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I bought a computer used from a guy, has an XP Home OEM sticker on the case, but no CD was provided, is it leagal for me to obtain a copy of the XP disc, as i need to do a format, or do i have to purchase a new copy of XP Home.
You could try creating a restore disk from the hidden partition. My understanding is that can only be done once. So if you are successful that would tend to indicate restore disks were not created before.
I believe the process may vary from vendor to vendor. Some research may be required on your part. If sucessful it would certainly be cheaper than buying a CD. You may also be able to purchase a restore CD from the manufacturer of the computer for $25 US or so.
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its not like a dell or anything, its a home built rig, the guy i bought it from said he lost his XP Home disc back in 2002, and he used his other XP Home disc to install the windows on it for me, so i dont have a disc nor does he.
I just want to know the legality of this
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If the PC already works and passes the WGA test, all you need to do is download SIW:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4...
Copy your serial number and product key, then borrow an XP Home disc from a friend or family,
Reinstall XP and use that product key from SIW. It is probably different from the sticker on your box
That should work for you. Good LuckSome Help in Posting a Message in computing.net
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I think the suggestions from XPUser4Real are good. Be aware however that if the registration key is already in use that you can't use that key any longer and you would be required to buy XP.
Go to the Windows Update site and look for WGA which is Windows Genuine Advantage. Running that program is necessay to download many of the updates released by MS.
One last point is that IF you do copy someone's CD it needs to be of the same type. You have WinXP home OEM. You can't use a WinXP home retail or upgrade. This could limit your access to a compatible version. WinXP home OEM is sold with hardware and is intended to be installed as a new installation, not an udgrade.Should you eventually need to buy an OEM version you could post back here for good online vendors to buy from. If you have a Win98 or later OEM or Retail CD you could use an upgrade version of WinXP home which would be cheaper but might require that you re-install WinXP. IMO re-installing is probably a good idea anyway. No telling what is lurking on the drive right now.
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well WGA is installed, it passes fine, and i have Everest Ultimate v4 and i checked my XP key with that, vs my sticker and they are the same keys, so all i need is to find an XP Home SP1 OEM disc somewhere yay. Right now all i have is a copy of Windows 2000 Professinal SP4 and Windows XP Professional x64 for my X2 rig
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Yes, you'll have to get an XP Home CD
Some Help in Posting a Message in computing.net
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Yes it is legal to copy for personal use and yes you can use any compatible XP home as long as the key is legal.
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per, Wouldn't the OEM and other XP home have different series keys? I seem to recall that there would be three different series of intallation keys. OEM, full retail, upgrade retail. I could be wrong about that.
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OK-Agreed. Is it Dell, Compaq, Asus, etc? Do you know? I don't.
That is why I don't come here and post very often any longer. There is always an arguement.
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I'm not argueing per, look at response #3. I just don't want the OP to get the wrong version of XP home. They won't even know it's wrong until it is too late. That is why I mentioned I thought there were multiple key series but admitted I may be wrong.
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From another poster who previously was a MAJOR poster here who has walked away.
The oem xp cd he needs to get are the same ones we use (the legal ones). Those other silly fu*ks are just clouding up the waters. Walk away from that thread...
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What that means is we previously had helpers that knew what they were talking about in their responses. The site has been taken over by people who are guessing and hoping they are correct. I am not referring to you or any particular person but the responses to this person asking the question were not correct. They only muddied the waters, as my friend said.
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Hang on chaps... let's not get to squabbles etc.; and at the risk of "muddying the waters..."
There are indeed at least two (possibly three) styles/types of key; and the OEM one is (usually?) quite distinct in style - it includes the letters OEM?
Logically if the CD which he uses (be it an actual original M$ disk - or a copy of one - be that OEM or otherwise...) has a visible key (as in the actual COA/sticker etc. is viewable), he ought to be able to determine the style/type of key and compare it with the one on the PC in quesion?
If the style matches - and he does state the one he has is an OEM affixed to the case (and it's a non big brand system - i.e. a "home-made of sorts...) - then it will be very obvious which he needs?
Which having said... I have a couple of XP-Pro OEM disks that have a key that is "apparently" identical in style/type to the standard retail one... I find this a little odd as "usually" any OEM I have had in the past does include OEM as part of the signature; whereas these disks do not...? These disks were bought (with a new HD in each case) from a well known vendor, and packaged (by M$) as OEM.
I installed one recently and there is no OEM in the key signature etc.
Anyway... if the poster compares the key signature/sticker style which he has with the one that comes with the disk he uses (copy or otherwise), he will (one hopes) know which is what etc.?
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Ok the OP back, just to clarify
This is a homebrew rig built in 2002, its an XP1600 based rig just to clear that up. The person i bought it from lost the XP Home OEM disc that he got at fry's when he bought the mobo/CPU combo in 2002. Its an XP Home SP1 OEM disc that i need a copy of. I have contacted MS about this, and have sense paid a 30 dollar surcharge for them to ship me an offical Windows XP Home SP1 OEM disc that will work with my computer, the price is the cost of a replacement disc and the price of shipping
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Ta for feedback.
Clearly you had the necessary proof etc. to qualify for a replacement disk.
Thus the M$ response it typical and correct in that if you can provide a proof of previous (legal) disk.. they will replace it if it gets damaged/lost etc... for cost of shipping. But $30...? Is this coming by private messenger - boy/girl - with the disk in a cleft-stick and running all the way?
Incidentally useful to make a copy of the new disk (which you can leagally do) and keep safe and separate from the original - just in case you lose/damage one or other...
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I personally have never seen a COA have the designation of OEM, Retail or Upgrade, or Corporate (which is retail but with volumn licensing) The only designations that I am aware of is actually written on the ORIGINAL MICROSOFT DISC.
You could have just gotten a copy of another OEM installation disc and used it. The guy that originally built the computer should have known what type of disc was used.
In The Matters Of Style,
swim with the current;
in matters of principle,
Stand Like A Rock
"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the
freedom of thought which they avoid."
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I have seen certificates with the OEM included in the overall key and on the sticker that (is suppposed to go on the PC casea). But generally the bulk of those COA I've seen to date do appear to resemble bog-standrd retail style.
Where OEM was part of the key - it was on the actual COA (I think...?). Certainly it was already within the key/registration area which appears when on the registration screen; one merely added in the assorted missing number etc. to complete the key. - if my gray cell recalls correctly.
Who knows... - only The Shadow!
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Responding like you have in this thread is even more lame then arguing per.Computing.net was here long before you arrived and will be here long after your gone.So if you want to help fine if not fine also.But either way quite your damn cry about lack of respect.
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Hey Joe2112- I rest my case. You are a perfect example of what I said. No help, just dumb rhetoric. I guess just to see your name in print is your only reason for posting.
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OK-Agreed. Is it Dell, Compaq, Asus, etc? Do you know? I don't.
That is why I don't come here and post very often any longer. There is always an arguement.From another poster who previously was a MAJOR poster here who has walked away.
The oem xp cd he needs to get are the same ones we use (the legal ones). Those other silly fu*ks are just clouding up the waters. Walk away from that thread...What that means is we previously had helpers that knew what they were talking about in their responses. The site has been taken over by people who are guessing and hoping they are correct. I am not referring to you or any particular person but the responses to this person asking the question were not correct. They only muddied the waters, as my friend said.
Hey Joe2112- I rest my case. You are a perfect example of what I said. No help, just dumb rhetoric. I guess just to see your name in print is your only reason for posting.
You rest your case? LOL.You have posted 3 useless responses in this thread alone,many more similar on other threads.You my friend are just a guilty of clouding threads as the people who want to argue every point.You have such a big ego you feel you are doing people here a favor.You should walk away from threads like this rather than bringing to everyone's attention that you are the man.Had you done this I wouldn't have said anything,but I get sick and tired of you constant complaining.
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I tend to agree, some posters just seem to want to ridicule or scold the OP and in my opinion that is not correct. Why not just give a solution to the problem?
Isn't that what it's all about on computing.net?Some Help in Posting a Message in computing.net
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This thread doesn't seem to want to die so here is my two cents. Let me pre-qualify what I am about to say by stating I am also guilty of this at times.
Sometimes posters do not read the entire thread carefully. That seems to be the case here. Additionally, IF you read my response #10 carefully I was ASKING a question of a regular poster, not arguing. If the entire thread is read from the top I think most would agree the responses were for the most part appropriate.
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