I need to reformat a PC of mine. It came from the MFR with a copy of XP installed but unfortunately I've lost the restore CD. I still have the XP license number since its stamped to the bottom of the computer and its still installed on the PC right now. Is there anywhere I can legally download an ISO of Windows? Would I be able to get a disc if I called Microsoft?
Surely downloading it from anywhere would be legal, since you own an authentication key?
Yep, even microsoft offers it, or did before it went EOL, you can legally download 7, so I don't see why not XP.
You could probably find a torrent of an original ISO.
The difficulty is you can't just download "Windows XP" the same way you can now download Windows 7. Each XP license is tied to a certain OEM version so you will likely have to ask for a disk from your PC manufacturer and pay $20-$30.
This will vary, I have WinXP Dell PCs at work, the disc was lost in time, I just used my own WinXP Home disc with the key on the case, activated fine.Originally Posted by TurtleBay
Its possible MS has removed or reduced the rules in order to not have WinXP activation problems tie up resources.
It's not. XP Home/XP MC/XP Pro/XP Pro C are the only different versions of discs. Dell etc are pre-activated, although install perfectly fine on other laptops, but the licence won't activate; just change the key and activate online works fine in that case.
Having installed countless Windows XP oem keys on ISO image discs of Windows XP Home & Pro, whether it be HP, Dell, Acer, Compaq, IBM, Gateway, eMachines, etc, as long as the key is an OEM key it should work on an OEM disc.
As for an OEM key on a retail or upgrade disc or Windows XP Media Center disc, that's where it won't work.
torrent it, does not matter, use what ever key is included in the download.
Then download the microsoft key update software and run it put in your legal liscences and you are good to go.
actually you can put in no key and it will give you a 30 day trail, then use the update tool and you are all legal, can't believe this is not common knowledge on a site like this.
link to update tool: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...ne/product-key
Last edited by tbogstad; 08-11-2012 at 11:38 PM.
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