Lost XP Home CD

[skipper]

Friend is having problems with XP home and wants to re-install. Can't find the CD but does still have the sticker on the case with the key. (HewPack from Best Buy I believe.) What are options (other than new purchase)? Can we use my XP home CD to boot and then use his key when asked for it? Thanks.

[Jmantiki2721]

Ya!!!
any windows cd will work as long as u have a key!!

[bailey]

as long as it is not a recover cd that came with that system.
and I have a stroung feeling that it was.

and that being the case you will probly end up having to buy a new xp-cd

[skipper]

He hasn't a clue on his CD. I suppose it was one of those recover CD's. Mine is a full version OEM. Are you saying my CD won't work on his system (up to using his key)?

[corosus]

if you want to do a clean istall you could try using his key on your disk, but i don't know if that will work, otherwise you could try to contact HP they should be able to get your friend a new cd for less then a new winXp purchase (since he does not need a licence key)

[Confused]

If his was a XP CD then yours will work.

If his was a recovery CD, then yours might work to load XP but it would be missing any drivers or other information that HP has on the recovery CD.
Chas

[skipper]

Thanks all. It sounds like a definite maybe. I suspect it was a recovery CD and I warned him that none of the other stuff that came on the CD would return when reloading XP.

I read some other posts about repairs, etc. Will try that first before starting all over.

Thanks again.