Reinstall of XP Home without CD

[Guest]

My son's school friend had a hardware failure which lost him his install of
XP Home beyond fixing. However the laptop is several years old and did not
come with full disks - just some utilities and drivers provided on one cd.
He needs a replacement copy of the disk to reinstall the software, but the
retailer no longer exists and several mails to customer support at Microsoft
have resulted in no answer or help beyond the automated 'we have received
your mail'. He has a valid key - the sticker is still on the base of the lap
top - he jsut doesn't have the disc. How can he get a new copy of the
software for which he has already paid the licence and has a valid key? He
can't afford to buy a brand new copy and has already paid once and needs to
use his laptop for school work (he has some accessibility software he uses
with it).

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Dave B]

What is the make/model of the laptop?
Microsoft is not responsible for replacing the missing OEM disk.

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

Hypatia

Your son's friend will have to 'borrow' a version of XP exactly the same as
indicated on the COA.. so, if the label indicates XP Home OEM, that is what
has to be obtained.. an install can then be made using the keycode as shown
on the laptop.. after installation, the driver CD already owned by the
friend will be used to install all other internal devices..

 

[Guest]

Thanks - that is helpful. I wondered if I could use my disk and then change
the key in the registry for his so that he has his own licence in use.
However mine isn't the home edition. I presume I'm looking for a similar key
as well if that indicates the version. I can't believe this is an unusual
situation - I've never bought 'pre builds' and so have always had disks but
from what friends tell me the supplying of machines without Windows resintall
disks is quite common. Considering the reinstall rate and the hardware
failure rate it must be quite lucrative in extra licence sales...
Yes he has the disc for all the drivers it is the OS which wasn't supplied.

 

[Guest]

It is a Toshiba S1900 but the reseller no longer exists and never provided
reinstall disks.
I don't expect Microsoft to issue free disks but I do expect their customer
service to at least answer the questions and supply replacement disk for an
appropriate fee (ie cost covering not a whole new licence). They didn't
manufacture the laptop but they own the licence had have already been paid
for it. If they don't intend to honour the licence if there is a subsequent
problem then they should either require their resellers to supply disks (lets
face it they put enough other restrictions on resellers) or make it clear at
time of purchase.

Not even bothering to answer is lousy customer 'service'.

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

Hypatia

There is generally a facility to obtain the recovery CD set at the point of
purchase.. one has only to ask.. however, months or years down the line, and
old recovery sets are no longer available.. computer configurations change
soooooo fast, it would be impossible to keep stock f them all..

Re. the version, if the laptop COA sticker indicates XP Home OEM, then that
is what you MUST get.. I don't think that it matters whether it is the
original, SP1 or SP2.. the main thing is that it is an OEM version..

Retail versions will not work with the COA keycode, and neither will Pro or
Media Center versions..