reinstalling xp/ but got no CD

[din19]

i only bought windows xp serial number. now i need to
reinstall it but i dont have the cd for it .My question is
how i can reinstall it without the cd. I tried using
another xp Cd but it doesnt work with with my serial
number. Please help me i really would appreciate an answer
my email is (e-mail address removed)

 

[Carey Frisch]

Without a Windows XP installation CD, one cannot reinstall
the Windows XP operating system. Your Windows XP "serial
number" is worthless without the corresponding CD. You need
to purchase a new copy of Windows XP with the correct Product
Key and installation CD together.

 

[francis gerard]

this is not true... the XP Product Key has nothing to do with the
installation media, ie, XP installation discs is not hard-coded with a
corresponding serial number. only the license keys are different, not the
installation media/code.

MVP? ;-)

 

[Gary Tait]

i only bought windows xp serial number. now i need to
reinstall it but i dont have the cd for it .My question is
how i can reinstall it without the cd. I tried using
another xp Cd but it doesnt work with with my serial
number. Please help me i really would appreciate an answer
my email is (e-mail address removed)

You need to get the sort of CD for the product key you have, or a
product key for the sort of CD you have access to.

 

[Willit]

Borrow one from someone. As long as it is the same type as
you already have or Burn one and change the setupp.ini
file.

 

[Carey Frisch]

You offered no solution at all....why did you bother to post
a statement that is totally unhelpful?

 

[francis gerard]

you posted false information

i followed-up with the correct information

that is helpful

now let's move on please

 

[Gary Tait]

this is not true... the XP Product Key has nothing to do with the
installation media, ie, XP installation discs is not hard-coded with a
corresponding serial number. only the license keys are different, not the
installation media/code.

MVP? ;-)

It does. Particular product keys sometimes can work only with the
particular TYPE of install media they cam from.

 

[Alex Nichol]

i only bought windows xp serial number. now i need to
reinstall it but i dont have the cd for it .My question is
how i can reinstall it without the cd. I tried using
another xp Cd but it doesnt work with with my serial
number

You would have to have a CD that was of the same type (there are several
- Upgrade; Full; OEM; Volume of Home or Pro) as the ones the Key is
valid for. If you bought *just* a key it sounds like a very doubtful
transaction anyway; and raises the question of 'how did you manage to
install in the first instance?' if you are setting out to *re* install

 

[francis gerard]

It does. Particular product keys sometimes can work only with the
particular TYPE of install media they cam from.

while this may be the case with 'particular' types of installs (media
types), relating perhaps to the Locale (language) and version (Pro/Home
Editions), the distribution media (CD) of the retail (US English) versions
of XP are not hard-coded with *unique* license keys, ie, any copy of the
distribution CD can be used to install the operating system, a unique
license key is NOT encoded into each disc. any *valid* license key can be
used to install the product. this is common knowledge... at least it should
be, especially among those who consider themselves to be microsoft 'experts'
(MVP, blahblahblah)

 

[Carey Frisch]

A "retail Product Key" will only work with a "retail version" of
Windows XP. A Product Key meant for an "upgrade version" will
not work with a "full version" and vice versa. "Retail Product Keys"
will not work with "OEM versions" or "Volume License Versions"
of Windows XP at all.

The original poster stated they have a Windows XP "serial number".
There is no clue if it is a retail, OEM, or volume license "serial number",
in which case no one can help because the OP provided sparse information.

To summarize:

1. Retail Product Keys only work with retail XP CDs.
2. OEM Product Keys only work with generic OEM XP CDs.
3. Volume License Product Keys only work with Volume License CDs.
4. The Product Key that comes with a new PC will only work with the
original computer manufacturer's reinstallation or restore CD.
5. Product Keys for one language version of XP will not work with
a different language version XP installation CD.

 

[Gary Tait]

A "retail Product Key" will only work with a "retail version" of
Windows XP. A Product Key meant for an "upgrade version" will
not work with a "full version" and vice versa. "Retail Product Keys"
will not work with "OEM versions" or "Volume License Versions"
of Windows XP at all.

The original poster stated they have a Windows XP "serial number".
There is no clue if it is a retail, OEM, or volume license "serial number",
in which case no one can help because the OP provided sparse information.

To summarize:

1. Retail Product Keys only work with retail XP CDs.
2. OEM Product Keys only work with generic OEM XP CDs.

I have heard, anecdotally, that computer shops have used retail full
CDs to re-install OEM OSs, using the product key on the COA tag.

3. Volume License Product Keys only work with Volume License CDs.
4. The Product Key that comes with a new PC will only work with the
original computer manufacturer's reinstallation or restore CD.

I am assuming you mean 1st tier OEMs (such as Compaq/HP, Dell,
Gateway), which I'd see it.