XP and OEM key

M

Miller

Guest
Gatecrashing on this thread. I've just built a new pc for my son, as the hard drive on his old one went u/s. I was thinking of trying to get the old pc back up and running with a new hdd, just to use on the web etc. However, the the old pc came with an oem version of XP, and no software (The pc was bought about 5 years ago, and we can't remember the vendor).

The case has the XP sticker on it with the product key. Could I load a copy of XP I have and use the old pc product key? I wouldn't want to do anything illegal.
 
Gatecrashing on this thread. I've just built a new pc for my son, as the hard drive on his old one went u/s. I was thinking of trying to get the old pc back up and running with a new hdd, just to use on the web etc. However, the the old pc came with an oem version of XP, and no software (The pc was bought about 5 years ago, and we can't remember the vendor).

The case has the XP sticker on it with the product key. Could I load a copy of XP I have and use the old pc product key? I wouldn't want to do anything illegal.

As you are loading the software back onto the machine for which it was intended: yes. You may need to contact Microsoft but that's just a formality.

No more gatecrashing: not fair on OP!
 
As you are loading the software back onto the machine for which it was intended: yes. You may need to contact Microsoft but that's just a formality.

No more gatecrashing: not fair on OP!

I thought that OEM keys werent accepted by retail XP install software?

Not sure what MS can do about that...
 
Correct, to reinstall XP OEM you would have to have an OEM install CD rather than a full retail CD. AFAIK a full retail CD install would not activate with an OEM license key, or vice-versa.

Mark.
 
Correct, to reinstall XP OEM you would have to have an OEM install CD rather than a full retail CD. AFAIK a full retail CD install would not activate with an OEM license key, or vice-versa.

Mark.

I have an OEM license Key but no disc, is it possible to get the OEM disk without having to pay for another license key? Would like to do a clean re-install.
 
Beg, borrow or steal an XP (Home or Pro - according to the license you have) OEM disk. You can even legally make a copy of the disk as it is the license key you buy rather than the actual media.
Or if the PC came with XP preinstalled you may well have a recovery partition you can do a clean install from.

Mark.
 
Try to contact the manufacturer, I guess.

Edit: Oh, can't remember the vendor. Hmm...
 

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