Windows XP validation

[ruth29]

I have been reading some articles on both xp and vista and some of the things I have been reading is that most of the brand name computer s that are bought already have the windows installed on them and they have a little partition on the hard drive where the information is for this computer. such as the device drives and the windows programs. I also read as lots of the hard dives you buy now do not last that long so a new one could be required for this computer and if that happened you would not have a copy of your windows. Therefore besides buying a new hard drive you would have to go buy a windows program as well is this true.
What if you had your hard drive imaged could you copy it to a new hard drive . They mentioned something about the BIOS being set as well/
I have two children whose computers were bought like this. I have windows XP disk of my own would there be any way that if I had their number for their windows that I could use my disk to copy windows onto their computers. It has not happened and hope it doesn`t but would like to be prepared.
I do hope you understand what I am talking about. Thanks

[jeverett87]

I think that partition youre refering to is probably a recovery partition for that computer. I know companies like HP now-a-days instead of selling a computer with a windows disk they come with a recovery partition. HD failure probably wasnt taken into account on that one.

The computers should have an authentic windows sticker somewhere on them with a windows key. If you had an XP disk and these computers had XP, you could use your disk with the product key found on the computers.

[glc]

You need to make your own recovery disks from the partition. All manufacturers but Dell ship with a utility to do this. Dell doesn't, because you can buy a recovery set from them for $10.

Your XP disk may or may not work with the OEM CD key.

[ruth29]

Thanks was just wondering have the recovery made but I found in the old HP computers any changes to the computer at all the recovery disks didn`t work. Used to have to start with the windows disk and reformat to get in and therefore the recovery disks only were of use for the device drivers so just presumed the ones they are installing on the hard drive works the same.
Thanks anyway guess I will hope it doesn`t happen . Worse comes to worse guess they can buy the disk.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by ruth29 What if you had your hard drive imaged could you copy it to a new hard drive.

You could make an image of the drive now, but if that machine has been in use for sometime and is full of personal files, that image is going to be quite large.
A back up image is best made directly after a fresh Windows install before any personal files have been loaded onto the machine.