Formatting Help

Wheety · 05-10-2009 8:22pm #1

I'm going to format my girlfriend's pc (She knows about it, don't worry).

Anyway she can't find the XP disc she got with the pc. I have an XP cd from my pc. Could I use my disc to install windows on her pc?

Big Lar · 05-10-2009 8:26pm

Yes you can,

You can use the product key that should be on the case of her PC/Laptop. Just make the sticker is there and legible first eh.

FSL · 05-10-2009 9:00pm

It also has to be the same version if one is XP Home and the other is XP Pro it won't work

Wheety · 05-10-2009 9:25pm

The sticker is there. Both are XP home. Thanks guys.

snappieT · 05-10-2009 9:42pm

Careful now. If you have a Dell copy of XP and she has a HP key, that won't work. Need to match manufacturers (unless they're both retail copies).

Wheety · 05-10-2009 10:09pm

snappieT wrote: »

Careful now. If you have a Dell copy of XP and she has a HP key, that won't work. Need to match manufacturers (unless they're both retail copies).

Uh oh! That's the set up I have here.

Are they not compatible?

Wheety · 06-10-2009 12:46pm

Anyone got more info for this problem?

wolfric · 06-10-2009 1:22pm

Just format and install xp. Worst come to worst you have to ring up the xp serial phone number to tell them the situation so they can activate it over the phone for you.

Big Lar · 06-10-2009 1:27pm

Surely you know someone with an XP disk to suit your needs, Have a check around.

Wheety · 06-10-2009 8:43pm

Big Lar wrote: »

Surely you know someone with an XP disk to suit your needs, Have a check around.

I have an XP disc for my Dell. Snappie said that won't work as the other pc is a HP.

Do you mean to look around for someone with a HP XP disc?

Wheety · 07-10-2009 10:35am

I have found on the Packard Bell website that I can download the boot disc and all the drivers. Is this what I need?

monkeypants · 08-10-2009 6:12pm

The larger manufacturers lock the CD to the BIOS of the machine. They also normally have a product key already coded so that the user isn't asked for it during the install. That may not match what you have on your sticker, but that's not an issue.

You could try it and see if it works. Or you could use a slipstreaming utility and see if the manufacturing stuff could be stripped out. nLite http://www.nliteos.com/ seems to have options to do that.

As an afterthought; you mentioned that you have the product key for Windows. If you ever mislaid it and needed to get if from Windows, the Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder can do it. I used it recently with no problems. Also good for Office and some other programs.

Mac daddy · 08-10-2009 9:22pm

Wheety wrote: »

I have an XP disc for my Dell. Snappie said that won't work as the other pc is a HP.

Do you mean to look around for someone with a HP XP disc?

The OS will install fine the only problem you will have is the HP Tools and drivers will try and install!

Go onto google type in the model nr of your laptop and drivers Xp

Download them put them onto a usb key and install them one by one after installing your OS onto the system again.

Formatting Help

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