tag number for the method used to
reinstall the OS on this particular model.

One way to reinstall is using the method you asked about. However, in
order for it to work with the Product Key on the COA sticker, you must
use a *generic* (aka System Builder's) OEM XP Home CD.

Another way is to use someone else's *Dell* XP Home Reinstallation CD.
That should work, and there would be no need to enter the Product Key
because of Dell's implentation of System-locked Preinstallation (SLP) --
essentially a Dell CD looks for specific info hardcoded into the
motherboard and for all intents and purposes activation has already
happened.

 

[MedRxMan]

Dell did not ship a CD with this CD. Also, Dell Uses PC Restore for an image
restore on some of their systems. This system does not have one.

I called my friend and told them to call Dell for an Operating (WinXP Home)
for their system.

 

[Jonathan Harker]

Dell did not ship a CD with this CD. Also, Dell Uses PC Restore for an image
restore on some of their systems. This system does not have one.

If the computer didn't ship with a CD then it WILL have a hidden
partition with everything that is needed to restore it.

Most Dells come with the necessary disc these days, however. If there
is no hidden partition, then the discs have been lost or the partition
has been wiped... one or the other.

 

[Daave]

If the computer didn't ship with a CD then it WILL have a hidden
partition with everything that is needed to restore it.

Most Dells come with the necessary disc these days, however. If there
is no hidden partition, then the discs have been lost or the partition
has been wiped... one or the other.

That is correct.

 

[MedRxMan]

THIS DOES NOT HAVE A HIDDEN PARTITION FOR A RESTORE. NOR DID DELL SEND THE
OPERATING SYSTEM CD. THEY DID SEND A DIAGNOSTICS DISK HOWEVER AND A SOFTWARE
DISK FOR THE MEDIA CENTER.

How do I know because the normal protocol(for DELL) is to press the CTR-F11
on boot to access the PC Restore and that does not work. I also booted the
system with Partition Magic and it is not there.

I am looking for help not criticism.

Thank You

 

[Daave]

Yes, you may use it. I've done so successfully many times.

 

[Daave]

THIS DOES NOT HAVE A HIDDEN PARTITION FOR A RESTORE. NOR DID DELL SEND
THE OPERATING SYSTEM CD. THEY DID SEND A DIAGNOSTICS DISK HOWEVER AND
A SOFTWARE DISK FOR THE MEDIA CENTER.

Please don't shout.

How do I know because the normal protocol(for DELL) is to press the
CTR-F11 on boot to access the PC Restore and that does not work. I
also booted the system with Partition Magic and it is not there.

I am looking for help not criticism.

But Jonathan *was* helping you, and without any criticism whatsoever. He
gave you factual information. Either Dell supplied a disk or they
supplied the PC Restore method which you correctly stated can be
accessed by Ctrl+F11. If you have confirmed there is no hidden recovery
partition, then someone erased it (assuming the PC came this way -- and
that's a fair assumption if Dell didn't supply an OS disk). This is
common when a PC ships with Vista and someone then later decides to
downgrade to XP, which of course requires a Clean Install. If not done
carefully, the hidden restore partition will also be wiped off.

 

[MedRxMan]

The Pc did not come with a restore partition as I mentioned and I also
checked the original invoice.configuration and restore image is not there as
Dell usually indicates.

I meant to SHOUT..

I asked for solutions. His answer is like someone having a problem and he
would answer.."I don't have that problem"

Oh Well, for what it's worth

 

[Daave]

The Pc did not come with a restore partition as I mentioned and I also
checked the original invoice.configuration and restore image is not
there as Dell usually indicates.

Then assuming Dell did not ship the unit with an OS disk, they made a
mistake. It is good you have the documentation. Then again, this isn't
your PC. Is it possible Dell *did* ship the PC with the disk and your
friend lost it?

I meant to SHOUT..

I asked for solutions. His answer is like someone having a problem and
he would answer.."I don't have that problem"

Although that's how you perceived it, I didn't perceive it that way. My
guess is that your understandable frustration colored your reaction.
Jonathan gave you information that is correct 99% of the time, and I
detected no hint of rudeness. He was giving you the rule because the way
he (and I) read your post, it seemed you didn't know what the rule was.
Of course, there are always rare exceptions. In this case (assuming your
friend gave you accurate information), Dell screwed up.

Anyway, as I stated before, you *can* use another Dell XP Home
Reinstallation CD for this laptop. But I think it's good you want to
help your friend in obtaining a disk from Dell. Worst case scenario (if
Dell doesn't comply for some reason): burn a copy of the disk that you
do have.

Oh Well, for what it's worth

I hear you. Okay, now, deep breath...

 

[MedRxMan]

Well, Dell is actually shipping the CD to me since the PC is is at my home.

If you review my original post you can see I asked for suggestions. My
frustration/agitation began when I was told I did have the CD or a hidden
partition. The bottom line should have been a suggestion for a resolution
not a shoulda,woulda, coulda scenario.

Case closed!!

 

[Alias]

Well, Dell is actually shipping the CD to me since the PC is is at my home.

If you review my original post you can see I asked for suggestions. My
frustration/agitation began when I was told I did have the CD or a hidden
partition. The bottom line should have been a suggestion for a resolution
not a shoulda,woulda, coulda scenario.

Case closed!!

My suggestion was to call Dell. Worked, didn't it?

Alias

 

[MedRxMan]

Thanks

My suggestion was to call Dell. Worked, didn't it?

Alias