serial numbers and install

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve Ball
  • Start date Start date
S

Steve Ball

I just got a used computer that has Win XP installed on it and it has a
license sticker with product key on the side of the case. No manuals or
documentation are with the computer or any restore disks. I want to wipe
the HDD clean and re-install windows. If I have my own WIn XP cd can I
install it from that and just use the product key on the case or does every
CD work with a specific key?

thanks for any help.
 
Steve;
You can try, but unless the CD you use is identical to the CD that
came with the computer, it will not work.
You most likely need to buy Windows XP.
 
-----Original Message-----
I just got a used computer that has Win XP installed on it and it has a
license sticker with product key on the side of the case. No manuals or
documentation are with the computer or any restore disks. I want to wipe
the HDD clean and re-install windows. If I have my own WIn XP cd can I
install it from that and just use the product key on the case or does every
CD work with a specific key?

thanks for any help.


Steve:
Click to expand...
Yes you can use your CD with the product key for that
CD.The Product key is for the CD license not the Hard
drive. Delete all the partitions on the old drive and
start with a clean drive. I would also suggest that you
run a diag on the drive before installing WIndows..Good
luck..
 
Mike;
Your computer came with an OEM version of Windows XP.
The Product Key on the computer will only work with an appropriate CD,
most likely only the CD intended for that computer and only available
from Time or maybe Ebay.
Since you FDISKed, you wiped the Restore partition so the intended
restore method no longer exists.
You seem to have a few not so good choices:
1. Get the CD from Time
2. Buy retail Windows XP (your Product Key is worthless without a CD)

For the future, (you probably already know this) ALWAYS get a CD, it
will be needed sooner or later.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://dts-l.org/index.html


Hi all,

I thought I would post in this message as a reply rather
than start my own topic as I thought my problem was pretty
relative to the original question. Here's my troubles...

Background
---------------
I brought a PC from Time computers last year and it came
with Windows XP Home edition on. One of the optional
extras when purchasing my machine was that I could buy a
recovery CD for £60. I chose not to do this as in the past
I have had bad experience with them putting on a lot of
manufacturers default programs and settings that I never
use (but take up space).

Im also of the opinion that when I want to restart my
system from scratch, I like a clean install of Windows,
not all the extra stuff put on by companies such as Time.

My problem started about 6 months ago, as XP crashed and
was unrecoverable, as I had all my university work not
backed up and stored only on the HD, with only 1 week
until all my deadlines were due, I had no option but to go
into DOS, move my files to the root and install an older
version of windows (which I had owned from previous
machines [2k]) as a temporary fix, so I could at least
access my work.

This left me with a problem, I had been given no backup of
Windows XP Home, as I had refused the £60 recovery cd
(which XP comes as a ghost image along with everything
else installed), the thing is, Time had provided me with a
license key for the product on the back of my computer. I
thought this would mean

I wouldn't have a problem getting a copy of XP Home and
just using my key.

Questions
-------------
My first question would be - is this train of thought
wrong? I do not feel like I am breaking copyright laws as
I own the license for the product, I just dont own the
media - a 29p blank cd, and copyright is to protect
interlectual property isn't it, not physical?

I borrowed a copy of XP Home from a friend and tried to
install it on my computer (after formatting the PC using
FDisk so no partition existed), I got through the process
of formatting my harddrive, etc. fine.

I was up to the point of inserting the license key into
the installation, and it said my key was invalid!!

Ive heard about an OEM version of Windows, but to be
truthful Im not exactly sure what it means(something about
being packaged by the manufacturer?). I think this might
be my problem.

Did I get a copy of the wrong version of XP? Ive tried
contacting the company (The Computer World - Time
resalers) I brought it off via email, but have had no
reply. I would phone them, but they charge £1 p/minute,
and Im not foolish enough to sit in the traffic of music
they have playing on those sort of lines.

My ultimate question would be.. How can I get Windows XP
Home edition, using my key back onto my computer?

Regards,
Mike

P.s. Im currently running my old copy of Windows 2k incase
you're wondering what happened after my

unsuccessful installation of XP.
 
The first thing I allways do before trying anything new
with the computer is to make an image of the hard drive
with somthing like norton ghost or somthing, then all you
have to do to restore it is restore the image. BTW, I love
the members area script, I am in the process of re-writing
it for my own site. -Thanks

...::|> The7thGuest <|::..
 
Hi Jupiter Jones,

Sorry for my outburst, I know piracy is wrong. I was just
a bit taken back by your reply. I have yet to contact the
manufacturer.

Regards,
Mike.
 
-----Original Message-----
Mike;
Your computer came with an OEM version of Windows XP.
The Product Key on the computer will only work with an appropriate CD,
most likely only the CD intended for that computer and only available
from Time or maybe Ebay.
Since you FDISKed, you wiped the Restore partition so the intended
restore method no longer exists.
You seem to have a few not so good choices:
1. Get the CD from Time
2. Buy retail Windows XP (your Product Key is worthless without a CD)

For the future, (you probably already know this) ALWAYS get a CD, it
will be needed sooner or later.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/se tup.asp
http://dts-l.org/index.html


Hi all,

I thought I would post in this message as a reply rather
than start my own topic as I thought my problem was pretty
relative to the original question. Here's my troubles...

Background
---------------
I brought a PC from Time computers last year and it came
with Windows XP Home edition on. One of the optional
extras when purchasing my machine was that I could buy a
recovery CD for £60. I chose not to do this as in the past
I have had bad experience with them putting on a lot of
manufacturers default programs and settings that I never
use (but take up space).

Im also of the opinion that when I want to restart my
system from scratch, I like a clean install of Windows,
not all the extra stuff put on by companies such as Time.

My problem started about 6 months ago, as XP crashed and
was unrecoverable, as I had all my university work not
backed up and stored only on the HD, with only 1 week
until all my deadlines were due, I had no option but to go
into DOS, move my files to the root and install an older
version of windows (which I had owned from previous
machines [2k]) as a temporary fix, so I could at least
access my work.

This left me with a problem, I had been given no backup of
Windows XP Home, as I had refused the £60 recovery cd
(which XP comes as a ghost image along with everything
else installed), the thing is, Time had provided me with a
license key for the product on the back of my computer. I
thought this would mean

I wouldn't have a problem getting a copy of XP Home and
just using my key.

Questions
-------------
My first question would be - is this train of thought
wrong? I do not feel like I am breaking copyright laws as
I own the license for the product, I just dont own the
media - a 29p blank cd, and copyright is to protect
interlectual property isn't it, not physical?

I borrowed a copy of XP Home from a friend and tried to
install it on my computer (after formatting the PC using
FDisk so no partition existed), I got through the process
of formatting my harddrive, etc. fine.

I was up to the point of inserting the license key into
the installation, and it said my key was invalid!!

Ive heard about an OEM version of Windows, but to be
truthful Im not exactly sure what it means(something about
being packaged by the manufacturer?). I think this might
be my problem.

Did I get a copy of the wrong version of XP? Ive tried
contacting the company (The Computer World - Time
resalers) I brought it off via email, but have had no
reply. I would phone them, but they charge £1 p/minute,
and Im not foolish enough to sit in the traffic of music
they have playing on those sort of lines.

My ultimate question would be.. How can I get Windows XP
Home edition, using my key back onto my computer?

Regards,
Mike

P.s. Im currently running my old copy of Windows 2k incase
you're wondering what happened after my

unsuccessful installation of XP.


.
Click to expand...
If your friend has a cd burner couldnt you burn the
appropiate files for xp off of your friends computer and
copy them using the Dos command COPY?

I dont know if this is strictly legal so i would ask
microsoft first
 
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