Can XP retail version be used to do a repair on XP OEM

[phantomtres]

My son has a problem with his computer. He said when tries to start it a message comes up that windows is missing some files and he needs to to a repair. His system is an emachine with XP OEM Home edition. He doesn't know where his restore CD's are. I have an XP retail Home edition, can it be used to do the repair and if it can how? He said he doesn't know what happened that affected the computer because there are about 4 family members that use it and nobody seems to know what happend? Thanks.

[ktkendall]

Should be no problem, I think as long as your using xp home disk to do a repair on an existing xp home load. A repair installation is done by booting from the XP cdrom, and going in just as if you are going to install windows, thus letting it boot to the windows setup program. When it scans your harddrive it will detect the already installed winxp load and then ask you if you want to do a full installation or just repair the existing installation. As long as you choose the "repair existing", it will do so and also keep all you existing data and programs intact. I do believe you will have to redo windows updates though, which will include SP2 if it isn't included on the disk you will be using. You should not have to reactivate windows since you are not changing out any hardware.