Lxcivic2k1

My parents have an HP computer that we don't use anymore and it has Windows XP Home Edition installed on it but since its an HP I don't have the boot CD but I do have the product key, since its on the tower itself. I was wondering if there was a way of contacting Microsoft for a new CD.
I mainly want to do this to play with the computer since its not really of any use and I have my old 754 and agp parts that I could add to it to make it run better. So if I OC it and I fry it, no big deal, even have a spare AMD64 2800+ and it has an AMDXP 2600+ in it

JoBlo69

there should be a separate boot partition on the hdd that has the install files for windows on it...

When you first turn on the computer, after the bios screen, look for something that says "recovery console" press whatever button it asks for, then it will guide you through a windows install from the separate partition...

OEM manufactures like dell, hp, ibm, whatever, all use the standard OEM install of windows, plus whatever crap ware they think is necessary...

So a standard OEM disk of xp home will work with the reg key you have. So if you can find a disk, then its easy to do...

Microsoft wont send you a disk. you have an OEM copy of windows which means zero support from MS. You need to contact the OEM distributer, in this case HP to get a new disk. But since the install is probably on a separate partition on the hdd, then there is no cd at all....

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Asce

Its normally F10, F11 or F12 but check on HP's website

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billbartuska

A has been said, there is no CD available, either from MS or HP.

Some pre-planning now will save you a lot of grief when, (not if) you fry it.

Write down the the product key and keep it in a safe and easy to find place.
Get an OEM XP disk now. They can be had form the usual sources. Get the latest BIOS file from HP for the machine. Get the DOS mode BIOS flashing program from HP. Make the BIOS flash disk with the new BIOS on it, label it and keep it in a safe and easy to find place, preferably together with the product key. If you do these thing beforehand you'll be prepared when you fubar the OS, the BIOS, and/or the HDD.

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TestECull

Find someone who is happy with Vista and has an OEM XP disc, I'm sure they'll be willing to give you their old disk

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You're not going to be able to OC on that OEM HP motherboard, just FYI.

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dralb

Correct me if I am wrong, but once you change anything, it will ask you to validate the key. OEM keys are no longer reusable. You will probably get a propt to call MS to explain what has changed to get a new key. OEM keys are non-transferable so once you change the PC, the OEM key is void. FYI, MS consideres a new mobo a new PC. GL

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