Using Windows XP CDs instead of factory restoration CD on a laptop

[Guest]

My laptop recently crashed on me, and I think I should reinstall Windows XP.
It's an Acer Travelmate laptop I bought in July 2005. It included 3
restoration CDs to restore it to the factory default state. Unfortunately the
1st CD seems to have been badly scratched, and won't work.

I do however have a Windows XP CD I bought from the UTSA campus store. I
realize I might be able to contact Acer and get a new recovery CD, however I
really need to use the computer now and so I can't wait a week or two for a
delivery.

Would it be okay to use the general Windows XP CD to install Windows on this
laptop?

I know it would be fine on a desktop, but there are proprietary drivers and
programs Acer installs on its laptops (again, it would be there on the
restoration CD) for things like the touchpad, graphics cards, power
management, etc. These wouldn't be installed so my concern is my laptop
wouldn't run properly (although it does seem you can download most of these
from Acer's web site). So should I go ahead and use the Windows CD or is it
absolutely necessary to use the recovery CDs?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Q. "Would it be okay to use the general Windows XP CD to install Windows on this
laptop?"

A. No. The Windows XP OEM license for your Acer laptop is only valid if you
use Acer's recovery CDs. The license would not be valid if you used a different CD.


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| My laptop recently crashed on me, and I think I should reinstall Windows XP.
| It's an Acer Travelmate laptop I bought in July 2005. It included 3
| restoration CDs to restore it to the factory default state. Unfortunately the
| 1st CD seems to have been badly scratched, and won't work.
|
| I do however have a Windows XP CD I bought from the UTSA campus store. I
| realize I might be able to contact Acer and get a new recovery CD, however I
| really need to use the computer now and so I can't wait a week or two for a
| delivery.
|
| Would it be okay to use the general Windows XP CD to install Windows on this
| laptop?
|
| I know it would be fine on a desktop, but there are proprietary drivers and
| programs Acer installs on its laptops (again, it would be there on the
| restoration CD) for things like the touchpad, graphics cards, power
| management, etc. These wouldn't be installed so my concern is my laptop
| wouldn't run properly (although it does seem you can download most of these
| from Acer's web site). So should I go ahead and use the Windows CD or is it
| absolutely necessary to use the recovery CDs?

 

[Guest]

With all due respect, I think you misunderstood, or most likely I didn't
explain well. I wouldn't be using the OEM licensed version of windows
included with the laptop, this is a completely different copy of the
operating system.

The CD I was referring to is just a licensed copy of Windows XP Pro I bought
from the campus bookstore that I've never used before. It is not an OEM CD,
so it's okay to use it on any particular PC.

However, like I said, the OEM Windows that came with the laptop included
other programs and drivers specific to the computer. If I use the separate,
non-OEM copy of Windows I have they won't be included. My question concerned
whether these are absolutely required and whether the laptop would work
without them.

 

[Michael D. Alligood]

You might run into drivers issues. But you could download them on a
separate PC and copy them to a disc for installation on your newly
restored laptop. I would not really be concerned with the default
applications that come with many OEM computers. They are normally
unnecessary garbage.

--
Michael D. Alligood,
MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
CIW Certified Instructor