Windows XP Installation Disk

[Gordon]

OP wrote that the HP computer came with an on-disk recovery partition.
That petty much limits what the OP can do.

Not at all. The OP can copy another OEM Cd and re-format and re-install
using his own licence key......I did that whan the recovery CD that
(eventually) came with my Acer refused to work after being used once in 2
years and I refused to pay £50 for a replacement. I rang up a friend, asked
if he had an OEM XP Pro full copy, he said yes, I copied it and installed
and activated with no problems.....

 

[Chuck]

Even the full retail version has a scheme that may complain if too many
changes occur to a PC.
I have MSDN versions of XP that have volume license attributes, yet they too
will occasionally complain, and I may have to get a new key from MSDNwhen
all else fails..

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have an HP system with a hidden recovery partition on it. I purchased and
built a new system from scratch, and I want to transfer my copy of XP onto
it. I plan on installing a version of Linux on my old system which currently
has XP on it. I understand that I can use any XP installation disk to
install on the new system, and that I can use my key (which is legit and I
own it).

No, that's not correct. That OEM Product Key will only work with an
OEM installation CD. But that doesn't matter.

By your own admission, you have an OEM license for WinXP that came
with the HP. An OEM version must be sold with a piece of hardware
(normally a motherboard or hard rive, if not an entire PC) and is
_permanently_ bound to the first PC on which it's installed. An OEM
license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another computer
under _any_ circumstances.

I don't have a disk to use, however. Does anyone know how I can
create an installation disk?

You'll need to purchase an new WinXP license for use on the new
computer. It'll come with a CD.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Bruce Chambers]

So lets say that my hard drive is failing on me, and I recognize it and buy a
replacement that I plan on installing in my computer. Would I still have to
buy a new copy of XP in order to keep my computer in service?

Nope, you'd simply reinstall WinXP on the new hard drive following the
Recovery instructions and tools provided by HP.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[M.I.5¾]

Nope, you may reinstall the OEM copy on the original PC as many times as
you need to. The operative phrase is "Original PC".

But only if you have made the recovery disks from the recovery partition.

Having said that, I did just that with my partner's PC. When I attempted to
use them all I could get was an error message saying that they were the
wrong disks for that model of PC. Don't you just love HP?

 

[Bob I]

Speaking of HP, didn't they just buy eMachines so they could outsell
Dell and offer an even lower "cost" box?

 

[PD43]

Speaking of HP, didn't they just buy eMachines so they could outsell
Dell and offer an even lower "cost" box?

Nope. Gateway bought 'em. HP bought Compaq.

 

[Bob I]

Nope. Gateway bought 'em. HP bought Compaq.

Oh, yes. thanks for the refresher. Compaq, king of proprietary hardware,
ACK!

 

[Rock]

Oh, yes. thanks for the refresher. Compaq, king of proprietary hardware,
ACK!

I think eMachines is doing better under Gateway, although they are still low
end, but before the buy out they were horrible. I'm wafting for the chorus
to say how wrong I am about them now..lol.

I remember way back when IBM and Compaq were the two major competitors,
trying to decide what to buy, the Compaqs were more powerful and more
expensive, but as it developed and as you pointed out, the kings of
proprietary.

 

[M.I.5¾]

Oh, yes. thanks for the refresher. Compaq, king of proprietary hardware,
ACK!

Now Dell is the king!

 

[Podgee]

Hate to say this, but you can upgrade you CPU & MB, as i have did it,
about six mouth ago, with out Any problem

Podgee

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hate to say this, but you can upgrade you CPU & MB, as i have did it,
about six mouth ago, with out Any problem

Hate to say this, but you are *not* correct. Most OEM computers that
come with a preinstalled copy of Windows have that copy BIOS-locked to
the motherboard, as unclegrumpy said. If you change motherboards, the
copy of Windows will no longer install.

If you were able to do this, then either you don't have an
preinstalled OEM version, or yours is from an OEM that doesn't use a
BIOS-locked version.

 

[Plato]

Hate to say this, but you are *not* correct. Most OEM computers that
come with a preinstalled copy of Windows have that copy BIOS-locked to
the motherboard, as unclegrumpy said. If you change motherboards, the
copy of Windows will no longer install.

Isn't it locked to the bios, and not the motherboard?

 

[Daave]

Hate to say this, but you are *not* correct. Most OEM computers that
come with a preinstalled copy of Windows have that copy BIOS-locked to
the motherboard, as unclegrumpy said. If you change motherboards, the
copy of Windows will no longer install.

If you were able to do this, then either you don't have an
preinstalled OEM version, or yours is from an OEM that doesn't use a
BIOS-locked version.

Let's bring this back to the OP's situation:

<quote>
I have an HP system with a hidden recovery partition on it. I purchased
and
built a new system from scratch, and I want to transfer my copy of XP
onto
it. I plan on installing a version of Linux on my old system which
currently
has XP on it. I understand that I can use any XP installation disk to
install on the new system, and that I can use my key (which is legit and
I
own it). I don't have a disk to use, however. Does anyone know how I
can
create an installation disk?
</quote>

If, for whatever reason, OP had a *retail* version of XP installed on
his HP (which I'm sure he doesn't; he surely has an HP BIOS-locked OEM
version), then he could install Linux on the HP and install XP on the
new machine he built. But if it is indeed an HP OEM version of XP, then
the license states that it cannot be transferred to another computer.

If the hard drive on the HP were erased for whatever reason, then OP
could obtain (borrow) a generic OEM XP installation disc and do a clean
install using his HP product key. But suppose he were to try to use this
same generic OEM disc and wanted to install XP on the new machine?
Legally, he needs a license, of course. But if he tried it anyway, is it
right to assume that the product key shouldn't work since it is
associated with HP? What is actually BIOS-locked: a particular file or
set of files on the HP OEM installation disk? The product key? Both?

And what's with the Subject: old by any of?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Isn't it locked to the bios, and not the motherboard?

Yes, as I said "BIOS-locked." The lock is to the BIOS, which is *on*
the motherboard, so from a practical standpoint, you could say it
either way.

 

[Plato]

Yes, as I said "BIOS-locked." The lock is to the BIOS, which is *on*
the motherboard, so from a practical standpoint, you could say it
either way.

Just a finer point I guess...

Of course I know that the bios in ON the motherboard, in case you
assumed differently

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Just a finer point I guess...

Of course I know that the bios in ON the motherboard, in case you
assumed differently

LOL! No, I knew you knew. And I also know that you knew that I knew
that you knew. ;-)

 

[Plato]

LOL! No, I knew you knew. And I also know that you knew that I knew
that you knew. ;-)

Thing is, it makes fixing computers no fun anymore, just pure real work.