They didn't give me an XP CD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stickems
  • Start date Start date
S

Stickems

I bought a PC and only after I got the box home I realised that there was no
XP CD in the box. I bought it from Time Computers whom I would not
recommend. The operating system Windows XP was pre installed. When I
complained they offered to sell me a Reload CD at £99 which I declined. What
I want is a proper XP CD which I can use to do a fresh install if my disk
crashes and has to be replaced or if there is some other calamity which
requires that I reinstall Windows XP. I have the Product Key and the Product
ID. I know that it must be possible to write a CD for this purpose, but
searching high and low on the web I have only discovered some sites that
offer advice as to how to do it but there is no detailed step by step
instructions, only vague outlines which doesn't get me anywhere. As time
goes on this predicament of mine which doesn't seem to be a widespread
problem today, will I'm sure, when things will go wrong become a major cause
of concern for those people who have purchased PCs with a preinstalled
operating system without the CD.

So, rant over, can anyone help me find a detailed step by step account as to
how I can provide myself with a Windows XP CD.
 
Unless Time set up the procedures, you can not make a Windows XP CD of
any kind.
Since it is OEM, Microsoft can not provide a CD.
You have two choices:
1. Buy the CD from Time
2. Buy Windows XP from your local retailer or other source.
You are discovering one of the many reasons OEM is cheaper than
retail.
 
Stickems said:
[snip]

So, rant over, can anyone help me find a detailed step by step account
as to
how I can provide myself with a Windows XP CD.
Click to expand...

Don't buy the reload CD - far too expensive.
Look on ebay for one.
 
sludlow said:
Just burn a copy from a friend. As long as you have the key and ID number
from the computer you bought it doesn't matter who's disk you have.
Click to expand...

MAYBE. Test it first tho, just to be sure. Different CD's have different
labels and .ini file entries that "define" the release-type as retail,
oem, corporate, etc. Keys also are "of a type", and they need to match
the type of the CD in order to work.

-------

Side Note: Many OEM's make a "hidden" small partition on the hard disk
that contains an image of the pre-loaded main partition. they provide a
boot floppy that will copy that image over the main partition to allow the
user to restore the PC to the as-shipped state. You SHOULD make a backup
of that hidden image in case the HD itself fails. This is you xp "system
restore" CD.
 
Why would I want to do this? Could you elucidate i.e. explain it in simple
terms.


| Side Note: Many OEM's make a "hidden" small partition on the hard disk
| that contains an image of the pre-loaded main partition. they provide a
| boot floppy that will copy that image over the main partition to allow the
| user to restore the PC to the as-shipped state. You SHOULD make a backup
| of that hidden image in case the HD itself fails. This is you xp "system
| restore" CD.
|
 
That will not work unless the CD is the correct type...most likely a
Time CD.
 
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