lsquare Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Ok so I deleted the parition for the image on one of my other laptop years back. My friend have a copy of Windows XP Home retail disc that he's willing to lend to me. Can I just use the OEM key and install XP? If not, what can I do to restore XP Home on the laptop? Thanks! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farstrider Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 If you have a key that's legit then you can use any (Windows XP Home) disk, it does not matter! The only thing that you cannot do is use a key that is in use already. If you have removed or deleted partitions you will have to recreate a partition and do a clean install. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590212558 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikh Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Actuallly its not possible! I tried that once didnt work. You need a Windows XP Home OEM Disc! Dont ask me why becuase I dont know, all I know is I popped in my friends retail XP Disc, used the key it said invalid. So i kept searching until I found a OEM Image, installed it, worked perfectly fine with my key. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590212568 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farstrider Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Sikh said: Actuallly its not possible! I tried that once didnt work.You need a Windows XP Home OEM Disc! Dont ask me why becuase I dont know, all I know is I popped in my friends retail XP Disc, used the key it said invalid. So i kept searching until I found a OEM Image, installed it, worked perfectly fine with my key. I missed the part where the OP said the disk was retail, I think you could be correct. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590212582 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al-Mann Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 From my experience it all depends on the maker. The key on my Toshiba laptop works for reinstalling. I had a Compaq that the key did not work for reinstalling. The same went for an HP I tried it on. As for other brands, I don't know. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590212584 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsquare Posted December 2, 2008 Author Share Posted December 2, 2008 Farstrider said: If you have a key that's legit then you can use any (Windows XP Home) disk, it does not matter! The only thing that you cannot do is use a key that is in use already. If you have removed or deleted partitions you will have to recreate a partition and do a clean install. Yes it's a legitimate key. I'm not trying to do anything illegal here. Btw, the make of my laptop is Gateway. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590212666 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farstrider Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Sgt_Strider said: Yes it's a legitimate key. I'm not trying to do anything illegal here. Btw, the make of my laptop is Gateway. I am sure that you are doing what's right, I was not suggesting otherwise! Sometimes people get confused how the licensing works and I thought that I would just point it out! :) No offense meant! An easy way to see if the key works: Insert the disk and let it auto start on a pc with windows XP on it and let the installer start the install procedure. Right in the beginning it will ask for the key, obviously if it works just cancel the install and if it does not then you will know! Otherwise do your install, use another key, then when you need to activate just phone Microsoft and they will give you another key that will validate. When they ask you if the key is in use any place else you say no. Tell them that the PC broke and that you have had to do a clean install and that you are having activation problems. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590212704 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted December 2, 2008 MVC Share Posted December 2, 2008 OEM keys will not work on Retail copies.. I would suggest you call the maker of your PC for a replacement media on installing the OS that came with your PC. Worse case it should cost you a few bucks in shipping and handling.. HP for example. HP Customer Care ............................................................................. Hewlett-Packard Customer Service Order: Customer Service Order Number: HWR<snipped>-01 CSO Placement Date: 05/12/2007 Model Number: 5069-6299 Model Description: WINDOWS XP HOME SP1 RECOVE Serial Number: cnc3400bqq Part Number: N/A Part Description: You selected the following Hewlett-Packard Hardware Support Service for your product: SW FULFILLMENT POSTAL DELIVERY GROUND Warranty Status: Out of Warranty Total charge (including tax, if applicable): $15.97 Payment Method: Visa Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590213398 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikh Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Or, Just get an OEM Image. Its not illegal if you have a LEGAL key. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590217658 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsquare Posted December 3, 2008 Author Share Posted December 3, 2008 BudMan said: OEM keys will not work on Retail copies.. I would suggest you call the maker of your PC for a replacement media on installing the OS that came with your PC.Worse case it should cost you a few bucks in shipping and handling.. HP for example. HP Customer Care ............................................................................. Hewlett-Packard Customer Service Order: Customer Service Order Number: HWR<snipped>-01 CSO Placement Date: 05/12/2007 Model Number: 5069-6299 Model Description: WINDOWS XP HOME SP1 RECOVE Serial Number: cnc3400bqq Part Number: N/A Part Description: You selected the following Hewlett-Packard Hardware Support Service for your product: SW FULFILLMENT POSTAL DELIVERY GROUND Warranty Status: Out of Warranty Total charge (including tax, if applicable): $15.97 Payment Method: Visa Thanks for the information. Gateway told me they wanted $25 and that doesn't include shipping and handling charges! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590218794 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reb0ot Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Sgt_Strider said: Ok so I deleted the parition for the image on one of my other laptop years back. My friend have a copy of Windows XP Home retail disc that he's willing to lend to me. Can I just use the OEM key and install XP? If not, what can I do to restore XP Home on the laptop? Thanks! Unfortunately like the others say, your key wont work with the retail disc. You gotta get hold of the OEM like Sikh mentioned. Your best bet is a torrent site. If you are lucky then you will find one that even has sp3 integrated in it. I know there is a way of copying the retail and modifying the .inf file in it to accept OEM keys instead, but I cant remember how its done, I used to have the info with me, must have it on some cd around my place, but cant seem to find it now, if I do find it, I will let you know, but probably by the time I find it, you would have found your OEM image :p Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590219356 Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPuccetti Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Linux? :) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590220286 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted December 3, 2008 MVC Share Posted December 3, 2008 Sikh said: Or, Just get an OEM Image.Its not illegal if you have a LEGAL key. That is not really true!From the EULA EULAID:XPSP2_RM.0_PRO_OEM_EN 1.6 Back-up Copy. YOU MAY MAKE A SINGLE BACK-UP COPY OF THE SOFTWARE. YOU MAY USE ONE (1) BACK-UP COPY SOLELY FOR YOUR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES AND TO REINSTALL THE SOFTWARE ON THE COMPUTER. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS EULA OR BY LOCAL LAW, YOU MAY NOT OTHERWISE MAKE COPIES OF THE SOFTWARE, INCLUDING THE PRINTED MATERIALS ACCOMPANYING THE SOFTWARE. YOU MAY NOT LOAN, RENT, LEASE, LEND OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THE CD OR BACK-UP COPY TO ANOTHER USER. Do what you want -- but don't go around telling people its legal to just get an image from somewhere -- when clearly it is not. Your best is to contact the maker of the computer to get replacement media.. It should not cost you more than a few bucks! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590221482 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsquare Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 BudMan said: That is not really true!From the EULA EULAID:XPSP2_RM.0_PRO_OEM_EN 1.6 Back-up Copy. YOU MAY MAKE A SINGLE BACK-UP COPY OF THE SOFTWARE. YOU MAY USE ONE (1) BACK-UP COPY SOLELY FOR YOUR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES AND TO REINSTALL THE SOFTWARE ON THE COMPUTER. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS EULA OR BY LOCAL LAW, YOU MAY NOT OTHERWISE MAKE COPIES OF THE SOFTWARE, INCLUDING THE PRINTED MATERIALS ACCOMPANYING THE SOFTWARE. YOU MAY NOT LOAN, RENT, LEASE, LEND OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THE CD OR BACK-UP COPY TO ANOTHER USER. Do what you want -- but don't go around telling people its legal to just get an image from somewhere -- when clearly it is not. Your best is to contact the maker of the computer to get replacement media.. It should not cost you more than a few bucks! I just told you it'll cost me $25... Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590227748 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted December 5, 2008 MVC Share Posted December 5, 2008 I could care less WTF you do. My comment was directed at the person saying it's LEGAL to just download the image from anywhere. When clearly its not. Like I said a few bucks! If you can sleep at night to save $25 more power too you. If you can TRUST the source of where you got the image -- better yet ;) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590228812 Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPuccetti Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Thats why you "back up" "your" CD's :D Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/705094-reinstalling-windows-xp-home-with-oem-key/#findComment-590244324 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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