Boot Camp: XP - Bootable CD Licence Key

[mrmeister]

Hi,

I have an old Toshiba laptop running XP that is now unused because it is painfully slow. I just made a bootable CD of XP on the Toshiba so that I could install Windows XP on my Mac via Boot Camp.

All was going well until I had to type in the licence key. There is a Microsoft sticker on the back of my Toshiba that has a licence key. I assumed this would work but it didn't. I also tried the key on the back of the Toshiba recovery disk, but that also didn't work.

Any ideas on what to do?
Thanks in advance
mrmeister

 

[old-wiz]

Those keys are OEM - they only work on the machine they are shipped with. To install in bootcamp or virtualization, you need a new key.

 

[mrmeister]

so it can't be done at all via OEMs or recovery media? the only way to do it is to buy windows?

 

[balamw]

so it can't be done at all via OEMs or recovery media? the only way to do it is to buy windows?

That's Microsoft's business/licensing model. Yes.

Note that Vista and 7 can both be installed without a product key and used for up to 120 days that way. So you could, in principle, run it that way and re-install 3 times a year without paying a thing.

I don't recommend it, but it is possible.

B

 

[mrmeister]

Ok, i've found this on ebay but looking at the picture it says for distribution only with a new pc.... am i able to use that?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Windows-XP-Pr...Software_SR&hash=item27b241c045#ht_562wt_1139

 

[old-wiz]

Ok, i've found this on ebay but looking at the picture it says for distribution only with a new pc.... am i able to use that?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Windows-XP-Pr...Software_SR&hash=item27b241c045#ht_562wt_1139

the text says it's media only for replacement of damaged disk, so it does not include a license key.