Lost OEM System Restore discs in Hurricane Katrina

[Guest]

Hi,

The HD in my laptop (Compaq Presario 2500) recently died. The computer is
still in perfectly good working order, but I have to replace the HD. The
problem is that my OEM System Restore discs were lost during Hurricane
Katrina (I lived in New Orleans and didn't manage to get out of town w/
anything but my clothes & laptop.).

Compaq (HP) customer support said they didn't have any replacement system
restore discs for this model anymore.

So, here I sit with a valid Windows XP Home Edition product key (it's on the
bottom of my laptop on the Microsoft sticker), but no intsallation/restore
discs.

I can replace the HD for under $100, but if I have to buy a full version of
Windows, it'll cost me more than a new laptop!

Anyone have any ideas as to how I might get Windows legitimately running on
my laptop once I replace the HD?

 

[DL]

An OEM edition of win purchased from Ebay maybe?
I dont know whether Compaq has specific OEM versions

 

[Shenan Stanley]

The HD in my laptop (Compaq Presario 2500) recently died. The
computer is still in perfectly good working order, but I have to
replace the HD. The problem is that my OEM System Restore discs
were lost during Hurricane Katrina (I lived in New Orleans and
didn't manage to get out of town w/ anything but my clothes &
laptop.).

Compaq (HP) customer support said they didn't have any replacement
system restore discs for this model anymore.

So, here I sit with a valid Windows XP Home Edition product key
(it's on the bottom of my laptop on the Microsoft sticker), but no
intsallation/restore discs.

I can replace the HD for under $100, but if I have to buy a full
version of Windows, it'll cost me more than a new laptop!

Anyone have any ideas as to how I might get Windows legitimately
running on my laptop once I replace the HD?

Borrow a valid generic OEM Windows XP CD from someone...
(May/may not be successful.)

If the drive works enough to boot or get a good image from using something
like Ghost, TrueImage, BootItNG --> then image it and apply the image to the
new HDD.

And if purchasing an OEM (or even retail) copy of Windows XP to replace your
lost copy costs you more than your laptop - that was one CHEAP laptop. ;-)

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the idea Shenan.

Also, could I possibly purchase an upgraded windows product (like Vista?)
and provide the old windows key during installation to allow the "upgrade"
installation to work?

 

[Peter Foldes]

Also, could I possibly purchase an upgraded windows product (like Vista?)

and provide the old windows key during installation to allow the "upgrade"
installation to work?

I am afraid that will not work. You need the actual media or what Shenan explained to you
--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

 

[David B.]

Or the OP COULD purchase the Vista upgrade and use the double install method
to get up and running, provided the laptop will support Vista.

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Also, could I possibly purchase an upgraded windows product (like Vista?)
and provide the old windows key during installation to allow the "upgrade"
installation to work?

I am afraid that will not work. You need the actual media or what Shenan
explained to you