Lost install disks

[Yarn]

I am fixing my Parents lap top. The computer has had its hard drive wiped and needs a reinstall. The lap top has the XP Home serial number stuck on to the lap top - so I have the key, but they cant find the disk. They are not even sure if it came with a disk!

The same is true for Office, they have a peice of card with serial number but nothing else. Lap top is a NEC.

I would like to solve this legitimatly as they are entitled to use this SW.

Anybody got any ideas please?

I heard that the keys might be tied to disks, so any old copy will not do?

 

[Igorian]

Generally, if the sticker is attached to the PC, then you need an OEM version of Windows. If the license key is on separate documentation, it's usually a retail version.

There are several versions of each, so a bit trial and error may be required.

 

[Yarn]

Thanks for the help.

I still dont know where im going to get these disks from though?

 

[Igorian]

ebay, computer fair perhaps. Try emailing the manufacturer for replacements.

 

[Yarn]

Thanks again, but its not an ideal situation having to buy them from somewhere. Especially if there is trial and error involved!!

I wanted to go legit, but im tempted to resort to Bit Torrent.

 

[Softus]

Phone Microsoft Technical Support and ask them which product your product key relates to. Then find someone with a CD for that product and copy it.

This is perfectly legitimate, permitted by the M$ license, and, perhaps most importantly, it will work.

 

[Spark123]

You can just borrow an oem windows xp disk off someone, I used my desktop original win xp disk to re-install my laptop when it crashed installing SP2. When prompted for the product key put the key in off the bottom of the machine. I also had a problem that it wouldn't activate over the internet. I phoned the microsoft number which came up in the activation screen and they were happy to help, they just gave me a different activation code.

 

[Softus]

Firstly, you can't just use any old CD with any old Product Key - whilst they don't match in terms of each CD being unique, a retail Product Key won't work with an OEM CD. In your case it sounds as though you had an OEM Product on both desktop and laptop.

There can be many reasons for installations failing to activate - one common one with OEM installations is that both the OEM and M$ have issued the same Product Key. M$ issue a new PK in these circumstances, but you have to have the installation CD to hand, so you must have told some white lies on the telephone in order for them to issue a new PK. Since you had the correct PK for the laptop and were able to give it to them, and read the part number from the real CD, this would meet their criteria.

In the case of the OP on this topic, he doesn't yet know which type of XP product he has, hence the need to call M$ first.

 

[mix]

The laptop may not have included an XP install disc, many new machines today do not always include the cd. It could have been that the drive was partitioned with enough info on the second partition to recover the op system, but then if the drive is wiped there seems little point in trying that route. Get in touch with the laptop manufacturer, they may be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Softus]

mix - the OP already said that they didn't know if the laptop came with an XP installation CD.

Yarn - mix's point about the manufacturer is a good one, because you also need to find out whether there are hardware-specific drivers for the laptop. These can often be downloaded from the manufacturer's web site after you've installed XP, but sometimes you need the correct CD.

 

[mix]

mix - the OP already said that they didn't know if the laptop came with an XP installation CD.

If they 'didn't know', and that is also what I understood from OP, then it either did or did not come with XP installation CD, hence my thoughts about contacting manufacturer.

 

[Spark123]

There can be many reasons for installations failing to activate - one common one with OEM installations is that both the OEM and M$ have issued the same Product Key. M$ issue a new PK in these circumstances, but you have to have the installation CD to hand, so you must have told some white lies on the telephone in order for them to issue a new PK. Since you had the correct PK for the laptop and were able to give it to them, and read the part number from the real CD, this would meet their criteria.

I don't think I needed to tell any white lies tbh, was just upfront and told them that the disk I was using came with another computer but the product key was from the original sticker on the bottom of the laptop. The disk I was using was an oem, the laptop didn't come with any disks (was 2nd hand). They asked if the pk had a manufacturers name on and it did so I told them. Asked why I was re-loading windows I told them it crashed whilst loading SP2.
When I got a brand new laptop a few months back the first thing it did when XP was booted up was harass the life out of me to make a restore DVD.

 

[Yarn]

Hi Guys,

The good news is that i am writing this from the lap top in question.

I tried 2 installation CD's that I was lent. The first was not an OEM and at the beginning asked for a product key. I did not get any further when I entered the product key!!

Tonight, I was lent a cd (had 9 different windows installations on it!!). I picked XP home OEM and was never asked for a product key. I hink this was how it was supposed to happen - i dont think it was a cracked copy.
Why would you need an a key for an OEM version?

After the installation finished, I had that nag screen saying I must regiser. This is something i have never done before (ahem). But seen as this lap top is legit i tried the over the phone method.Before I rang up, I went to 'Change product key' I then entered the product key on the bottom of my laptop.

I closed and re-ran the application (i dont know if changing the product made nay difference). I then went throught the telephone method, I told them my long number, they then told me a long number. Bizzare!
I didnt speak to any humans, and I think the lap top is registered now.

I am not sure exactly what has happened. If someone knows please post on here and tell me. Dont hold back with explanation I am quite technical.

 

[Yarn]

Oh yeh, I have done al the updates, and i have installed the 'genuine advantage' update and i am still allowed to have more updates. I must be legit!!

 

[Yarn]

many new machines today do not always include the cd. It could have been that the drive was partitioned with enough info on the second partition to recover the op system..,

Yes that was how it came. They didnt tell me this untill it was too late!

Mix and Softus, you make a good point. I am now missing the hardware specific programs for this lap top. I will have a look at he NEC website next. At the moment, i have no wireless network. System does not even see it. Funny cos my wife is all tangled up in the ethernet cable.