Re-installing Windows

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Guest

My apologies if this has been asked before, but I'm still new to this forum.
I have a computer that had XP installed when purchased. The seller
recommended that I made recovery discs in case of any problem. This I did. A
year or so later the machine failed to start one day, so I dug out the
recovery discs and got it going again. The only problem was that it was not
running very well at all. For some time I had been unhappy at not having a
copy of my OS to hand -) I had previously purchased a copy of Win 95 for this
reason for an earlier machine) - so I bought myself a copy of XP and
installed it on my machine.
What I would like to know now is, I have recently rebuilt a computer that
had a lightning strike and would like to get it going with XP, but I am
reluctant to fork out for yet another copy. I have the product key for the
copy of XP that was installed on my other machine so is there any way that I
can get that copy going again - perhaps with another disc - if so, where from?
Thank you for your patience in reading this rather long message.
 
You bought a retail copy of XP to be installed on the computer you are
using. You may only use it on one machine at a time. One PC, One License.
 
My apologies if this has been asked before, but I'm still new to this
forum.
I have a computer that had XP installed when purchased. The seller
recommended that I made recovery discs in case of any problem. This I did.
A
year or so later the machine failed to start one day, so I dug out the
recovery discs and got it going again. The only problem was that it was
not
running very well at all. For some time I had been unhappy at not having a
copy of my OS to hand -) I had previously purchased a copy of Win 95 for
this
reason for an earlier machine) - so I bought myself a copy of XP and
installed it on my machine.
What I would like to know now is, I have recently rebuilt a computer that
had a lightning strike and would like to get it going with XP, but I am
reluctant to fork out for yet another copy. I have the product key for the
copy of XP that was installed on my other machine so is there any way that
I
can get that copy going again - perhaps with another disc - if so, where
from?
Thank you for your patience in reading this rather long message.
Click to expand...

If it's an OEM version, by the EULA it's tied to the first machine on which
it's installed and can't be transferred to another machine or
sold/transferred to another person unless the compute it's installed on is
included in the transfer. That's why an OEM license is less expensive.

If it's a retail version it can be moved to another machine if it's first
taken off the machine it's on.
 
Thanks guys for taking the time to reply. I realise my story was a bit
complicated - I'll try to clarify.
Machine one did come installed with an OEM copy of XP. This packed up for
some reason and didn't run well after using my recovery discs, so I bought
myself a new copy of XP and installed it on machine one. I have now rebuilt a
damaged machine (machine two) and now have my copy of XP running on that.
What I need to know is, can I re-activate my original OEM that came
pre-installed on my original machine one?
 
Thanks guys for taking the time to reply. I realise my story was a bit
complicated - I'll try to clarify.
Machine one did come installed with an OEM copy of XP. This packed up for
some reason and didn't run well after using my recovery discs, so I bought
myself a new copy of XP and installed it on machine one. I have now
rebuilt a
damaged machine (machine two) and now have my copy of XP running on that.
What I need to know is, can I re-activate my original OEM that came
pre-installed on my original machine one?
Click to expand...

Your post is still not clear. What version of XP did you buy? If it's an
OEM copy, by the EULA it's tied to the first computer on which it's been
installed. The OEM copy that came came with machine one, since it was
already installed on that machine, and is it a branded OEM copy?, is tied to
that first machine. If the copy you purchased is a retail copy it can be
moved to any machine.
 
Hi Rock - sorry I'm still not clear.
What I'm trying to do is to get the OEM copy of XP that was originally
installed on my first computer going again on that same computer. i.e
restoring the OEM to it's original machine.
The bought copy now resides on the rebuilt machine
A friend has suggested that I try the recovery discs I made on that first
computer as he thinks that may re-install XP.Maybe worth a try, if I can find
them.
 
"Tim"wrote
Hi Rock - sorry I'm still not clear.
What I'm trying to do is to get the OEM copy of XP that was originally
installed on my first computer going again on that same computer. i.e
restoring the OEM to it's original machine.
The bought copy now resides on the rebuilt machine
A friend has suggested that I try the recovery discs I made on that first
computer as he thinks that may re-install XP.Maybe worth a try, if I can
find
them.
Click to expand...

Ahh, maybe I just wasn't thinking clearly when I read your message. Yes you
should be able to re-install that copy on the first machine. You'll need to
get the recovery disks or contact the computer vendor for new ones. It
might not need activation.
 
Hi Rock
Yes, I've had a dig around and found my original recovery discs and I will
give it a try.
I'm glad I finally managed to make clear what I was trying to do!!
 
Hi Rock
Yes, I've had a dig around and found my original recovery discs and I will
give it a try.
I'm glad I finally managed to make clear what I was trying to do!!
Click to expand...

You're welcome Tim. I think you probably made yourself clear in one of
those earlier posts, I probably just skimmed it too fast. At any rate good
luck.
 
Well, I've still not overcome my problem. But it's probably unfair of me to
continue with. I think my issue now is because the original machine, with the
OEM installed and the one I do have the product key for, has been played
around with, and, for a time, had a different os installed on it. It's
probably because of this that when I try to re-activate the original OEM with
the recovery discs, it fails every time.
I think I will have to try a different approach, although what, I'm not sure
at the moment, unless you have any other ideas?
Anyway, thanks for all your help.
 
Well, I've still not overcome my problem. But it's probably unfair of me
to
continue with. I think my issue now is because the original machine, with
the
OEM installed and the one I do have the product key for, has been played
around with, and, for a time, had a different os installed on it. It's
probably because of this that when I try to re-activate the original OEM
with
the recovery discs, it fails every time.
I think I will have to try a different approach, although what, I'm not
sure
at the moment, unless you have any other ideas?
Anyway, thanks for all your help.
Click to expand...

<snip>

What do you mean fails? Have you tried the phone activation?
 
Rock - you are a patient fellow - thank you for bearing with me.
No, what I mean is that when I put the recovery discs in the machine, it
refuses to do anything, let alone any kind of recovery. I think it may be
because as I said, there has been a different OS installed on the machine for
a while. This was just to get the machine going again. I suspect that the
recovery discs are not seeing what they would like to see to start an XP
recovery.
 
Rock - you are a patient fellow - thank you for bearing with me.
No, what I mean is that when I put the recovery discs in the machine, it
refuses to do anything, let alone any kind of recovery. I think it may be
because as I said, there has been a different OS installed on the machine
for
a while. This was just to get the machine going again. I suspect that the
recovery discs are not seeing what they would like to see to start an XP
recovery.
Click to expand...


Ok, one options it might need a hidden partition on the hard drive with an
image of the drive as it came from the factory, and if that was removed,
then it won't work. You have two options. Contact tech support for the
computer to see what the problem might be, or purchase another copy of XP.
Good luck.
 
Tim said:
Rock - you are a patient fellow - thank you for bearing with me.
No, what I mean is that when I put the recovery discs in the machine,
it refuses to do anything, let alone any kind of recovery.
Click to expand...


This is a Recovery/Restore CD? Is your BIOS boot order set for CD first? Are
you inserting the CD, then rebooting the machine?
 
Thank you Rock - I'm coming to the same conclusion myself. Two and a half
years ago the machine stopped - reason unknown - the recovery discs got it
going again, but not very well. So, I bought myself a copy of XP - so in
effect, that's two copies I've bought already as I would have already payed a
contribution towards the OEM on the machine. So, to have to buy yet another
copy does not sit too well with me.

To you Ken, yes, I've set the BIOS to boot from CD. As you may see in
earlier posts, I'm trying to re-install XP on a machine that was
pre-installed with it when purchased. When it stopped one day, I bought a
copy of XP to get it going again. I have never liked using a PC without
having a copy of the OS sitting on the shelf. Since then, I've rebuilt a
machine that was struck by lightning and now registered my copy of XP on this
machine - so, I would now like to re-activate the old machine with it's copy
of XP - but I can't. As I said to Rock, I now think it's because I installed
a different OS for a while on the old machine while I was working on it and I
think that's the reason the recovery discs refuse to work.
Sorry to go on, but it's not too easy to describe this.
 
Tim said:
Thank you Rock - I'm coming to the same conclusion myself. Two and a
half years ago the machine stopped - reason unknown - the recovery
discs got it going again, but not very well. So, I bought myself a
copy of XP - so in effect, that's two copies I've bought already as I
would have already payed a contribution towards the OEM on the
machine. So, to have to buy yet another copy does not sit too well
with me.

To you Ken, yes, I've set the BIOS to boot from CD. As you may see in
earlier posts, I'm trying to re-install XP on a machine that was
Click to expand...


OK, sorry--I jumped in in the middle of the thread, and was just checking to
be sure.
 
Rock said:
Ahh, maybe I just wasn't thinking clearly when I read your message.
Click to expand...

You had two chances and you blew BOTH of them.

READ THE OP'S ENTIRE POST and THEN reply.

Or are you a cousin of Carey?
 
You had two chances and you blew BOTH of them.

READ THE OP'S ENTIRE POST and THEN reply.

Or are you a cousin of Carey?
Click to expand...

Off your meds again.? Get lost.

Oh yes, try to find a class to teach you how to be a grump. You're pretty
pathetic at it. I did have a good laugh, though, seeing you post to this
newsgroup asking for help. You really are pathetic.
 
Well guys - I tried and have now run out if ideas. Unless anybody comes up
with something inspirational I think we'd better draw a line under this and
move on.
Thanks to everybody who took the time to read my ramblings.
 
Well guys - I tried and have now run out if ideas. Unless anybody comes up
with something inspirational I think we'd better draw a line under this
and
move on.
Thanks to everybody who took the time to read my ramblings.
Click to expand...

You still haven't answered this one question. Have you contacted the
computer's tech support for how their recovery disks work?
 
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