Lost OEM CD

  • Thread starter Thread starter bxb7668
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bxb7668

My PC hard drive crashed causing me to need to reinstall Windows. I've
lost the OEM Windows XP Pro CD. I cannot call the vendor as they've
gone out of business. I do have the product key. Can I use another
dealers OEM CD? Or a retail CD or even a volume license CD? Or am I
just out of luck?

Brian
 
You can use another Microsoft XP Pro OEM CD (if that is what you had
originally), and only that CD, retail or VLM CD's won't work with your key.
 
bxb7668 said:
My PC hard drive crashed causing me to need to reinstall Windows. I've
lost the OEM Windows XP Pro CD. I cannot call the vendor as they've
gone out of business. I do have the product key. Can I use another
dealers OEM CD? Or a retail CD or even a volume license CD? Or am I
just out of luck?

Brian
Click to expand...
If you have an OEM Key you need an OEM CD.
Retail = Retail
etc.
And it has to be a PRO cd not Home etc.
The key follows the type.

I would also guess that the manufacturer OEM would make some difference,
as my Dell Laptop has a lot of Dell changes made post install. But it
also comes with Dell drivers and thats more the issue.

This may not help but... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326246
 
My PC hard drive crashed causing me to need to reinstall Windows. I've
lost the OEM Windows XP Pro CD. I cannot call the vendor as they've
gone out of business. I do have the product key. Can I use another
dealers OEM CD?
Click to expand...


Is yours a generic OEM copy, rather than one from a major OEM, such as
Dell or Gateway? If it's generic, you can use other generic OEM CD of
XP Professional (not XP Home). It's the product key that represents
your license, not the CD.

Or a retail CD or even a volume license CD?
Click to expand...


No, neither of those will work with your product key.
 
Ken Blake said:
Is yours a generic OEM copy, rather than one from a major OEM, such
as
Dell or Gateway? If it's generic, you can use other generic OEM CD
of
XP Professional (not XP Home). It's the product key that represents
your license, not the CD.


No, neither of those will work with your product key.
Click to expand...
Thank you, Ken. That's what I thought. Now I just need to find a
generic Win XP Pro OEM CD. I think that I've got one somewhere.

Brian
 
Thank you, Ken. That's what I thought. Now I just need to find a
generic Win XP Pro OEM CD. I think that I've got one somewhere.
Click to expand...


You're welcome. Glad to help.

You can even borrow one from a friend, as long as you use your own
product key.
 
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