Can I use a standard retail Windows XP CD with an OEM license key?

[fr]

I am missing the OEM recovery discs for a computer, but the license sticker with the CD key is still there. Can I reinstall the OS using a retail XP CD? Could any problems come up in the future during Microsoft's authenticity checks?

 

[imported_Phil]

Nope, won't work.

 

[corkyg]

Your best bet would be to contact the manufacturer of the machine and try to get the restore CD replaced. You can reinstall using a different XP CD, but you would have to use the key that belongs to it. If you are using that somewhere else, you are blocked unless you have a corporate or academic edition.

 

[rkoenn]

I am uncertain if you can use a retail CD, they might use a different algorithm for the validation. However, I do know from experience that I have used an OEM standalone XP CD that I sell to install XP cleanly on a couple of machines from folks like Dell, etc. If you have an OEM CD that would probably work, I hate the restore CDs anyway as they install all the garbage on the machine besides windows. I like to start with a clean windows only install when I redo a machine, not Dell this and Dell that software too. Good luck.

 

[redbeard1]

This article describes how you can adjust this ini file on the XP cd. His example numbers of the first five digits are not for XP. If you had a retail cd, you could create an ISO image of it, them use ISO buster to edit this ini, and then burn the adjusted XP ISO to a new cd. You would need to change the last three digits to oem, from 000 or 270. Then your key should work. You will still have to activate XP when you get it running however. But it's your computer, so even if you have to call them, just tell them you had to wipe and reload the system.

Setupp.ini