Re-installing windows xp pro

Clanket

If anyone can help me with this I'd be much appreciated.

I'm looking to re-install windows on a work pc that I'm now using at home. It had a few problems a few years back and we stopped using it. It was gathering dust so brought it home and I'd now like to start from scratch.

The only problem is I dont have any of the system disks.

It's a HP Compaq dx2200 microtower.

It's running Windows XP Pro.

It has the XP Pro tag with the product key on it.

I tried to do this with another computer a couple of years back but was unable to find out how. I eventually used an old box copy of windows xp we had sitting in work. I'm assuming I will not be able to use this again as I still run the other pc with this copy.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance.

Al.

Fysh

The Product Key you've got on your Certificate of Authenticity is what the licence relates to. If you have an installation disc you can use this so long as you put in the right Product Key.

You may have a problem using an OEM Product Key with the Retail media, however.

Clanket

I dont have the installation disk. That's my problem. Can it be done without it?

What you mean the retail media?

Fysh

Alofthedunnes wrote: »

I dont have the installation disk. That's my problem. Can it be done without it?

No.

Alofthedunnes wrote: »

What you mean the retail media?

For any given version of Windows (Home/Pro) you have several editions - Retail (full installation media, will work on any computer that has supported hardware), OEM (branded installation media supplied by a hardware vendor, with a licence tied to the computer's motherboard, and which may be restricted/altered such that it will only work with computers made by that vendor) and Corporate (uses Volume Licence Keys and a different activation mechanism, linked to the Volume Licence Agreements used by large corporations).

Product Keys aren't transferable across different editions, so if you try to use an OEM key with Corporate or Retail media you'll probably run into problems.

Capt'n Midnight

The COA is almost certainly OEM

so you would need to borrow either a non-branded OEM windows XP pro CD or a Compaq branded one ( though maybe a HP one might work depending on the age )

-Corkie-

I am sorry to bump this thread but I have the same computer at home and I wiped the hdd clean.

I have no disks for windows so I used the ones that came with my dell laptop but when the pc restarts I get a message saying disk error...

What can i do to sort this? Can I connect the computer to my laptop??

Again sorry about the old thread.

Fysh

-Corkie- wrote: »

I am sorry to bump this thread but I have the same computer at home and I wiped the hdd clean.

I have no disks for windows so I used the ones that came with my dell laptop but when the pc restarts I get a message saying disk error...

What can i do to sort this? Can I connect the computer to my laptop??

Again sorry about the old thread.

The Windows disk you've used almost certainly has different drivers for the disk controller and hard drive than the ones needed for your Compaq machine. Fixing this is pretty awkward at the best of times, and realistically you would be better off using the right install disc to begin with.

-Corkie-

Fysh wrote: »

The Windows disk you've used almost certainly has different drivers for the disk controller and hard drive than the ones needed for your Compaq machine. Fixing this is pretty awkward at the best of times, and realistically you would be better off using the right install disc to begin with.

I havent the original disks anymore. If I purchased these disks would they do??? http://www.adverts.ie/software/origianl-windows-xp-cd-with-book/622834?ct=1#comment_3770919

Fysh

-Corkie- wrote: »

I havent the original disks anymore. If I purchased these disks would they do??? http://www.adverts.ie/software/origianl-windows-xp-cd-with-book/622834?ct=1#comment_3770919

The COA is the Certificate of Authenticity - the Microsoft sticker with a hologram and serial number on the back or side of the computer.

Those discs are very unlikely to work as they're from Dell computers.

-Corkie-

Fysh wrote: »

The COA is the Certificate of Authenticity - the Microsoft sticker with a hologram and serial number on the back or side of the computer.

Those discs are very unlikely to work as they're from Dell computers.

I have that sticker on my PC allright with the letters and numbers. Any idea where I would get a copy of windows.

Fysh

-Corkie- wrote: »

I have that sticker on my PC allright with the letters and numbers. Any idea where I would get a copy of windows.

Unfortunately at this point you'd be looking at the likes of Adverts.ie or ebay.ie. Ebay has a few US-bound sellers listing Compaq desktop restore CDs that might help you (see here) but beyond that it's down to what you can find in the second-hand market. Good luck!

-Corkie-

Fysh wrote: »

Unfortunately at this point you'd be looking at the likes of Adverts.ie or ebay.ie. Ebay has a few US-bound sellers listing Compaq desktop restore CDs that might help you (see here) but beyond that it's down to what you can find in the second-hand market. Good luck!

Cheers..:)

Lazarus2.0

I've a HP XP Pro CD around here somewhere .. PM me an address and I'll pop it in the post for you .

-Corkie-

nessyguin wrote: »

I've a HP XP Pro CD around here somewhere .. PM me an address and I'll pop it in the post for you .

Cheers pm sent.