Reinstalling XP OEM on same HW

[Guest Gustav W]

Hello,

 

I can find several related issues posted here but none exactly matching my

question so here goes.

 

My question is in short:

Can I use the license key on the side of my PC and reinstall a clean XP OEM

on the same PC without using the rescuediscs? I do not own a XP OEM CD, only

rescue discs!

 

The long version is below:

I have a Compaq/HP preinstalled OEM win XP that came with 6 rescue discs.

After approx 4 years the system is so slow and also virus attacked and

needed a clean install.

I used the rescuediscs and after several upgrades and reboots all security

updates etc was updated. Appart from that the resue discs comes with old SW

and outdated demos the system is not as stable as before. I boroughed a XP

home CD from a buddy and thought I could use that together with the licence

key on the side of my PC but that did not work. Since I do not own a OEM

windows XP CD I can only use rescue discs that comes with instability and

useless SW.

What windows XP CD can I use together with my license key on the side of my

PC?

 

br

/Gustav

[Guest Malke]

Re: Reinstalling XP OEM on same HW

 

Gustav W wrote:

> Hello,

>

> I can find several related issues posted here but none exactly matching my

> question so here goes.

>

> My question is in short:

> Can I use the license key on the side of my PC and reinstall a clean XP

> OEM

> on the same PC without using the rescuediscs? I do not own a XP OEM CD,

> only rescue discs!

>

> The long version is below:

> I have a Compaq/HP preinstalled OEM win XP that came with 6 rescue discs.

> After approx 4 years the system is so slow and also virus attacked and

> needed a clean install.

> I used the rescuediscs and after several upgrades and reboots all

> security updates etc was updated. Appart from that the resue discs comes

> with old SW and outdated demos the system is not as stable as before. I

> boroughed a XP home CD from a buddy and thought I could use that together

> with the licence key on the side of my PC but that did not work. Since I

> do not own a OEM windows XP CD I can only use rescue discs that comes with

> instability and useless SW.

> What windows XP CD can I use together with my license key on the side of

> my PC?

>

 

You can use a generic OEM disk that matches the same version of Windows that

came with the machine - XP Home/Pro/Media Center. You will use the Product

Key that is on the side of your computer. You may need to activate over the

phone afterwards but this is no big deal. Make sure you go to HP's website

first and get all the drivers/software available for your specific model

computer and have them burned to CD-R or on a flash drive before you start.

 

If you don't own a generic OEM disk, then you will either need to buy one or

have a local computer professional install Windows this way for you. The

computer professional will probably also have a branded XP install disk for

HP/Compaq. Obviously this will not be free.

 

Malke

--

MS-MVP

Elephant Boy Computers

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com

Don't Panic!

[Guest Daave]

Re: Reinstalling XP OEM on same HW

 

Gustav W wrote:

> Can I use the license key on the side of my PC and reinstall a clean

> XP OEM on the same PC without using the rescuediscs? I do not own a

> XP OEM CD, only rescue discs!

 

If you can obtain a generic OEM XP installation disk, you should be able

to use it along with your product key on that COA sticker. If you are

unable to obtain one of these disks, you may be able to create your own:

 

http://www.howtohaven.com/system/createwindowssetupdisk.shtml

[Guest Gustav W]

Re: Reinstalling XP OEM on same HW

 

 

 

 

OK That is good that it is possible.

 

Assuming I gat a hold of an OEM CD I have some additional questions.

 

1. If I replace the HDD and do a OEM clean installation with the OEM CD.

Will/might that mess up my other HDD working key somehow or is this possible?

I will of course only be able to use one HDD at a time!

 

2. If I check/validate my key will it say invalid/incorrect key before I

activate it or can I tell that the OEM version I used did not work with my

key? I guess it should say key OK even thou I haven't activated the licence

yet? Even better, how can I tell if the OEM I have will actually work with my

key? Can I install it and verify somehow? The only way I know of is to

install and upgrade all patches and download until it tries to upgrade to

latest explorer etc when it might say invalid key/version - as it evetually

did when using the incorrect home edition.

 

3. If the OEM version is working with my key on the 2d HDD. After activating

etc on phone or via webb. Will the 1st installed version on HDD not be valid

any more? My intention is not to swap HDDs. I only want to make sure I get a

stable working system before erasing the "other" HDD.

 

Thanks for the help. Malke and Daave

 

 

-----------------------------

"Malke" wrote:

> You can use a generic OEM disk that matches the same version of Windows that

> came with the machine - XP Home/Pro/Media Center. You will use the Product

> Key that is on the side of your computer. You may need to activate over the

> phone afterwards but this is no big deal. Make sure you go to HP's website

> first and get all the drivers/software available for your specific model

> computer and have them burned to CD-R or on a flash drive before you start.

>

> If you don't own a generic OEM disk, then you will either need to buy one or

> have a local computer professional install Windows this way for you. The

> computer professional will probably also have a branded XP install disk for

> HP/Compaq. Obviously this will not be free.

>

> Malke

> --

> MS-MVP

> Elephant Boy Computers

> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com

> Don't Panic!

>

[Guest smlunatick]

Re: Reinstalling XP OEM on same HW

 

On Feb 28, 3:30 pm, Gustav W <Gust...@discussions.microsoft.com>

wrote:

> OK That is good that it is possible.

>

> Assuming I gat a hold of an OEM CD I have some additional questions.

>

> 1. If I replace the HDD and do a OEM clean installation with the OEM CD.

> Will/might that mess up my other HDD working key somehow or is this possible?

> I will of course only be able to use one HDD at a time!

>

> 2. If I check/validate my key will it say invalid/incorrect key before I

> activate it or can I tell that the OEM version I used did not work with my

> key? I guess it should say key OK  even thou I haven't activated the licence

> yet? Even better, how can I tell if the OEM I have will actually work with my

> key? Can I install it and verify somehow? The only way I know of is to

> install and upgrade all patches and download until it tries to upgrade to

> latest explorer etc when it might say invalid key/version - as it evetually

> did when using the incorrect home edition.

>

> 3. If the OEM version is working with my key on the 2d HDD. After activating

> etc on phone or via webb. Will the 1st installed version on HDD not be valid

> any more? My intention is not to swap HDDs. I only want to make sure I get a

> stable working system before erasing the "other" HDD.

>

> Thanks for the help. Malke and Daave

>

> -----------------------------

>

>

>

> "Malke" wrote:

> > You can use a generic OEM disk that matches the same version of Windows that

> > came with the machine - XP Home/Pro/Media Center. You will use the Product

> > Key that is on the side of your computer. You may need to activate over the

> > phone afterwards but this is no big deal. Make sure you go to HP's website

> > first and get all the drivers/software available for your specific model

> > computer and have them burned to CD-R or on a flash drive before you start.

>

> > If you don't own a generic OEM disk, then you will either need to buy one or

> > have a local computer professional install Windows this way for you. The

> > computer professional will probably also have a branded XP install disk for

> > HP/Compaq. Obviously this will not be free.

>

> > Malke

> > --

> > MS-MVP

> > Elephant Boy Computers

> >http://www.elephantboycomputers.com

> > Don't Panic!- Hide quoted text -

>

> - Show quoted text -

 

You should know that the OEM XP License on your PC might be a HP/

Compaq branded license that may require a Recovery CD version of XP.

You should not have any problems installing the generic OEM install CD

but you will need to phone the Activation Desk for the activation

key. Be prepared to do the "twenty questions" answers.