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Can I do a repair install with an XP disk that is not original and still use

the original product key on the tower?

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Posted

Re: Repair install

 

Usually, provided its the same type/edition

 

"Mike" <Mike@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:1CEE5F66-2688-49CE-B555-1361B6EDE735@microsoft.com...

> Can I do a repair install with an XP disk that is not original and still

> use

> the original product key on the tower?

Guest Ken Blake, MVP
Posted

Re: Repair install

 

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:00:01 -0700, Mike

<Mike@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Can I do a repair install with an XP disk that is not original and still use

> the original product key on the tower?

 

 

 

Yes, as long as the XP CD matches your version with respect to

Professional vs. Home, Retail vs. Home, and Full vs. Upgrade.

 

Since you say you have a product key attached to the case, that almost

certainly means yours is an OEM version, so what you need is another

OEM version that's the same (Professional vs. Home) as yours.

 

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Guest Patrick Keenan
Posted

Re: Repair install

 

"Mike" <Mike@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:1CEE5F66-2688-49CE-B555-1361B6EDE735@microsoft.com...

> Can I do a repair install with an XP disk that is not original and still

> use

> the original product key on the tower?

 

The answer is yes, with a big "IF".

 

XP install CDs of a given type are all the same. By type, there is first

XP Home and Pro, and then generic OEM, specific OEM, VL (Pro only), Retail,

Upgrade, etc.

 

Specific OEM types may check for a hardware identifier, and refuse to

install if it isn't present.

 

So the "IF" is that the CD type has to match. And if you get to the point

where you're asked for the key and you have used the wrong type of CD, the

key will be rejected. But at that point, you may have made the problem

worse.

 

So, be as certain as you can that you're using the correct type of disk.

 

For the Recovery Console, on the other hand, I've found that type doesn't

matter at all. If it's a bootable install disk with the console, that's

all that matters.

 

HTH

-pk


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