got a new ibm. want to reformat...

[CanisEstInVia]

I'm the recipient of a new R51 courtesy of my school and their scholarship dept. As nice as they are, they wanted to help me by installing extra crap on here that I don't want. There's an XP Pro product key on the bottom of this laptop; does this mean I can pop in my xp pro cd and use that code upon reformat? Or does it require I use special IBM cd or something? Much appreciated

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Why don't you just use the code that came with "your" XP Pro CD?

- M4H

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: CanisEstInVia
I'm the recipient of a new R51 courtesy of my school and their scholarship dept. As nice as they are, they wanted to help me by installing extra crap on here that I don't want. There's an XP Pro product key on the bottom of this laptop; does this mean I can pop in my xp pro cd and use that code upon reformat? Or does it require I use special IBM cd or something? Much appreciated

You should be able to restore the factory preload from the service partition..... Giving you a base to work with. Most of the IBM software as part of that image is imensely useful. Other than that, IBM doesn't garbage up the preload much compared with other vendors.

 

[CanisEstInVia]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Why don't you just use the code that came with "your" XP Pro CD?

- M4H

It is mine. The keys being used on my pc right now.

Originally posted by: WackyDanYou should be able to restore the factory preload from the service partition..... Giving you a base to work with. Most of the IBM software as part of that image is imensely useful. Other than that, IBM doesn't garbage up the preload much compared with other vendors.

Yeh, I do find their software pretty useful. I'm also wanting to partition into 2 drives as well though.

Can anyone answer my original question before I go screw things up?

 

[ShellGuy]

Not normaly. You should use the IBM restore CD if you have access to it. You could use your cd and just call microsoft for an override. Cant really say if there is a link between microsofts normal oem key and the IBM key.


Will G.

 

[Grailyn]

I have had osme issues installing XP with a key other than the one it came on. I know I had problems doing it betweent he normal pro versions and hte volume lisence versions. IF it's teh exact same version of xp pro it might work, but my guess is the laptop was made with some type of oem lisence that may not work with your retail xp pro.

If you have a spare junk pc you can always try it. Don't even have to fiish the install, just see if it will accept the cd-key.

All that said I think you should do what other's have suggested and rebuild from the IBM support partition.

 

[eriqesque]

In order for the Key on the bottom of the machine
to work you need to be using an OEM version Of XP.
You can purchase the OEM version at Newegg.

When you purchase this OEM version you will get a key also.
So you can actually install this copy on 2 machines 1 being the IBM using the key on the bottom
and another using the key that come with the OEM version.