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129260
2008-07-10, 23:55
hey friends, you guys have any idea on this issue?

ok, so i have a friends computer that has no recovery disks, no option in bios or on system, there operating system xp has been repaired by yours truly cause they had alot of infections. they have been clean for awhile now, but there operating system is not working correctly all the time and needs a repair. (such as right click of desktop-properties, does not bring up the display settings found in control panel.) I have to go into control panel to launch it among other problems. Not really anything terribly serious, but just annoyances. Anyways, what i want to know is, can i use another windows xp cd to repair the operating system (since they have no disks that came with there computer, and dell wont help ether) without a license key needed? I want to repair there xp, not reinstall, just repair of the os as certain files are def missing. Not critical ones, but ya. So can i repair there os with the xp disk i have?

blues
2008-07-11, 16:45
i dont know if this is what you are asking for: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

129260
2008-07-11, 19:24
but i still would like to know, if i do just a repair, will i have to enter the product key? Especially if the windows XP cd I use is mine because they don't have theres?

blues
2008-07-11, 19:40
i have never used the repair option, so i dont know if you need to enter the product key. if they have xp pro and you xp home then i think i have read somewhere that it is illegal to repair xp pro with a xp home disc, but you must not hear on that because i am not really sure if it is like that. maybe their computer will have errors afterwards because they where using your xp home disc and not a xp pro disc IF they have xp pro? but i cant help you anymore with this one, because i dont know how to do it. and what i have read could be wrong. lets hope someone here know how you do it.

Zenobia
2008-07-11, 19:50
This page mentions needing the product key,though it doesn't mention it in the Repair install of Windows XP by starting your computer from the Windows XP CD section:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

I did do a repair install on the XP a long time ago.I can't remember it too well,but I *think* I remember having to put in the product key.

Anyhoo,maybe they could contact Dell again and just keep trying,see where they get.

md usa spybot fan
2008-07-11, 21:31
129260:


... Anyways, what i want to know is, can i use another windows xp cd to repair the operating system (since they have no disks that came with there computer, and dell wont help ether) without a license key needed? ...
Since you mentioned Dell: Dell used to tape a Windows OS Product Key (license key) to the case of the computers that they shipped. Of course that was when they they also supplied OS disks.

129260
2008-07-11, 21:35
thanks for the support. :present: I hope i don't need the product key......because i will not have it haha. And even if i used a program to tell me the product key, (i have a program that will give that info) or look at the sticker, I wouldn't be able to use it with the disk i have probably, because each product key is usually tied to the disk it is with correct? And since i have no original disk that came with the computer......

129260
2008-07-12, 06:31
from other online boards and a family friend who knows computer programming and all that said that i shouldn't need a product key for just doing a repair of the operating system.......i hope there right....but alot of people are saying different things.....