Lost OEM XP home CD

[Bill]

Gave my son my 2001 Gateway PC a few months back with all the software cds,
including Win XP home ed, and he has lost them all the CDs.

Of course he has not kept the system clean and is experiencing major
problems. The only solution I can think of is to reformat and install the
OS. Not surprisingly gateway will not send me a replacement OS system too
old and out of warranty) and I don't want to invest in a new purchase
especially with Vista on the horizon. I plan on calling MS on Monday see if
they can help at a reasonable price. I still have the invoice etc

My question here , and I hope not to offend anyone as I do not want to do
anything illegal, is can I use my Win XP home ed, that came with my new PC
and install it on the old gateway using the gateway activation/cd key as it
still shows that info on the OS. Hope I explained that properly.

Would that work?

Thanks
Bill

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Gave my son my 2001 Gateway PC a few months back with all the
software cds, including Win XP home ed, and he has lost them all the
CDs.
Of course he has not kept the system clean and is experiencing major
problems. The only solution I can think of is to reformat and install
the OS.

Before resorting to such a draconian step, why not desribe the problems
here. post them here; it's possible that someone can help you and a
reinstallation won't be required.

Not surprisingly gateway will not send me a replacement OS
system too old and out of warranty) and I don't want to invest in a
new purchase especially with Vista on the horizon. I plan on calling
MS on Monday see if they can help at a reasonable price. I still have
the invoice etc

Microsoft won't help, at a reasonable price or not. They will replace CDs at
a low price if they are retail copies, but not at all if they are OEM ones.

My question here , and I hope not to offend anyone as I do not want
to do anything illegal, is can I use my Win XP home ed, that came
with my new PC and install it on the old gateway using the gateway
activation/cd key as it still shows that info on the OS. Hope I
explained that properly. Would that work?

It's not illegal, as long as each copy is installed with a different product
key. If they were both Full retail copies or both Upgrade copies, it would
work. If they were both generic OEM copies, it would work. But many OEMs use
BIOS-locked copies and they won't install on anything but the original
computer.

 

[Bill]

Before resorting to such a draconian step, why not desribe the problems
here. post them here; it's possible that someone can help you and a
reinstallation won't be required.




Microsoft won't help, at a reasonable price or not. They will replace CDs
at a low price if they are retail copies, but not at all if they are OEM
ones.





It's not illegal, as long as each copy is installed with a different
product key. If they were both Full retail copies or both Upgrade copies,
it would work. If they were both generic OEM copies, it would work. But
many OEMs use BIOS-locked copies and they won't install on anything but
the original computer.

Ken,

Thanks for your reply.

The problems are of course virus/trojan/spyware related. After spending many
hours of scanning with all the popular programs both online and offline, the
PC remains sluggish. Also did the usual cleanups, scan disk, defrags etc
etc.. Programs are opening and running slow and it just doesn't feel right.
I can tell as I had the PC before in my business. So I think the best
solution is to do a reinstall.

I now have a Dell with XP home and am thinking of trying it (original OEM)
but of course using the activation/key from the Gateway to see if it would
work. Of course I have to locate that should be in the OS somewhere?

Bill

 

[Alias]

Ken,

Thanks for your reply.

The problems are of course virus/trojan/spyware related. After spending many
hours of scanning with all the popular programs both online and offline, the
PC remains sluggish. Also did the usual cleanups, scan disk, defrags etc
etc.. Programs are opening and running slow and it just doesn't feel right.
I can tell as I had the PC before in my business. So I think the best
solution is to do a reinstall.

I now have a Dell with XP home and am thinking of trying it (original OEM)
but of course using the activation/key from the Gateway to see if it would
work. Of course I have to locate that should be in the OS somewhere?

Bill

It won't work. Has to be a Gateway OEM to work on a Gateway PC. You're
pretty much stuck with having to buy XP, either generic OEM, upgrade if
you have 98, W2K or Me lying around, or retail.

 

[po-po]

What is Vista?

 

[Bill]

It won't work. Has to be a Gateway OEM to work on a Gateway PC. You're
pretty much stuck with having to buy XP, either generic OEM, upgrade if
you have 98, W2K or Me lying around, or retail.

Yes I am afraid that maybe the only solution...

Thanks

 

[Tom [Pepper] Willett]

Don't hijack someone else'es thread. Start your own.

Tom

 

[Guest]

???????

Windows Vista is the name of the newest Microsoft Operating System ,in
other words ,the new Windows.

It is still Beta.

Panda_man

 

[Guest]

Hi Bill .Very nasty problem .I fully understand you because I had the same
problem recently.My Windows XP CD broke,
noone wants and will not give me a copy.

Ken's advise is great .The sollution would be to buy a new Windows.Buy an
OEM version with mouse device ,foe example=this is the cheapest.Windows XP
home costs $95.

If you want clean system for your business the best would be to format and
reinstall Windows.

Forget about Vista.It is still beta 1 version and will be available for the
^normal^ people at least in 2 years time.But I will not install it on my
personal pc untill Microsoft publishes SP1 for Vista,you know the new OS
comes with lots of bugs.It is now January 2006 ,Vista is going to come
2008/2009 ...

You have malware related problems.Try repairing them untill you find a
solution .
Goto my web-site
http://free.hit.bg/fightmalware/homepage_en.htm

and perform the malware removal instructions.Use Panda Titanoum 2006.

Then ,again on the same site ,learn how to protect your PC and how to make a
limited user account for your son.


Panda_man
--
Prevention is always better than cure !
Panda TruPrevent - the most intelligent technology to combat unknown malware
http://www.pandasoftware.com
http://free.hit.bg/fightmalware/homepage_en.htm

 

[Bill]

I gave him the PC for his personal use so its not in my business anymore.
What I need to do is let him sweat it out and learn to be more careful. My
lectures seem to go in one ear and out the other LOL.

Based on Kens advice I been shopping around and it aint cheap

Will check out you web see if it turns up anything else
Thanks
Bill

 

[DL]

Kids - arent they a pain!
I have 2

I gave him the PC for his personal use so its not in my business anymore.
What I need to do is let him sweat it out and learn to be more careful. My
lectures seem to go in one ear and out the other LOL.

Based on Kens advice I been shopping around and it aint cheap

Will check out you web see if it turns up anything else
Thanks
Bill

 

[Plato]

Gave my son my 2001 Gateway PC a few months back with all the software cds,
including Win XP home ed, and he has lost them all the CDs.

Tell him to shovel snow in the Winter, Rake leaves in the Fall, and cut
grass in the Summer. Then he will have enough money to buy a MS OS CD.

 

[Rock]

I gave him the PC for his personal use so its not in my business anymore.
What I need to do is let him sweat it out and learn to be more careful. My
lectures seem to go in one ear and out the other LOL.

Based on Kens advice I been shopping around and it aint cheap

Will check out you web see if it turns up anything else
Thanks
Bill

Maybe he should pay for it?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ken,

Thanks for your reply.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

The problems are of course virus/trojan/spyware related. After
spending many hours of scanning with all the popular programs both
online and offline, the PC remains sluggish. Also did the usual
cleanups, scan disk, defrags etc etc.. Programs are opening and
running slow and it just doesn't feel right. I can tell as I had the
PC before in my business. So I think the best solution is to do a
reinstall.

OK. Sometimes that is the best thing to do.

I now have a Dell with XP home and am thinking of trying it (original
OEM) but of course using the activation/key from the Gateway to see
if it would work. Of course I have to locate that should be in
the OS somewhere?

Good luck, but I think it's highly unlikely that it will work.

 

[Frank]

Gave my son my 2001 Gateway PC a few months back with all the
software cds, including Win XP home ed, and he has lost them all the
CDs.
Of course he has not kept the system clean and is experiencing major
problems. The only solution I can think of is to reformat and install
the OS. Not surprisingly gateway will not send me a replacement OS
system too old and out of warranty) and I don't want to invest in a
new purchase especially with Vista on the horizon. I plan on calling
MS on Monday see if they can help at a reasonable price. I still have
the invoice etc
My question here , and I hope not to offend anyone as I do not want
to do anything illegal, is can I use my Win XP home ed, that came
with my new PC and install it on the old gateway using the gateway
activation/cd key as it still shows that info on the OS. Hope I
explained that properly.
Would that work?

Thanks
Bill

It works for me. No problems.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Gave my son my 2001 Gateway PC a few months back with all the software cds,
including Win XP home ed, and he has lost them all the CDs.

Of course he has not kept the system clean and is experiencing major
problems. The only solution I can think of is to reformat and install the
OS. Not surprisingly gateway will not send me a replacement OS system too
old and out of warranty) and I don't want to invest in a new purchase
especially with Vista on the horizon. I plan on calling MS on Monday see if
they can help at a reasonable price. I still have the invoice etc

Microsoft cannot assist in replacing OEM installation media. Gateway,
however, should be able to provide replacements for a nominal cost.

My question here , and I hope not to offend anyone as I do not want to do
anything illegal, is can I use my Win XP home ed, that came with my new PC
and install it on the old gateway using the gateway activation/cd key as it
still shows that info on the OS. Hope I explained that properly.

Would that work?

Assuming that you have a non-branded, generic OEM CD, such as provided
by small systems builders), yes, it should work. If what you have is a
branded Recovery CD, labeled for a specific computer make and model, it
won't work unless the two computers happen to be the same make and model.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

Tell him to shovel snow in the Winter, Rake leaves in the Fall, and cut
grass in the Summer. Then he will have enough money to buy a MS OS CD.

 

[Paul Knudsen]

Gave my son my 2001 Gateway PC a few months back with all the software cds,
including Win XP home ed, and he has lost them all the CDs.

How old is he? I'd kick his butt and make him pay for new CD's.

 

[Guest]

I installed a dell XP Home on 1 of my HPs, with the old HP key, and it works
better than the new install of XP my Mother got on her HP

 

[ANONYMOUS]

It won't work. Has to be a Gateway OEM to work on a Gateway PC. You're
pretty much stuck with having to buy XP, either generic OEM, upgrade if
you have 98, W2K or Me lying around, or retail.

--

All Dell CDs of Home editions and Dell Professional CDs first released
in 2001 (pre SP1) were not bios locked. One was able to install these
CDs virtually on any system and you were able t use Dell serial number
as well to activate it online.

Things changed from SP1 onwards for Professional editions but home
editions are still "generic".

This information is based on Dell CDs available in the UK. I can't
speak for any other parts of the world.