Never volunteer for anything . . .

bwana

bwana

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A local school was given half a dozen old Compaq PCs that I volunteered to reinstall windows on but no XP installation disk.

The XP product keys are still on the case and I'm going to assume they're included in the deal.

Will any OEM XP Pro installation disk work (assuming I can find one)?

And yes - it has to be windows. As easy as it would be to install Linux that dog wont hunt in this occasion.
 
JUGGY said:
You sure the SP level doesn't make a difference?
Click to expand...

It certainly will. Product keys are related to windows versions (no sp, sp1, sp2, sp3, etc) If the product key is, say, sp1 vintage and you use the latest sp3 disc for installation, the install wiz will reject the key.
 
Grouter said:
It certainly will. Product keys are related to windows versions (no sp, sp1, sp2, sp3, etc) If the product key is, say, sp1 vintage and you use the latest sp3 disc for installation, the install wiz will reject the key.
Click to expand...
The stickers say

Windows XP Professional 1 - 2CPU
Compaq Computers

I'm guessing no SP?
 
There goes your saturday... nice guys finish last.

Would have been good to give them the cds and let the kids install windows themselves as an assignment.
 
bwana said:
The stickers say

Windows XP Professional 1 - 2CPU
Compaq Computers

I'm guessing no SP?
Click to expand...

Right. Considering as you say they are old PC's, probably 1st gen XP.

I have a number of discs available when doing re-installs for clients. You use their key from the sticker, and more often than not the disc rejects it. It's such a pain in the a%%.
At least with vista you can do the install, then enter a product key once you've booted into the OS.
 
Grouter said:
Right. Considering as you say they are old PC's, probably 1st gen XP.

I have a number of discs available when doing re-installs for clients. You use their key from the sticker, and more often than not the disc rejects it. It's such a pain in the a%%.
At least with vista you can do the install, then enter a product key once you've booted into the OS.
Click to expand...
I was certain I had one too but nada.

ponder said:
Prep one PC then image the rest.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much what I intend on doing.
 
I've reinstalled numerous PC's with SP2/SP3 using the original XP (non sp) OEM keys and everything worked fine. Only time I've encountered issues is when using an incorrect version of XP (retail vs. OEM disc), or an extended evaluation key (read pirate). :)
 
JUGGY said:
I would imagine the best option would be if you could find the Compaq recovery CD.
Click to expand...
I imagine it would be. :)

Enchanter said:
I've reinstalled numerous PC's with SP2/SP3 using the original XP (non sp) OEM keys and everything worked fine. Only time I've encountered issues is when using an incorrect version of XP (retail vs. OEM disc), or an extended evaluation key (read pirate). :)
Click to expand...
For the sake of the exercise I'm going to have to assume the stickers on the cases are legit.
 
Grouter said:
Good plan - find a key that works, then image all the machines. Then use this to update the keys and make them all legal.
Click to expand...
Is that much different to Magical Jelly Bean's Keyfinder?
 
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