XP HOME LICENCE - NO DISC

[ASE]

Hi all

I bought a laptop off ebay about a year ago and i need to do a clean installation, however, i was not provided with an XP CD.

The lappy runs XP home......

QUESTION - Can i use any xp home CD and just put in the code off my sticker underneath the laptop.

Cheers

[Hainesey]

You should be able to, as long as the code is for XP Home. Though with it being stuck to a laptop it may be the OEM version, so the code might not work!

[ASE]

I will give it a go. I think my mum has an OEM xp home cd for her laptop.

Thanks

[TopPopMopTop]

OR........


download and run Magic Jellybean xp key finder which will reveal the xp key used to install xp on the laptop which MAY be different to the one on the bottom of the laptop.

Even if you have problems activating, i think you'd probably be ok explaining the situation over the phone (they've been ok with me) i.e. i've just wiped a pc and putting xp back on it using the same key it was installed with  OR the coa sticker on the bottom of the laptop

I did hear that MS was stopping the validation of the sticker keys so may be worth checking up - i would try finding the key it's installed with before trying to use the coa sticker one

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/11/04/unable-to-activate-windows-xp-and-vista-with-coa-oem-key-online-without-phone-activation/


http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_Closes_Activation_Loophole/1109293194



you might even google for info on backing up your activation status before you do the wipe - just to cover all bases


note - most of the references to this info mention that ms have stopped ONLINE activation of the coa sticker keys, meaning you should still be able to phone them and explain the situation. 

[ASE]

KP for that TPMT. The disc i borrowed didnt work, thanks for the info.

EDIT - DAMN, i just realized, the lappy wont boot, just bluescreens, thats why i need to do a clean install ......   AH WELL.

[TopPopMopTop]

what do you mean didn't work?

wouldn't install?

accept a key?

activate?

[ASE]

what do you mean didn't work?

wouldn't install?

accept a key?

activate?

It would not accept the number on the sticker underneath the laptop. Said it was invalid.

[turnitonagain]

Did it give you a support number to phone? I had the same problem on a laptop; phoned the number, they gave me a huge code, typed it in, that was it...

[TopPopMopTop]

well.............you could try still try to find the 'actual' key used on your laptop - i'll pm you

i had a friend with this same problem a few weeks back - he had recorded his install xp key plus had the one on the sticker - he borrowed my xp cd which was the same type of xp but it wouldn't accept either key

I even went round to check he was typing them in correctly!  I was going to look in to it but he found the recovery cd so just did a return to a factory image.  I did try installing xp in a vm with his keys but got the same result - never got round to trying to nail the problem.  I was thinking perhaps my xp cd has sp2 integrated while his laptop originally came with just xp?
At the moment i have a copy of his i386 folder so i'm going to recreate the xp cd that was used to install xp on his laptop the first time round - and see if that works?

If you have access to the hard drive and can copy the i386 folder off you can try recreating the xp cd that was used to install xp on the laptop.

Have you tried MTChandlers repair xp instructions that are in this forum somewhere - dang! think you need the key for that.

If there is a way of calling MS i'd go that route first, sure they'd be ok when you explain the problem