Windows XP - CD Keys

NickM · 14 Jan 2006 at 12:27

I have been given a laptop which has no OS or recovery CDs with an OS on. It has a windows XP Pro oem sticker on the bottom with a CD key. The only pro cd I have is a 120-day trial. My question is would the oem cd key work with the pro trial cd?

thanks

marc2003 · 14 Jan 2006 at 12:51

a short answer for you - no.

NickM · 14 Jan 2006 at 13:03

damn... so I how can I install pro?
edit: well i'm guessing its an oem key anyway, its on the bottom of my sony vaio and says "Windows XP Professional 1-2CPU. Sony Corporation".

Sagi3 · 14 Jan 2006 at 18:00

Get in contact with MS and they will sell you the upgrade

SB118 · 14 Jan 2006 at 21:42

Find a mate with a Pro CD, then install it on your machine using your cd-key.

ps3ud0 · 15 Jan 2006 at 03:43

Probably had a hidden recovery partition - tho I guess you would some kinda CD to initiate that though...

As has been said above, just use a friends OEM CD and you should be fine, just make sure its a generic backup though...

ps3ud0 :cool:

NickM · 15 Jan 2006 at 11:10

Ok, thanks guys

Caged · 15 Jan 2006 at 11:47

It wont work. Each large OEM (Sony, Dell, HP, Acer, Toshiba . . ) get their own Product ID, a Sony key will not work with a standard OEM Windows disc, you need a Sony disc.

SB118 · 15 Jan 2006 at 16:15

They may have changed this recently as i've used generic OEM discs on HP & Sony machines without problem. (apart from having to ring up to activate)

NickM · 15 Jan 2006 at 20:47

If I call sony will they send me a replacement oem cd?

SB118 · 15 Jan 2006 at 21:00

Nope, most machines come with a recovery partition these days, if you've not got that, they can make some money out of you

vince3 · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:56

Did you get a maunual with the PC? That should tell you about recovery. If you don't have a manual you should be able to download it from www.sony.co.uk

It's just possible there is a CD image of your OS on the HDD somewhere. I'm not sure how you'd view the contents of a hidden partition: just an idea though.

NickM · 16 Jan 2006 at 15:02

vince, it was my dads laptop and he managed to lose all the recovery cds/manuals etc.... I only got it because Windows was screwed up that I had to use fdisk to wipe it probably remove anything that might have been there.

vince3 · 16 Jan 2006 at 16:40

If you've already wiped it, then it looks like you've got a 'naked PC'.
So in addition to Windows you'll have to get drivers and so on. The Sony site may help with the latter - worth checking this link http://www.vaio-link.com/downloads/register/register.asp?l=en&p=preinstalled
If you find all you need then for Windows your best bet may be a search for the cheapest retail copy - a friend of mine got a sealed boxed 'used' XP for £75 from Amazon. I had a quick look and there is one for £68.50. A retail version is at least transportable if you were to get a new PC without an OS sometime.

NickM · 16 Jan 2006 at 18:37

ok, thanks

Gimpymoo · 16 Jan 2006 at 23:40

You maybe able to get the "REAL" recovery discs from sony for less than that of the OS.. then again, probably not.

crashuk · 21 Jan 2006 at 01:20

before you do anything run this
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

gives you the cd key check it against the sticker.

copy the i386 folder burn it, then

you need to make a boot disk. then get into dos

format the C partition you've created, then go to the CD drive, go into the I386 folder, and run the WINNT.EXE command.

crashuk · 21 Jan 2006 at 01:25

or get 3rd party tool like "ghost" to make a image of you hdd with the os on it ( dont format till after you made the image" burn it to a cd.

NickM · 21 Jan 2006 at 08:16

to late, I wiped it a while ago

VeNT · 21 Jan 2006 at 10:04

Caged said:
It wont work. Each large OEM (Sony, Dell, HP, Acer, Toshiba . . ) get their own Product ID, a Sony key will not work with a standard OEM Windows disc, you need a Sony disc.

your wrong, sorry, I just reintalled windows on a Sony Vaio laptop (6 months old and got its first virus) with a generic OEM CD I have for XP Pro.
I've done the same on a dell recently (older model tho) and