Installing XP on 10 computers??

vail3r · 26 Aug 2009 at 20:58

I have 10 Computers that need reinstalling with XP but none of them have restore disks. They have the Windows Licence key stuck on the side, is there any way of being able to install XP from one disk and input the key thats on the side?

Alex74 · 26 Aug 2009 at 21:00

If you have an OEM cd with the correct version, then you can use that and just input the License Key on each computer when they reach the appropriate point in installation.

So for example, Windows XP Professional Key on the side: xxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx (or whatever format)

Begin install using any OEM XP Professional disk

Input Key from the side when prompted to do so

Nanobot · 26 Aug 2009 at 21:08

Are they all the same spec inside? Perhaps nlite with all the drivers and service packs? It will still ask for the product key during install depending on which installation mode you use.

theheyes · 26 Aug 2009 at 21:26

What Alex74 said, the CD is just the media. If the disc is consistent with the type of license (retail, OEM, volume) then just input the individual keys when prompted.

Duke · 26 Aug 2009 at 21:33

If they are the same spec, just install use an OEM disk to install one perfectly with updates etc then run sysprep to remove the licence key. Once it shuts down, image the disk onto the others. When they start up, it will ask for the licence key so you can enter each one.

raptormonkey · 26 Aug 2009 at 22:26

Interesting thread. Can i chip in and ask a question? Is there any software out there that i can produce a restore disc for a pc? I always get asked to clean PC's etc and thought it might be a good idea to be able to make a restore disc that i can use if called back to format again!!

vail3r · 26 Aug 2009 at 22:41

Thanks Guys, didnt realise you could just use an OEM disk and type the serial in..

Duke · 27 Aug 2009 at 08:53

raptormonkey said:
Interesting thread. Can i chip in and ask a question? Is there any software out there that i can produce a restore disc for a pc? I always get asked to clean PC's etc and thought it might be a good idea to be able to make a restore disc that i can use if called back to format again!!

A restore disk is only a glorified OEM disk. They are all different, in fact some are just a relabelled standard OEM disk. Some will have fancy menus to enable the end user to image over their broken install or have some additional bits added (shareware, etc). You can basically make your own by using vlite.

theheyes · 27 Aug 2009 at 16:21

raptormonkey said:
Interesting thread. Can i chip in and ask a question? Is there any software out there that i can produce a restore disc for a pc? I always get asked to clean PC's etc and thought it might be a good idea to be able to make a restore disc that i can use if called back to format again!!

Rebuild the PC and use disk imaging software to dump it all to an external hard drive. Then, when it inevitably goes pear shaped, all you do is reload the image onto the hard disk.

I use clonezilla which is brilliant (and free) but the interface might put off some people as it's quite basic. You can restore at an approximate rate of 1GB/minute so if you have a 25GB image it will perhaps take half an hour to restore (needs no user input once started) which is nothing compared to a hands-on rebuild. Then all you do is run software and AV updates and you're pretty much done.

raptormonkey · 27 Aug 2009 at 18:13

Well, as i tend to 'Fix' family and friends PC's, i was thinking that making a recovery disc for each PC would be a good idea.

MikeHunt79 · 27 Aug 2009 at 18:15

raptormonkey said:
Interesting thread. Can i chip in and ask a question? Is there any software out there that i can produce a restore disc for a pc? I always get asked to clean PC's etc and thought it might be a good idea to be able to make a restore disc that i can use if called back to format again!!

You can make an OEM XP cd from a retail CD, but it's a little troublesome.

theheyes · 27 Aug 2009 at 20:04

raptormonkey said:
Well, as i tend to 'Fix' family and friends PC's, i was thinking that making a recovery disc for each PC would be a good idea.

A recovery "disc" though is a bit easier said than done. The recovery disc you often get with computers, as mentioned, is often just an OEM disc that has been re-labeled.

Then on top of that you might have a driver disc, and then maybe another one with additional software. After you've installed these then you can think about installing AV and Office software, restoring browser favourites, inputting wifi keys etc - all this requires you to be in front of the computer. Don't forget, if your fresh install takes up 20GB of disk space it won't just fit on one or two DVD.

The best way to do it is a disk image.