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bay_life25

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Ok so I am wanting to reformat my computer and my only problem is not having the xp install disk. I had it installed at bestbuy so they never gave me a disk or anything but i have the product key. is it possible for me to get another disk but use my product key?
 
Hrm. Well it'll actually depend on your model/brand of the computer, such as Sony VAIO, HP, Dell, etc. You can order the recovery discs online.

I recall my cousin who built his own PC, just used a disc that had Windows XP burned into it.
 
i think the best method.....

bay_life25 said:
Ok so I am wanting to reformat my computer and my only problem is not having the xp install disk. I had it installed at bestbuy so they never gave me a disk or anything but i have the product key. is it possible for me to get another disk but use my product key?
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is to do a destructive recovery. compaq and hp have a recovery option, usaully located within the start menu if you haven't deleted it. That will let you format your drive and reload windows. If you have an acer or a dell, or another brand, the recovery option is usually found in the bios, or a message like "recovery hit ctrl 2 for system recovery" will show when the computer first turns on.

Also, you will not always be able to use any old copy of xp even if you have the license key for your copy to install XP. Typically a license for xp is tied to the disk, meaning you cannot use another key on a disk other then the one it is tied to. Unless it is a factory Xp disk from the manufacturer. I would contact them and let them know what you are trying to do and ask if your system has some recovery feature, of if they can give you a disk so that you can reinstall windows. :)

Hope that helps you!
 
ok well looking through all my cd's i found a microsoft office xp professional cd set. :) the only thing is i'm not sure if thats the disk that came with my newer PC or my old one. I am running windows media center right now and one of the discs says "media content" on it so I am not sure if this is what im looking for. is there a way to look at the version of windows i have to see if this is the disk i am looking for?
 
Wouldn't look like a good idea to mix them two. Media Center Edition and Pro. Edition doesn't look like the same. It's like using a DELL recovery disc on a Sony VAIO. Later, you won't be able to install any software, or even shutdown.

I would suggest going back to Best Buy and purchase the recovery discs, at a price. They sell it by the model and brand.
 
i know i wouldnt be mixing them i would be installing that instead of the media center. I just have an xp pro version 2002 and wanted to install that because i think it is a little better OS. but just to confirm would i be able to use it since i used it on my last computer?
 
Hrm. I'm sure about that, since I use the default recovery discs provided with the OS.

The process would be installing, and connect on the Internet to verify. I think about that, you're fine.
 
As others have already stated, the disks are usually tied to the specific OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) that produced your PC, so you can't use them for a different PC. You especially can't use those for a different version (Media Center vs. Professional) since the Product Key is tied to that particular version, that's why it's callled a 'Product' key.

If Best Buy provided an installation without disks there should have been a recovery partition on the disk as also mentioned above. If that's gone you'll need to attempt to get the recovery disks from Best Buy either for free or at a minimal media cost.

If you just have a number that someone wrote down and not an actual MS COA, then you have no real proof and might as well go buy a new version of Windows to get legal. Windows XP won't be available after June 30th I believe, so better act fast if that's what you require, otherwise Vista will be your only choice.

Never ever let anyone provide you a new PC without either a CD/DVD or at least a recovery partition, then immediately make a CD/DVD using the provided utility if it isn't supplied. Otherwise you'll end up in exactly this situation.

Bitman
 
I have the recovery partition I just dont know how to use it. And my dad made the recovery disks when he first got the computer but lost them in all the moving we have been doing or I would have just used those. but there is a recovery partition tho :) can i use that to do a recovery without the disks?

also i have the number from produkey (a little freeware program that tells you your key) its not from some random person, so it would be legal. just dont know if it will work
 
Since the product key is running on the system and the recovery partition must have done the original installation, these should work together.

I don't think you've mentioned the make and model of your PC, at least I didn't catch it? The Support web site for that PC manufacturer should have instructions how to use it and also how to create a new set of recovery disks too. I'd create these for the future, but it's much easier and quicker to use the recovery partition directly since normally the recovery disks would just remake the recovery partition anyway.

I've used the recovery partition a half dozen times on a Dell laptop even though I have the recovery disks, so I've never needed to use them.

Bitman
 
HP Pavillion a1410n with Windows Media Center installed. The reason why i dont use the disks is because you cant only create ONE set and that already happened so i cant create another. But i've looked all over on how to use the recovery partition but no luck. I tried using the boot option for recovery and it gave me an error 18...cant figure out wat that is either.

but if anyone can help me out with using that recovery partition i would greatly appreciate it.

thanks
 
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