Sold my Dell to buy another Mac but...

[kjs862]

Hey guys I figured I would post this here maybe I will get an answer, but I recently sold my Dell PC on ebay, but I lost my windows xp pro CD so now I can't do a clean install for the buyer.

What I was thinking being that I have the product key on the side on the case, is there a way I can download windows xp pro off the internet and just stick that on a CD and using my pre exsisting CD key.

Ken

[adk]

I had a similar predicament, and I couldn't find any way (legal) to just download a fresh windows copy and plug in my product key. I'd recommend asking around for a CD, that's how I solved my problem.

[2nyRiggz]

^indeed, you won't get help here for that type of download. You just might have to buy a copy...sucks i know(if you wanna do it the legal way).


Bless

[ITASOR]

Originally Posted by 2nyRiggz

^indeed, you won't get help here for that type of download. You just might have to buy a copy...sucks i know(if you wanna do it the legal way).


Bless

I don't think it would be illegal if he borrows a friend's CD but uses his product key.

[treblah]

Originally Posted by ITASOR

I don't think it would be illegal if he borrows a friend's CD but uses his product key.

Or if he even made a backup of friend's CD to include with the PC.

Remember, you aren't buying the software, you are buying the license.

[kjs862]

Originally Posted by treblah

Or if he even made a backup of friend's CD to include with the PC.

Remember, you aren't buying the software, you are buying the license.

Let's hope I can fin a friend with there XP cd now.

[nbs2]

I don't know how soon you have to ship, but doesn't MS have some sort of replacement CD program (I guess product keys have their uses....)?

[Clydefrog]

you could try and call Microsoft When i had to reformat my windows box, i lost my CD key...so i called them and i believe i told them my cd serial number and they gave me a new key on the phone. maybe they will be nice and send you a new cd or somthing good luck

[kjs862]

One of my friends has windows XP home edition, but the pro edition came on the computer. Will the CD keys on the side of the computer work for the home edition?

[dotdotdot]

or you can ship it without an OS / linux on it, so the person can choose... unless he already was promised XP Pro in the package.

[FoxyKaye]

I don't believe a WinXP Pro SN will work on a Home install, though this depends on how M$ is shipping XP. If the CD is installation-specific, then it won't work, but if the CD is SN-dependant (in other words, a different SN will "unlock" a different version of Windows from the same CD) it might work.

Another wrinkle in all of this is whether or not the version of XP that came with your laptop was OEM or after-market. If the replacement installation is from a retail CD, I don't believe an OEM CD key will work.

Good luck, though. I'd start with calling M$ with your existing key and see if they can send you a replacement CD.

[4JNA]

Originally Posted by kjs862

Hey guys I figured I would post this here maybe I will get an answer, but I recently sold my Dell PC on ebay, but I lost my windows xp pro CD so now I can't do a clean install for the buyer.

What I was thinking being that I have the product key on the side on the case, is there a way I can download windows xp pro off the internet and just stick that on a CD and using my pre exsisting CD key.

Ken

correct way to solve is to call dell and get a replacement disc set. small charge to you from dell due to m$ agreement that dell has to live with.

do not download off the internet. they are all out there for a reason, and the reason is not good. dell, or a friend with a dell.

the key on the side is for use with the original system upon which the COA was attached. i.e., according to m$, you are able to use, install, re-install, and even upgrade the original hardware "EXCEPT" for the motherboard. if you change the motherboard, or the mobo kills itself, by law (eula) you would need to purchase a new copy of XP. no joke. all letter of the law from m$. i am listed with m$ as a 'oem system builder', and this is straight out of the latest coa/marketing/sales/partner stuff they send me. oh, and the coa can NOT be transfered to a new system even if you are no longer using the first system, or if you upgrade your OS. original system. period. coa's on ebay/internet are not legal. period.

the coa on the side of the dell is an 'oem', and depending on luck, might work with a retail pro cd. same odds as powerball more or less. it really depends on stamp date, and the service pack level. the key will work with any xp pro 'oem' cd. due to the recent coa lock-out by m$, you might still have trouble with the activation after getting it loaded. the key will NOT work with xp home (retail or oem).

a 'clean install' is nothing more than just using add/remove programs to remove any programs that are yours, backing up and then deleting your files, creating a new user/account, logging off your account, logging on to the new user/account and then removing your old account. presto. clean install. unless you have virus/spyware issues (gasp, on a windows box?! never!).

if you have personal stuff that you don't want found, doing a clean install is no more likely to keep your info safe than the above. you would need to use a utility to wipe/shread the files. there are several free and open source programs available that you could use to wipe/shread the files before sending it off.

not my ideas/rules, just thought i would share info. getting less fun by the minute to work with m$, but it's still a living... X at home, xp problems and solutions for a large hourly rate to everyone else.

[CanadaRAM]

Originally Posted by nbs2

I don't know how soon you have to ship, but doesn't MS have some sort of replacement CD program (I guess product keys have their uses....)?

Since it's an OEM (bundled) COA (Certificate of Authentication) version of Windows that MS sold to Dell at a steep discount, MS will just refer you back to Dell. They will refuse to replace or upgrade an OEM version.

That's the tradeoff for cheap bundled OS's - it is tied to that motherboard, and you may not get install CDs - sometimes just restore image CDs -- which is fine for the purpose above, but a right bollix if you have to reinstall just the OS and you don't want to scrub the drive and all your data and apps.