Can I Install XP With Restore Disc(s)?

DumNDuMMer

I have 2 Machines I wish to install Windows XP on. One is a Compaq Presario 1700 from which I already deleted it's temporary OS and another machine I've recently received, a Gateway P4. Both machines have had their hard drives wiped clean although both have their XP Home Edition COA stickers and I was wondering if I would need to buy a full XP version for each or could a restore disc handle this?

Thrax

Both machines will need their respective restore discs to use the COA, but provided you have them, the OS can be restored.

mtrox

Thrax wrote:

Both machines will need their respective restore discs to use the COA, but provided you have them, the OS can be restored.

Thrax I could swear I've done it with other restore disks, but they have to be for the identical version of XP.....like "XP Home SP1".

DumNDuMMer

Thrax wrote:

Both machines will need their respective restore discs to use the COA, but provided you have them, the OS can be restored.

That's the thing, I do not have restore discs for either machine. I've been searching around everywhere to see if I could find some type of "universal boot disc?" and I think I just ended up getting my hopes up. With the Compaq Laptop. I used 3 Compaq QuickRestore discs that I got from my Compaq Desktop, which deleted the OS. For the Gateway computer, I don't know about this one. Only thing I could do here was completely erase the HD to get it to work to the point where I just need to load an OS. I had found an iso file from a site or 2 for some type of "Recovery CD" to help me load Windows XP Home Edition and it looked like it was going to work only that it actually didn't since it says EULA was missing.

mtrox

Here's what I know DumNDuMMer. I've used other restore disks but like I said, they have to be the identical version of XP...same service pack, blah, blah, blah. Then the CD Key on the side of the machine will work. It seems to me that all restore disks, regardless of the OEM logo on them, use the same alogarithm for the CD keys as long as they are the same version.

Any chance Gateway can get you a restore disk for that machine? Might just be a $10 problem.

DumNDuMMer

mtrox wrote:

Here's what I know DumNDuMMer. I've used other restore disks but like I said, they have to be the identical version of XP...same service pack, blah, blah, blah. Then the CD Key on the side of the machine will work. It seems to me that all restore disks, regardless of the OEM logo on them, use the same alogarithm for the CD keys as long as they are the same version.

Any chance Gateway can get you a restore disk for that machine? Might just be a $10 problem.

It's more like "buy a new machine and we'll give you a restore or reinstall disc". Thanks for the suggestion although Gateway was of no help whatsoever. I was thinking of buying a XP Home Edition disc without SP1 or SP2 and maybe with that I would be able to install XP on both machines, but I don't know so I thought I would ask first. Only discs I have are as follows: (1) Compaq Recovery CD ; (3) Compaq QuickRestore CDs and (3) HP System Recovery CDs. Will any of these help?

mtrox

DumNDuMMer wrote:

It's more like "buy a new machine and we'll give you a restore or reinstall disc". Thanks for the suggestion although Gateway was of no help whatsoever.

I can't think of a better reason not to buy a Gateway. Wait a minute...yes I can. They are the same company as eMachines. That's a great reason to avoid a Gateway!!

DumNDuMMer wrote:

(1) Compaq Recovery CD ; (3) Compaq QuickRestore CDs and (3) HP System Recovery CDs. Will any of these help?

I don't know for sure. All I know is what I've done in the past. I did use a Compaq disk on a Dell and it worked with the sticker on the bottom of the Dell. I've used Dell disks on other machines that worked with the CD key on the sticker. But it has failed many times when the recovery disk I tried was the wrong version.

Just try them. You'll know as soon as you plug in the CD key.

DumNDuMMer

mtrox wrote:

I can't think of a better reason not to buy a Gateway. Wait a minute...yes I can. They are the same company as eMachines. That's a great reason to avoid a Gateway!!



I don't know for sure. All I know is what I've done in the past. I did use a Compaq disk on a Dell and it worked with the sticker on the bottom of the Dell. I've used Dell disks on other machines that worked with the CD key on the sticker. But it has failed many times when the recovery disk I tried was the wrong version.

Just try them. You'll know as soon as you plug in the CD key.

I think I actually can get a hold of some eMachine discs (since I do need to anyhow). So um... will eMachine recovery/restore disc(s) work with Gateway? I'd love to kill 2 birds with one stone like this instead of actually killing 2 machines with the same disc.

mtrox

DumNDuMMer wrote:

will eMachine recovery/restore disc(s) work with Gateway?

Again, it doesn't matter whose logo is on the recovery disk. It's the version of XP and whether the CD key on the side of case is a valid key for that version.

GrayFox

You need to track down a copy of xp home oem. (Not retail or upgrade)

Since you have a legitimate coa you can try using google to find a compatable cd.

DumNDuMMer

GrayFox wrote:

You need to track down a copy of xp home oem. (Not retail or upgrade)

Since you have a legitimate coa you can try using google to find a compatable cd.

I've learned my lesson with downloading (that's how I messed up the eMachine I've been trying to restore back to XP Home), although I was wondering if buying a new copy of XP Home Edition OEM would help? I mean, the machines in which I'm trying to install Windows have their XP COA but I don't think they came with SP1 (and I'm sure not SP2 either). I need to reinstall XP on about 3 machines, 1 Gateway, 1 eMachine, and 1 Compaq Laptop... If a OEM copy helps, then I will buy one, install XP on the machines I need to and then just resell the key on ebay or something.

mtrox

mtrox wrote:

I've done it with other restore disks, but they have to be for the identical version of XP.....like "XP Home SP1".

mtrox wrote:

I've used other restore disks but like I said, they have to be the identical version of XP...same service pack, blah, blah, blah.

mtrox wrote:

Again, it doesn't matter whose logo is on the recovery disk. It's the version of XP and whether the CD key on the side of case is a valid key for that version.

One disk would work with 3 machines only if the CD key on the COA sticker was for the same version of XP as the one disk....kinda like I said a few times above... Then your scenario would work. I think it's highly unlikely that all three are the identicle version, and even less likely you are going to buy a new OEM disk that matches a 2002 version of XP.

But some new disks for the 3 machines and consider it a lesson learned.

DumNDuMMer

mtrox wrote:

One disk would work with 3 machines only if the CD key on the COA sticker was for the same version of XP as the one disk....kinda like I said a few times above... Then your scenario would work. I think it's highly unlikely that all three are the identicle version, and even less likely you are going to buy a new OEM disk that matches a 2002 version of XP.

But some new disks for the 3 machines and consider it a lesson learned.

I was checking on ebay and they have some 2002 versions, full and upgrade and I'm looking for the full version and before I do start to get on your nerves with my repetitive questions, I have a last one... would an XP 2002 version work any of the 3 machines?

xodusss

This is a problem that probably has over a million results in Google.
For some reason, the answer varies from one cd to another, and from one
pc to another. Although my site has the driver downloads for most gateway
units, and probably has support for thousands of models, I only have restore cd's available for probably 40 units or so.

Restore cd's themselves are probably not the answer. Depending on which cd set originally came with your unit as shipped, they vary widely. Some cd's are made strictly for your exact model. If you try to restore a different unit, the built in restore program on the cd won't recognize your unit as the right one and will cancel the restoration. They usually try to restore your unit to it's exact configuration as shipped which includes all the bull*())& software you don't want or need.

As far as the OS goes, any restore cd's I have with a Windows OS will install on most units if you bypass the restore program, and just install the OS and drivers on an individual one at a time basis.

Let's take a Gateway E4000 for example. I have the complete restore cd. I have viewers that have used it on various units and the restore program worked flawlessly.
I have others who have used it, and the built in restore progam would fail, but they were still able to install all drivers, any applications they wanted including the OS by using the exe file for that app or driver.

If you have your original xp cd key on file, on your pc label or case, you can reinstall from most xp cd's whether it was made for your unit or not. I've heard from dozens of my site viewers that all that was necessary after installation was going through the Microsoft oobe program already in your Windows file to pull up your activation screen, and get a new activation key over the phone from MS.
Many times, if you have a legal key, there is no charge from MS to do that.
I've also used the oobe code myself a dozen times or more to simply go in, change my cd key to one of the legal keys I have, and the Windows Os would activate automatically without contact with MS at all.

It just depends on your system