Barrowed XP OEM and Activation Query

[Scream]

I have to sort out a friends Compaq Presario desktop machine but I am unable to use the Recovery Partition and the guy has no CD's.

Anyhow, since he wants the system pronto, I was wonder if it is ok to use a barrowed OEM XP Home CD but use his serial?

Also I have heard reports that folk that have done that couldn't activate it and BIOS files are required in the system folder to get around this.

Cheers for any help.

 

[Kol]

Yep. Assuming it's the same version of Windows (it's the same Home as his serial number relates to), it doesn't matter what cd you use, they're all identical. It goes by serial number.

 

[sammie377]

You will be OK if you have any probs Microsoft will help just tell them whats happened with it being a legal PC they will sort it.

 

[this_is_gav]

they're all identical. It goes by serial number.

Wrong. XP CDs were anything but identical. Random OEM is equal to random OEM CD, but random OEM is not equal to random Dell CD, for instance. You'd need a Dell CD to reinstall on a Dell. Whether this is totally relevant to the OP depends on the exact laptop, but I'd imagine he'd need a Compaq CD (or a new license).

 

[pcmedicni]

Wrong. XP CDs were anything but identical. Random OEM is equal to random OEM CD, but random OEM is not equal to random Dell CD, for instance. You'd need a Dell CD to reinstall on a Dell. Whether this is totally relevant to the OP depends on the exact laptop, but I'd imagine he'd need a Compaq CD (or a new license).

He not exactly wrong,i've personally used a random OEM CD on Dell machines dozens of times,the only time i have ever encountered any problem was with win2000 installs on Dell machines.

 

[Sprite]

I've used Dell CDs on non-Dell machines as well, handy as you don't have to put in a serial key during installation. (Obviously you will when you register it though)

 

[Scream]

I have been looking around and this is a comment I found interesting.

You can use a Dell OEM CD on Dell, HP, Compaq, IBM etc if you have the OEM Bios files from the XP SP2 cd from the hardware specific manufacturer.

I have various posts across the internet regarding Bios files. What I will do is first try to activate over the internet and if that fails I might do the Bios files trick or phone microsoft.