xp disks

[wardD]

hi all,

ok, here,s the thing. my brother has a older sony vaio computer that came with restore disks.

he wants to format the rig but doesent want to load all the out dated programs and ***** that comes along with it. it also does an odd partition set for my thinking , but, it just does it soooo

what we are wondering, is their a way to just load xp with out the other programs and not doing 2 partitions(or at least let us regulate the size of each partition.

2ndly, would it be posible for us to take my xp disk and use his product key to install xp on his computer.( im thinkin not, but had to ask.) it would make the task simple.


thanks for your time, ward.

[Midknyte]

If anything, you would need an OEM XP of the same version (Home, Pro, Media Center). Assuming you have an OEM XP, you can try using his product key on it.

[wardD]

I have a xp disk(store bought) that I use on this computer, it,s just xp,version 2002. Im sure its the same vesion as my brothers restore disk,s. and he does have the product key from his disk,s.

so whats oem stand for again, I mean I know this one, but by goly, old timers is setin in!!

thanks, ward.

[Midknyte]

I have a xp disk(store bought)

That's a retail box. Retail and OEM keys are different.

OEM is Original Equipment Manufacturer as in HP, Compaq, Dell, etc. You would only get the disc and license. No box or other packaging.

[wardD]

thanks for the heads up.


ward

[Ol'Tunzafun]

A lot of retail stores will sell OEM discs. They are supposed to be sold only with hardware, but in some places this could mean anything (like a case screw). It would be sold as a CD in an sleeve - no box or documentation. The quick way to tell what you have is to pop the CD into the drive, open windows explorer, and look at the CD label displayed beside the optical drive letter. There will be 4 or 5 letters followed by the letters FPP_EN if it is retail or OEM_EN if it is OEM. If it is OEM you should be good to go.

[bruceb]

You can try this link

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=233256

Seems there are ways to view / modify the image on the Sony
restore cds or recovery partitions. (I have not tried this so I
can't say for sure if it will work)

[4breezes]

If anything, you would need an OEM XP of the same version (Home, Pro, Media Center). Assuming you have an OEM XP, you can try using his product key on it.

Are you saying that I could take my OEM (Dell) XP-MCE disk and use it to re-install/repair my daughter's Dell system, also using XP-MCE, as long as I use her product key? Her product key, BTW, she tells me is on the COA stuck on the back or her tower. Would that really work, and stay within the bounds set my MS?

[Midknyte]

Actually, Dell CDs are bios coded. It wouldn't prompt for a key as long as you install it on a Dell system.

[COLN]

I also had a Sony Vaio with no restore cds. I came across an article titled "How to Create a Bootable Windows XP Setup Disk on a Preinstalled Windows System". Sorry I can't remember the site but a google might find it. I printed out the article, followed the steps and I had the cd's I needed. It was only SP1 and using a slipstreamer I added the other updates while removing programs I didn't want.

[COLN]

I found the site for creating a bootable windows disk from the system. It was howtohaven.com.