Windows reinstall - Will this work & Is it legal?
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I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
You can use their key but you need from exactly the same Windows version including the service pack and the package type/OEM, Retail. Etc./ And yes – this is legal; you just need to find a copy of Windows. I have no idea if it is legal to get a copy from some torrent site, mainly because the copy could be “modified” from the original version.
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Rajesh R Subramanian wrote:
Every OS media from MS comes with its own unique key(s). Their key won't work with your MSDN copy of XP; You will not get past the serial number validation screen.
This is ridiculous. Do you think that MS makes different media for every copy of Windows?!? Regarding my experience you just need from the exactly same version of Windows and all of the keys for this version will fits.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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Well, I'm saying it from my experience on my own HP computer, where the installer won't go past the serial number validation screen.
It is a crappy thing, but it's life -^ Carlo Pallini
But again – this is up to the Windows version. Microsoft doesn’t produce different media with unique serial number for every copy of Windows. In your case it is very likely that the biggest vendors like HP and Dell have their own OEM versions of Windows with different serial number verification algorithm.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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The same exact thing I was talking about - what goes on a DELL machine would be an OEM version, wouldn't it be?. :)
It is a crappy thing, but it's life -^ Carlo Pallini
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Yes - that is exactly what I’m saying.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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But again – this is up to the Windows version. Microsoft doesn’t produce different media with unique serial number for every copy of Windows. In your case it is very likely that the biggest vendors like HP and Dell have their own OEM versions of Windows with different serial number verification algorithm.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
We're talking about a DELL computer here, which would have come with an OEM version of the operating system pre-installed with it and therefore my comments. I could have been clearer though. I'll edit my previous post.
It is a crappy thing, but it's life -^ Carlo Pallini
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I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
The Dell key will not work with the MSDN versions (in my experience). You could borrow a Dell recovery CD from someone else who has an XP based Dell, and use that with your friend's key. That should work and should be legal as far as I can see.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
My latest book : C++/CLI in Action / Amazon.com link -
The Dell key will not work with the MSDN versions (in my experience). You could borrow a Dell recovery CD from someone else who has an XP based Dell, and use that with your friend's key. That should work and should be legal as far as I can see.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
My latest book : C++/CLI in Action / Amazon.com linkDitto with HP as well.
It is a crappy thing, but it's life -^ Carlo Pallini
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I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
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I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
Download and install Ubuntu. No licence problems and stacks of free legal software. Seriously if he hasn't got the media for windows is he going to have the media for office / winzip / WinDVD /any other app he had once legally owned but is now broken? Russell
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You can use their key but you need from exactly the same Windows version including the service pack and the package type/OEM, Retail. Etc./ And yes – this is legal; you just need to find a copy of Windows. I have no idea if it is legal to get a copy from some torrent site, mainly because the copy could be “modified” from the original version.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
Deyan Georgiev wrote:
And yes – this is legal;
No way! Like I already said, it is illegal. Just to confirm it, I had a concierge chat with MS on the subscription site: Rajesh: I won't use a key from my MSDN account, I am asking if I can only use the media from MSDN to install, but I don't want a license from MSDN. Rajesh: If I put the license key which came with the DELL (it is on a sticker), will it work? Carina: I understand that. The MSDN End User License Agreement (EULA) allows each person with an MSDN license to use all of the software that is included in the subscription for development, test, and demonstration purposes only. So it is illegal to use the software even you use another product key to activate it. Carina: It should be work. Rajesh: Thanks, what do you mean by "it should be work"? Carina: As far as I know, if you use the product key which came with the Dell to activate the operating system downloaded through MSDN site, it should be work. However, this is illegal. Rajesh: Thank you very much for explaining.Is there an alternative that you would suggest? Carina: It's my pleasure. Let me search to see if there is any other solution for this, one moment please. Rajesh: Sure, go ahead. Carina: I'm still searching this for you, thanks for your time, Rajesh. Rajesh: Thanks, go ahead. I'll wait. Carina: I just located a similar case, hope this could give you some help, please check it out: Create or obtain legal OEM install XP SP2 Home CD http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/ko-KR/sgsupport/thread/869f625d-268c-40d5-b042-6f2bbd12e907[^] Rajesh: Thank you very much! [Added] A few years back, I tried such a thing with a HP machine and the key was not even accepted and I didn't go past the serial number validation screen (so was the case with Nishant Sivakumar, just refer above and I hadn't known if it was illegal or not either). Now, the executive says even if it DID work, what you're doing is illegal. [/Added]
It is a crappy thing, but it'
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Download and install Ubuntu. No licence problems and stacks of free legal software. Seriously if he hasn't got the media for windows is he going to have the media for office / winzip / WinDVD /any other app he had once legally owned but is now broken? Russell
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I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
Hi Simon, You can create or obtain legal OEM install XP SP2 Home CD[^]. I wish you could have a look at this reply[^] of mine as well, which confirms it would be illegal to use your MSDN media with the DELL serial (even if it works), like I already said.
It is a crappy thing, but it's life -^ Carlo Pallini
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I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
A totally different approach: How broken is the recovery partition? Wiped and overwritten? Or does it just "not work"? If it has not been deliberately wiped, you could try to use a Live-CD to try and boot that partition. You'll have to install a bootmanager, though. I'd suggest "GRUB". The easiest way of getting an auto-configured boot-manager: Install Ubuntu. You can boot from the CD, choose "installation" and then receive a working system within, say, 15 minutes. Just make sure you don't install on the recovery partition. During the startup, GRUB will be offering you different systems to boot, hopefully including the recovery partition. Worked like a charm for me on an ACER system.
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I suspected that, it is listed on MSDN as "home-retail" though.
Simon
Then it might.
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Deyan Georgiev wrote:
And yes – this is legal;
No way! Like I already said, it is illegal. Just to confirm it, I had a concierge chat with MS on the subscription site: Rajesh: I won't use a key from my MSDN account, I am asking if I can only use the media from MSDN to install, but I don't want a license from MSDN. Rajesh: If I put the license key which came with the DELL (it is on a sticker), will it work? Carina: I understand that. The MSDN End User License Agreement (EULA) allows each person with an MSDN license to use all of the software that is included in the subscription for development, test, and demonstration purposes only. So it is illegal to use the software even you use another product key to activate it. Carina: It should be work. Rajesh: Thanks, what do you mean by "it should be work"? Carina: As far as I know, if you use the product key which came with the Dell to activate the operating system downloaded through MSDN site, it should be work. However, this is illegal. Rajesh: Thank you very much for explaining.Is there an alternative that you would suggest? Carina: It's my pleasure. Let me search to see if there is any other solution for this, one moment please. Rajesh: Sure, go ahead. Carina: I'm still searching this for you, thanks for your time, Rajesh. Rajesh: Thanks, go ahead. I'll wait. Carina: I just located a similar case, hope this could give you some help, please check it out: Create or obtain legal OEM install XP SP2 Home CD http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/ko-KR/sgsupport/thread/869f625d-268c-40d5-b042-6f2bbd12e907[^] Rajesh: Thank you very much! [Added] A few years back, I tried such a thing with a HP machine and the key was not even accepted and I didn't go past the serial number validation screen (so was the case with Nishant Sivakumar, just refer above and I hadn't known if it was illegal or not either). Now, the executive says even if it DID work, what you're doing is illegal. [/Added]
It is a crappy thing, but it'
Rajesh R Subramanian wrote:
Carina: It should be work. Rajesh: Thanks, what do you mean by "it should be work"?
"It should be work" means Carina's real name is Madhuri and she works for an off-shore support center in downtown Bangalore :rolleyes:
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
My latest book : C++/CLI in Action / Amazon.com link -
Hi Simon, You can create or obtain legal OEM install XP SP2 Home CD[^]. I wish you could have a look at this reply[^] of mine as well, which confirms it would be illegal to use your MSDN media with the DELL serial (even if it works), like I already said.
It is a crappy thing, but it's life -^ Carlo Pallini
Wow - someone's been running around voting down all your posts in this thread!
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
My latest book : C++/CLI in Action / Amazon.com link -
I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
I would try it anyway. If it works, it's legal. Though you may need to call to activate it.
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I've been asked to wipe a PC for a friend. (It's so trashed with viruses and stuff It's beyond a repair). They don't have their original XP cd, the manufacturer won't supply a replacement, and the re-install partition on the hard drive is also trashed. They do however have their XP serial number & key (it's stuck on the side of the case). Can I install my MSDN copy of windows xp and use their key? Also, from MSDN I can only get Home-retail. Does anyone know if their key will work with this as theirs came pre-installed oem style? is this likely to be a different version with different key requirements. I don't want to go through the whole format/install just to discover the key doesn't work. Two questions really here. 1) Will it actually work? 2) Is it legal?
Simon
The XP version on MSDN is what is known as a volume license. The ones that HP, DELL, etc. use are known as OEM licenses. There is a way to do what you are asking, however, it is not "legal" according to the license agreement that goes with the MSDN versions. Having said that, I don't see why your friend's PC should have to get a new license of Windows when he clearly already has one. What you will need to do is extract the MSDN XP version to your harddisk and modify it to an OEM version - you can also put the key from the side of his computer into it - and then reburn it to a CD and do the install. Also, at the same time, using tools like nlite, you can add in all the service packs, monthly patches, 3rd party drivers, software, etc. that you want into the install. Check on the net for changing the volume XP version to an OEM version. You will find what you are looking for.
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Deyan Georgiev wrote:
And yes – this is legal;
No way! Like I already said, it is illegal. Just to confirm it, I had a concierge chat with MS on the subscription site: Rajesh: I won't use a key from my MSDN account, I am asking if I can only use the media from MSDN to install, but I don't want a license from MSDN. Rajesh: If I put the license key which came with the DELL (it is on a sticker), will it work? Carina: I understand that. The MSDN End User License Agreement (EULA) allows each person with an MSDN license to use all of the software that is included in the subscription for development, test, and demonstration purposes only. So it is illegal to use the software even you use another product key to activate it. Carina: It should be work. Rajesh: Thanks, what do you mean by "it should be work"? Carina: As far as I know, if you use the product key which came with the Dell to activate the operating system downloaded through MSDN site, it should be work. However, this is illegal. Rajesh: Thank you very much for explaining.Is there an alternative that you would suggest? Carina: It's my pleasure. Let me search to see if there is any other solution for this, one moment please. Rajesh: Sure, go ahead. Carina: I'm still searching this for you, thanks for your time, Rajesh. Rajesh: Thanks, go ahead. I'll wait. Carina: I just located a similar case, hope this could give you some help, please check it out: Create or obtain legal OEM install XP SP2 Home CD http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/ko-KR/sgsupport/thread/869f625d-268c-40d5-b042-6f2bbd12e907[^] Rajesh: Thank you very much! [Added] A few years back, I tried such a thing with a HP machine and the key was not even accepted and I didn't go past the serial number validation screen (so was the case with Nishant Sivakumar, just refer above and I hadn't known if it was illegal or not either). Now, the executive says even if it DID work, what you're doing is illegal. [/Added]
It is a crappy thing, but it'
What’s wrong with you? Do you read carefully only your own posts? I said that you need to use the serial number with the exactly same version of Windows and this is EXACTLY what solution the MS support gave to you! Compare their response with my post and find the differences:
DennisChung:
1. Since I own a legit product key and wish to keep it legit, is there a way to create my own OEM install CD for windows XP sp2 home edition? >> There isn't a way to create a OEM install CD apart from the factory that ships it. In your case, its Compaq. I'm really sorry, but i don't have access to an OEM copy as well, so i couldn't get a copy for you. But someone in the community ever highlighted to that one could do a search via search engines for the following keywords; "Windows XP Home SP2 OEM Iso" and managed to locate a copy. I don't recommend that, but you can try at your own risks. Worry is that we are not sure that those un-verified sources delivers a compromised copy of Windows. To be safe, you might want to ask a friend who may have a copy of the install disk that is not Compaq specific. Someone who customizes his computer from the hardware shop and purchased an OEM disk, that is the disk you need to get (generic and not compaq specific). Obtain a copy and you should be able to use your OEM key on that disc.
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word. Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.