Have a windows xp media center edition key but not the install disc.

[Rickten]

Bought an old laptop at a yard sale loaded with viruses and such. On the bottom is a windows media center edition 2005 activation key. The laptop came with no discs at all what are my options? The only windows xp install disc i have is a professional version. Will that work somehow? Is there a way to download the install disc? or order a replacement disc in some way from microsoft?

 

[RebateMonger]

a) Install Linux
b) Call the laptop maker and ask for XP MCE disks
c) Check with the maker's web site to see if there's a System Recovery Partition on the hard disk
d) Check in Windows to see if there's an option to make your own System Recovery CD/DVD and, if so, try making them.
e) Buy a new Windows OS
f) Locate somebody who has the needed Install or Recovery disks

That OEM XP MCE Key won't work with a straight XP Professional Install CD. XP will refuse it as soon as you begin the install. Microsoft won't usually become involved in issues like this because OEM versions of Windows are supported by the maker of the computer and not by Microsoft. MS will likely refer you to the laptop maker.

 

[Rickten]

thanks for the input rebate. I did a little digging on the toshiba website and it looks like they don't have a recovery disc creator utility. The disc was simply included with the laptop which is a bummer for me. If i did find another person with a recovery disc any idea if it would have to be the same exact laptop or just from the same oem and the same windows version.

 

[RebateMonger]

If i did find another person with a recovery disc any idea if it would have to be the same exact laptop or just from the same oem and the same windows version.

I HAVE a Toshiba laptop from 2005. It came with a prepared "System Recovery CD". That CD would NOT work on a different model XP Toshiba laptop from 2007. It immediately popped up with ACSII text filling the screen that said "Wrong PC" or something like that. Both laptops came with XP Home.

Now, if it's a Toshiba XP MCE Install CD set (NOT a System Recovery set), that'd be different. That should work on any Toshiba.

 

[sivart]

Why do you want the MCE edition? The windows XP media center is very weak. I would go with a 3rd party program for the media center.

If your windows XP CD has a valid key and is a retail version, it should install fine.