reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

[Guest Miles]

I have lost my CD, but still have the product key from the CD. I need to reinstall Xp.

Can I just borrow someone else's CD to reinstall Xp and then enter the product key

for the CD that I purchased several years ago (rather than the product code on the

borrowed CD)?

 

If that is not possible, can Microsoft help me or do I need to bite the bullet and

purchase another upgrade Xp CD?

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

 

"Miles" <webmilesremove@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:uM2Am3M3IHA.3508@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>I have lost my CD, but still have the product key from the CD. I need to

>reinstall Xp.

> Can I just borrow someone else's CD to reinstall Xp and then enter the

> product key

> for the CD that I purchased several years ago (rather than the product

> code on the

> borrowed CD)?

>

> If that is not possible, can Microsoft help me or do I need to bite the

> bullet and

> purchase another upgrade Xp CD?

>

 

Yes, you can borrow someone else's CD or burn a copy of it,

provided that it is the same type (OEM or Retail). If it is the

wrong type then your product key won't work.

[Guest John]

RE: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

I'm having the same problem with XP Pro. The label on the side of the PC I'

re-installing rejected the code when it was entered during the install

process! I'm not sure how to check what type of installation CD is required,

which is a pain!! If anyone can help, please let me know PLEASE!!!

Thanks

 

"Miles" wrote:

> I have lost my CD, but still have the product key from the CD. I need to reinstall Xp.

> Can I just borrow someone else's CD to reinstall Xp and then enter the product key

> for the CD that I purchased several years ago (rather than the product code on the

> borrowed CD)?

>

> If that is not possible, can Microsoft help me or do I need to bite the bullet and

> purchase another upgrade Xp CD?

>

>

>

[Guest HeyBub]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

John wrote:

> I'm having the same problem with XP Pro. The label on the side of the

> PC I' re-installing rejected the code when it was entered during the

> install process! I'm not sure how to check what type of installation

> CD is required, which is a pain!! If anyone can help, please let me

> know PLEASE!!!

> Thanks

>

 

If there's a sticker on the side of the computer, then most assuredly the OS

was an OEM version (on retail versions, the sticker is on the box).

 

There are two kinds of OEM distributions: Generic and specific. If

"specific," the OEM is tied to the manufacturer/model of the computer,

usually through a BIOS hook of some kind. In that case, you'll have to have

a disk provided by the original manufacturer that can make sense of the

sticker's code.

[Guest Ken Blake, MVP]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

On Thu, 3 Jul 2008 01:30:30 -0400, "Miles" <webmilesremove@gmail.com>

wrote:

> I have lost my CD, but still have the product key from the CD. I need to reinstall Xp.

> Can I just borrow someone else's CD to reinstall Xp and then enter the product key

> for the CD that I purchased several years ago (rather than the product code on the

> borrowed CD)?

 

 

Yes. However you need to borrow a CD that matches your key with

respect to Home vs. Professional, Retail vs. OEM, and Full vs.

Upgrade.

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

[Guest Nick C]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

Okay, sorry to butt in, but I have a question too.

 

I have a Synergio built Windows XP Home system, and I have just formatted my

hard drive due to viral issues. This is not the first time I've reformatted.

I have the proper install disk (OEM), and the number on the side of my

computer is telling me that it is no longer valid.

 

I've searched the internet, and come up with needing to call Microsoft

because I've reformatted so many times. But there is no way I'm paying $59.00

for a phone call if I don't have to.

 

Is there a way, (I have all the numbers from the Microsoft sticker), to

reactivate my code? Or do I need a new one? Or do I have to go buy a whole

new Windows?

 

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

> On Thu, 3 Jul 2008 01:30:30 -0400, "Miles" <webmilesremove@gmail.com>

> wrote:

>

> > I have lost my CD, but still have the product key from the CD. I need to reinstall Xp.

> > Can I just borrow someone else's CD to reinstall Xp and then enter the product key

> > for the CD that I purchased several years ago (rather than the product code on the

> > borrowed CD)?

>

>

> Yes. However you need to borrow a CD that matches your key with

> respect to Home vs. Professional, Retail vs. OEM, and Full vs.

> Upgrade.

>

> --

> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

> Please Reply to the Newsgroup

>

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

What exactly do you mean with your statement "the number on the side of my

computer is telling me that it is no longer valid"?

 

By the way, since you keep infecting/reloading your operating system, have

you considered using an imaging product such as Acronis TrueImage? It would

save you an enormous amount of time while at the same time getting around

any licensing issues.

 

 

"Nick C" <Nick C@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:4751A2A3-AC48-4D78-BE42-39B80D7B3646@microsoft.com...

> Okay, sorry to butt in, but I have a question too.

>

> I have a Synergio built Windows XP Home system, and I have just formatted

> my

> hard drive due to viral issues. This is not the first time I've

> reformatted.

> I have the proper install disk (OEM), and the number on the side of my

> computer is telling me that it is no longer valid.

>

> I've searched the internet, and come up with needing to call Microsoft

> because I've reformatted so many times. But there is no way I'm paying

> $59.00

> for a phone call if I don't have to.

>

> Is there a way, (I have all the numbers from the Microsoft sticker), to

> reactivate my code? Or do I need a new one? Or do I have to go buy a whole

> new Windows?

>

> "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

>

>> On Thu, 3 Jul 2008 01:30:30 -0400, "Miles" <webmilesremove@gmail.com>

>> wrote:

>>

>> > I have lost my CD, but still have the product key from the CD. I need

>> > to reinstall Xp.

>> > Can I just borrow someone else's CD to reinstall Xp and then enter the

>> > product key

>> > for the CD that I purchased several years ago (rather than the product

>> > code on the

>> > borrowed CD)?

>>

>>

>> Yes. However you need to borrow a CD that matches your key with

>> respect to Home vs. Professional, Retail vs. OEM, and Full vs.

>> Upgrade.

>>

>> --

>> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

>> Please Reply to the Newsgroup

>>

[Guest Nick C]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

I mean the number on the Microsoft Genuine sticker. The product key, serial,

whatever else is on that sticker. I try to activate Windows, since I just

formatted last night, and it's telling me that my key is no longer valid.

 

I have the whole side panel of the computer, sticker included, sitting

beside me.

 

I don't know about imaging, it's not really me that tends to infect the

computer, it's when I allow others to use it without my supervision.

 

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

> What exactly do you mean with your statement "the number on the side of my

> computer is telling me that it is no longer valid"?

>

> By the way, since you keep infecting/reloading your operating system, have

> you considered using an imaging product such as Acronis TrueImage? It would

> save you an enormous amount of time while at the same time getting around

> any licensing issues.

>

>

> "Nick C" <Nick C@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:4751A2A3-AC48-4D78-BE42-39B80D7B3646@microsoft.com...

> > Okay, sorry to butt in, but I have a question too.

> >

> > I have a Synergio built Windows XP Home system, and I have just formatted

> > my

> > hard drive due to viral issues. This is not the first time I've

> > reformatted.

> > I have the proper install disk (OEM), and the number on the side of my

> > computer is telling me that it is no longer valid.

> >

> > I've searched the internet, and come up with needing to call Microsoft

> > because I've reformatted so many times. But there is no way I'm paying

> > $59.00

> > for a phone call if I don't have to.

> >

> > Is there a way, (I have all the numbers from the Microsoft sticker), to

> > reactivate my code? Or do I need a new one? Or do I have to go buy a whole

> > new Windows?

> >

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

I may be wrong but I did not think that product keys expire. You can find

out by ringing Microsoft - they won't charge you for the initial licensing

advice.

 

Whether it's you or other people allowing your machine to be infected is

irrelevant. What's important is that it keeps happening. If you cannot

prevent it then you must take appropriate countermeasures. Creating and

maintaining an image, stored on an off-line medium, is one way of dealing

with the issue.

 

 

"Nick C" <NickC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:04588D5A-89A8-40DC-913B-CB1E5DDF9AAF@microsoft.com...

>I mean the number on the Microsoft Genuine sticker. The product key,

>serial,

> whatever else is on that sticker. I try to activate Windows, since I just

> formatted last night, and it's telling me that my key is no longer valid.

>

> I have the whole side panel of the computer, sticker included, sitting

> beside me.

>

> I don't know about imaging, it's not really me that tends to infect the

> computer, it's when I allow others to use it without my supervision.

>

> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>

>> What exactly do you mean with your statement "the number on the side of

>> my

>> computer is telling me that it is no longer valid"?

>>

>> By the way, since you keep infecting/reloading your operating system,

>> have

>> you considered using an imaging product such as Acronis TrueImage? It

>> would

>> save you an enormous amount of time while at the same time getting around

>> any licensing issues.

>>

>>

>> "Nick C" <Nick C@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:4751A2A3-AC48-4D78-BE42-39B80D7B3646@microsoft.com...

>> > Okay, sorry to butt in, but I have a question too.

>> >

>> > I have a Synergio built Windows XP Home system, and I have just

>> > formatted

>> > my

>> > hard drive due to viral issues. This is not the first time I've

>> > reformatted.

>> > I have the proper install disk (OEM), and the number on the side of my

>> > computer is telling me that it is no longer valid.

>> >

>> > I've searched the internet, and come up with needing to call Microsoft

>> > because I've reformatted so many times. But there is no way I'm paying

>> > $59.00

>> > for a phone call if I don't have to.

>> >

>> > Is there a way, (I have all the numbers from the Microsoft sticker), to

>> > reactivate my code? Or do I need a new one? Or do I have to go buy a

>> > whole

>> > new Windows?

>> >

>

[Guest Ken Blake, MVP]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:03:02 -0700, Nick C <Nick

C@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Okay, sorry to butt in, but I have a question too.

>

> I have a Synergio built Windows XP Home system, and I have just formatted my

> hard drive due to viral issues. This is not the first time I've reformatted.

> I have the proper install disk (OEM), and the number on the side of my

> computer is telling me that it is no longer valid.

 

 

With better care, you should *never* get a virus, and even if you do,

you should hardly ever need to reinstall Windows rather than get rid

of the virus.

 

>

> I've searched the internet, and come up with needing to call Microsoft

> because I've reformatted so many times. But there is no way I'm paying $59.00

> for a phone call if I don't have to.

 

 

A phone call is fine. It's the result of reformatting and reinstalling

too often. It is *not* $59.00, it's completely free. It's also quick

and easy. Just go ahead and do it.

 

> Is there a way, (I have all the numbers from the Microsoft sticker), to

> reactivate my code? Or do I need a new one? Or do I have to go buy a whole

> new Windows?

>

> "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

>

> > On Thu, 3 Jul 2008 01:30:30 -0400, "Miles" <webmilesremove@gmail.com>

> > wrote:

> >

> > > I have lost my CD, but still have the product key from the CD. I need to reinstall Xp.

> > > Can I just borrow someone else's CD to reinstall Xp and then enter the product key

> > > for the CD that I purchased several years ago (rather than the product code on the

> > > borrowed CD)?

> >

> >

> > Yes. However you need to borrow a CD that matches your key with

> > respect to Home vs. Professional, Retail vs. OEM, and Full vs.

> > Upgrade.

> >

> > --

> > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

> > Please Reply to the Newsgroup

> >

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

[Guest Daave]

Re: reinstalling Xp home (CD lost)

 

Nick C wrote:

> I mean the number on the Microsoft Genuine sticker. The product key,

> serial, whatever else is on that sticker. I try to activate Windows,

> since I just formatted last night, and it's telling me that my key is

> no longer valid.

 

It is important to have the *exact* wording of the message:

 

<quote>

If internet activation fails and the Wizard complains about “too many

activations” or an “incorrect product key”, you still have the option of

calling Microsoft’s toll free number to activate Windows. As long as the

Wizard doesn’t report “invalid product key,” options are still open. An

“invalid” (not “incorrect,” mind you) key is one reported or detected as

pirated, so you’ll have to find some other way to make your software go.

</quote>

 

From "How to Activate Windows XP in 5 Minutes or Less"

http://www.command-tab.com/2007/03/17/windows-xp-activation-in-5-minutes-or-less/

 

Or are you getting this message?:

 

<quote>

The Product Key used to install Windows is invalid. Please contact your

system administrator or retailer immediately to obtain a valid Product

Key. You may also contact Microsoft Corporation's Anti-Piracy Team by

emailing piracy@microsoft.com if you think you have purchased pirated

Microsoft software. Please be assured that any personal information you

send to the Microsoft Anti-Piracy Team will be kept in strict

confidence.

</quote>

 

If so, look at:

 

http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/SP2/common.php

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326904

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310637