XP Pro Installation Disc

[linktoinsanity]

Hi there. Does anyone know if I can use an Retail XP Professional disc that we have to reinstall XP Pro using an OEM key at the bottom of the laptop. We do not have the XP OEM disc as it has a recovery partition that (surprisingly) doesn't work. I'm not asking anything illegal here as we have the OEM key and a retail disc (we have the key for that but it's on another computer), but before I wipe the thing I want to see what you all reckon?

 

[Steve09]

I think as long as the OEM key is for XP Pro it should be ok.

Edit - After a bit of Googling it seems I am wrong You need an OEM CD for an OEM key

 

[swinnie]

I'm pretty sure OEM keys don't work with Retail disks.

 

[linktoinsanity]

I could try a VM first to see what happens (whether it accepts the key) then NOT activate it I suppose, but swinnie, you sure about the OEM key not working with the retail disc? Any other opinions?

 

[Brian Stuart]

Swinnie is right, you do need the OEM disk for an OEM key. They can be quite difficult to find.

 

[Burnsy2023]

Swinnie is right, you do need the OEM disk for an OEM key.

Yep

They can be quite difficult to find.

I have about 7 of the damn things hanging around

 

[Eddie]

I'm having the same problem, looks like you do need an OEM disk for an OEM key, unfortunately.

 

[linktoinsanity]

Yeh, tested on virtual machine and no luck. That's annoying, nevermind.

 

[LizardKing]

It is possible to create a OEM installation disk from a retail disk, its just a case of editing a txt file and re-burning, unfortunately i dont have a How-to to hand and my google skills have failed me but it is possible

 

[linktoinsanity]

It is possible to create a OEM installation disk from a retail disk, its just a case of editing a txt file and re-burning, unfortunately i dont have a How-to to hand and my google skills have failed me but it is possible

OK, thanks - I'll have a look around