Windows XP Home Edition?

[HPuser]

I got my dad a new PC. I have his old one and I'm needing a copy of XP Home Edition to format it and reinstall the OS. It originally came with the disc but he cant locate it. Is there anywhere to download a legal copy. I have the COA sticker with the original Key on it thats still on the side of the machine. I just need the disc to boot to so I can get it done. I currently have Zorin installed but I plan to sell the desktop and I figure most would want the XP Home on it as lots of folks aren't familiar with Linux. Thanks for any help.

[v.laurie]

One of Microsoft's many unfriendly consumer practices is that there is no legitimate way to download a copy of Windows XP. There are sites with copies of XP but they are illegal and can be infected. You can try to get a disc from the original manufacturer of the PC. Note that even if you downloaded a copy of Windows XP, it would not necessarily have the correct drivers for your particular PC's hardware.

[HPuser]

Thanks for the reply. Thats a bummer. Wonder if Emachine will charge for a disc if I ask them for one.

[HPuser]

I went to Emachines website and on the recovery disc says XP disc are no longer supplied per Microsofts regulations.

[Doobie]

Originally Posted by HPuser

I have the COA sticker with the original Key on it thats still on the side of the machine.

Even if you got hold of a random copy of XP Home, the key on the sticker won't work. One of MS's tools to fight "piracy" is to tie keys to specific OEM runs of XP. Ironically, this isn't a problem for pirates, just for legitimate users.

If you want to be legit, put a copy of Linux on it.

[HPuser]

Originally Posted by Doobie

Even if you got hold of a random copy of XP Home, the key on the sticker won't work. One of MS's tools to fight "piracy" is to tie keys to specific OEM runs of XP. Ironically, this isn't a problem for pirates, just for legitimate users.

If you want to be legit, put a copy of Linux on it.

Well I done installed Linux and for myself its ok but others may not like it. I didnt know this about the keys as I've fixed several windows 7 and XP Pro computers and used the key on the machines to activate them. I dont understand why XP Home wouldn't work. I just dont have a XP Home disc.

[Doobie]

Originally Posted by HPuser

Well I done installed Linux and for myself its ok but others may not like it. I didnt know this about the keys as I've fixed several windows 7 and XP Pro computers and used the key on the machines to activate them. I dont understand why XP Home wouldn't work. I just dont have a XP Home disc.

Windows Pro versions aren't as locked down as Home versions.

[Remah]

Originally Posted by Doobie

Even if you got hold of a random copy of XP Home, the key on the sticker won't work. One of MS's tools to fight "piracy" is to tie keys to specific OEM runs of XP. Ironically, this isn't a problem for pirates, just for legitimate users.

If you want to be legit, put a copy of Linux on it.

Most random XP Home Edition CDs will be Retail rather than OEM so you can use them on any computer with a "generic" OEM license.

"Generic" OEM CDs can also be used for any OEM license. All my OEM XP Home CDs have exactly the same image which has worked with every license key (Retail and OEM but not Volume License) that I have used.

It is only "non-generic" OEM CDs, such as Dell's, that check the hardware and will not install on different brands of computer. But that doesn't prevent that license key being used on other hardware.

It is not legitimate/legal to transfer OEM licenses to another computer because it breaks the license agreement. However it usually works without any problem because the OEM license allows motherboard replacements which is difficult to tell from a whole computer replacement.

[Remah]

Originally Posted by HPuser

I just dont have a XP Home disc.

The best place to get one in my country is second-hand from an auction site. They will probably have new packages as well with disk and license.

[Doobie]

Originally Posted by Remah

Most random XP Home Edition CDs will be Retail rather than OEM so you can use them on any computer with a "generic" OEM license.

Your post is pointless. The gentlemen in the OP won't find any copy of XP Home that will work with his key unless he gets that copy directly from Emachines, or from another Emachines owner of a similar model.