I need to reformat my Mom's pc due to multiple problems. You name the error and she's got it. My ? is, she lost her XP installation cd, I do have her code though. Can I use my cd and her code?

Should work. Sometimes they might not, depending on retail vs OEM versions etc

How do I find out for sure. Hate to reformat b4 I know. They are both full versions and they are OEM.

I'm going for it as we speak.
If it don't work, you'll read about it in the paper.."Mother kills son by sticking a pc up his.......":laughs:

Worked like a charm. Thank God.......

Originally posted by fishaholic18
Worked like a charm. Thank God.......

Glad to know we won't be watching about your death on television and that your install worked. Hope all goes well with the reinstall.

:D

Got it done , runs great.
I got so involved in setting this thing up, I didn't realize it was 4:30 am. Oh well, at least it's done.:eek:

The CD key is not matched up to a CD it is tied to the PC. If you tried to use your CD key it would work but when you tried to update through windows update you will not be allowed to update the PC. What you need to do is get a copy of a CD key from a corporate version and it will work on multiple PCs....Did I say that out loud ;)

Tell me more.;)

Maybe I can trade one for some somkin' top secret fishing spots...:)

Well the cd key you get is tied a single PC so if a a corporation has 3000 PCs they will need 3000 keys which is a huge pain in the a$$ to manage so Microshaft sells a corporate license (HUGE dollars) so a corporation only has to track one key. If you get your hands on the "corporate key" you can install it on any PC and not have to worry about the updates.

The problem with a non corporate key is that you cannot update your PC on windws update if the key does not match the PC.

XP full is ~250$ for the full version....~250$ X xmillion copies = CHA CHING!!!

Little does one know that there are backdoored versions of corporate versions of XP going around that transmits information to Microsoft, who then sics their very well paid lawyers on your butt.

I wouldn't take a chance on these.

Originally posted by lurch

The problem with a non corporate key is that you cannot update your PC on windws update if the key does not match the PC.
[/B]

Sure you can. Install XP anyway, and then call the number provided if the software bitches, and tell them you upgraded the motherboard and CPU components in your no-name PC

That works if the original key belongs to you but if you gave them a cd key that belongs to another person you get nothing.

I forget now when they ask you to register your copy.

Just make sure you get one from a reliable source.

Microsoft "black balls" keys that have been called in numerous times. If you call with one of these trying to get a new hardware ID, you wont get nuttin from em.

There is a way to....well I cant say that now can I. What I can say is Microsoft made the winlogin file succeptable to cracking. However they made it tougher to work with in Service Pack 2.

There is ways around everything.

Nothing is "uncrackable".

The attempts on audio cd protection lasted about 4 hours.
Flexlm (hardware key) was cracked in 45 minutes.
WinXP Retail protection fell in an hour.

Sure, they fell.

But XP is not uncrackable.

A few people are going to jail for using illegal XP.

I'm going to a halfway house for software piracy.

And, oh, Likwid, your friend Zig_1 from IRC_BOSTON also is going to jail for it.

Take my advice, don't be dumb.

MSDN.

I'm legal. :D