Windows Licences ? with no windows disk

YorkshirePadd26

YorkshirePadd26

YorkshirePadd26

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28 Feb 2007
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York
Basically I've been given a laptop by my older brother and it was pretty much borked so formatted it and reinstalled windows using my own Windows XP CD Retail version.

But as the laptop has its own windows licence and its got the windows number on a sticker on the bottom, can i not some how use the existing windows licence rather than using my licence ?

As now I've tied my version of windows to the laptop ?
I didn't have a Windows CD with the laptop and had to use my early version on Windows Home XP retail to install windows onto the laptop.

Also the same thing has happend to my younger brother computer, it also has a Windows licence on a sticker on the side of the case but no disk to do anything with ! And i've had to use my disk to reinstall windows.

I've asked MS about this via there webmail and had no response and then had my email spammed by all manner of "MS Vista" titled emails that have very interesting links to the some of the freakist **** i ever saw !

Please star out any swearing, even poorly disguised stuff, JG
 
YorkshirePadd26 said:
some of the freakist **** i ever saw !
Click to expand...
I'd cover that up dude :)

Burnsy has put a lot of info in the sticky which answers a lot of it but I'm not entirely sure what you're asking. If you've installed using your own CD, but with the CD keys attached to their computers, then you're perfectly fine. If you've just installed using your own media and key then that breaks the EULA.

Your retail media wouldn't work with an OEM key, you need OEM media for that, which may or may not have come with the computers, depends on the vendor really. If you dont have one then there's not a lot you can do really, short of finding someone who does have one and borrowing it, or reading the sticky (;)). So log as you use the keys on the computers you'd be fine.
 
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To get media for OEM licenses, either talk to your OEM vendor or if it uses System Builder OEM licenses, get replacement media from the link in the sticky. You need to use OEM media with an OEM serial key.

Technically though, you shouldn't have your retail product key on more then one machine at a time :)

Burnsy

Edit: I also suggest you edit that sweary :)
 
Some prebuilt PC's hold the OS install files in a hidden partition. You may only need a "recovery" floppy disk to re-install the OS. Check the support site for the brand of PC you have and see what they say about the OS. You may be able to download the floppy's data and reinstall.
 
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