operating system coa?

kain666 · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:08

ok so my parents got a new computer and wanted me to reinstall the operating system (xp) to make it faster. it has a coa sticker on the side of the case but how can i be sure that this is the code used to install the operating system?

Hagar · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:11

Is it an OEM computer, Dell, HP etc. if so you need to use their OEM disk. It may be that there is a restore partition with the system on there.

Beerbaron · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:12

there are software you can download which will tell you the xp licence key being used

kain666 · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:23

what software?? it is a oem machine but i havent got a disk.

Beerbaron · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:26

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/productkeysactivation/tp/topkeyfinder.htm

James_200sx · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:28

I have done this before with std OEM disk.

CaptainCrash · 7 Jun 2011 at 13:47

A standard OEM XP disc *should* always work with the key on the COA sticker, or at least I've never yet encountered a situation where it didn't.

You could also use a retail disc if you create an ISO (or obtain one from MSDN/Technet), edit /i386/setupp.ini so that the last three digits of the PID read "OEM" instead of "000", then reburn the disc. nLite is handy for doing this, as well as other customisations of course.

demonix · 7 Jun 2011 at 16:03

All computers nowadays have their OS (and garbage that comes with it) installed from a generic OEM image which used a manufacturer OEM code (which is already activated and can be used to install updates but can't be activated on a new install) so it is most likely that the key finder will most likely show you this manufacturer OEM code.