My friend wants me to reformat his computer

[bobby987]

So my friend wants me to reformat his computer, but he doesnt have the discs, but I do. Is it possible to reformat his computer even though Ive used the discs about 8 to 12 times. Does it matter if the discs are gateway windows xp discs. Also we both do have Gateway Computers.

Thanks

 

[P0ldy]

Since they're "restore" CDs, there might be issues. I think those cds come loaded with specific drivers and other crap. If your PCs aren't identical, it could cause problems. If they're just XP CDs rebranded with 'Gateway' and he has his genuine XP CD key, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[bobby987]

My gateway came with four discs when I got it, 1. the Windows XP Home Disc 2. Drivers Disc (possibly once or twice) 3. and 4. Application disc which he shouldnt need. Whenever I reformat my computer it never asks me cd key. So it should work without problems right?

 

[P0ldy]

Originally posted by: bobby987
Whenever I reformat my computer it never asks me cd key. So it should work without problems right?

Not necessarily, and this is the stem of my concern. On a typical OEM XP CD, you're prompted for the CD key. I'm wondering if Gateway, et al. slipstream the CD to include the CD key so it doesn't 'bother' a user who has to reformat. If it does, then your key will be installed on his box (which won't activate). I've heard you can change the CD key in the registry (to the key that is on his tower), but I've never had the need so don't know about it.

 

[corkyg]

The specific answer to your question depends on what you mean. If all you are to do is reformat, then boot to a CD-ROM disk and run FORMAT.COM from the command prompt - there are no issues at all. Your friend will have a formatted, empty hard drive. And the rest is his little red wagon to pull.

But your question suggests he wants you also to install your Windows XP on his machine. IMHO - that is a loser. He will have to acquire his own disk for the OS and subsequent activation. That is, unless your disk doesn't require activation.

 

[jkyle]

Odds are it will work with no problems. he should still have the xp product key on the side of the computer and as long as they are the same home or pro your disc should do the job. You may have to hunt for drivers though if you do not have the same model system.

 

[JW310]

In my experience with the Windows XP CD that comes with Gateway systems, it's a standard WinXP OEM install CD that asks for the product key during installation (or at least with the pre-SP2 CDs... not sure about the newest CDs). So chances are, as long as your friend's computer still has the sticker on the case with the product key, the Windows CD that you have with your Gateway system should allow you to reinstall WinXP on his computer (provided that the key is for Home and the CD is for Home, or the key is for Pro and your CD is for Pro).

As for the drivers, if you and your friend have the same model of system, then your driver CD should work with his system. Otherwise, you'll have to find the drivers on Gateway's site for his system, and probably burn them to a CD or something to install them on his system.

JW

 

[Jeff7]

Easy way to find out - try it, if it works, good. If not, he's got to find his own discs. Since all the changes are just on the hard drive, and backing up data doesn't seem to be an issue, you can reformat it a few thousand times until you get it right.

 

[Raincity]

I thought all these prebuilts have the factory install imaged on another partition and the restore disc's are only for restoring after a hardrive failure.

 

[Doh!]

What do you mean by "reformat"? Format & install or simply format? If just format, then you can use your cd. If format & install, you can still use your cd even if the cd-key is slipstreamed. It needs a lot more work on your end though, provided that your friend has a legit xp product key sticker.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Doh!
What do you mean by "reformat"? Format & install or simply format? If just format, then you can use your cd. If format & install, you can still use your cd even if the cd-key is slipstreamed. It needs a lot more work on your end though, provided that your friend has a legit xp product key sticker.

Gee! That sounds familiar!

 

[ShaneDOTM]

Try linux.

While it should be possible to to do what your asking(as noted in above posts) why not save yourself the time and effort and install linux and make the computer faster and more reliable?

 

[bobby987]

Originally posted by: Doh!
What do you mean by "reformat"? Format & install or simply format? If just format, then you can use your cd. If format & install, you can still use your cd even if the cd-key is slipstreamed. It needs a lot more work on your end though, provided that your friend has a legit xp product key sticker.

What I mean is that I put in my Windows XP disc, restart my computer, then hit any key, then it starts loading all my files and then opens a blue screen. Then there are three options the only one I remember is the one I click that say "to fix or reinstall windows hit the enter key". Then I hit esc and then it says "hit d to delete" then I hit enter to install windows again.

So if I do that to my friends laptop will it mess up his computer but more importantly will it mess up my discs?

Thanks to everyone for the replies and thanks for the future replies

 

[Doh!]

It will not mess up your discs (unless your friend's cd/dvd player has a jammed tray & you try to get the cd out w/ a heavy industrial machine). I am not familiar w/ Gateway CDs so other Gateway users can help you here but I suspect you will be fine installing it on your friend's computer.
One thing I am not sure is that you mentioned your XP CD never asks for a cd-key. If that's the case, the cd-key is probably slipstreamed into the cd. In that case, you can finish the installation and change the cd-key w/ a cd-key changing utility (your friend's legit cd-key) before the activation.

 

[Nocturnal]

The cd-key is normally hard coded into the BIOS of the computer. If you use your CD on his computer it'll be like installing an OEM copy of Windows XP onto his computer, which means it will prompt you for his cd-key when it's time. Also it's perfectly fine if he doesn't have his cd and you use yours. As long as you aren't giving him your cd-key to use and he has his own it's perfectly legal and will work fine.

 

[Parkre]

Originally posted by: ShaneDOTM
Try linux.

While it should be possible to to do what your asking(as noted in above posts) why not save yourself the time and effort and install linux and make the computer faster and more reliable?

BUt then they wouldn't be able to play BF2....

not that they sound like gaming "rigs" anyway....hehe

 

[bobby987]

Originally posted by: Doh!
It will not mess up your discs (unless your friend's cd/dvd player has a jammed tray & you try to get the cd out w/ a heavy industrial machine). I am not familiar w/ Gateway CDs so other Gateway users can help you here but I suspect you will be fine installing it on your friend's computer.
One thing I am not sure is that you mentioned your XP CD never asks for a cd-key. If that's the case, the cd-key is probably slipstreamed into the cd. In that case, you can finish the installation and change the cd-key w/ a cd-key changing utility (your friend's legit cd-key) before the activation.

First let me say thanks again to everybody for the help this far. I forgot to say yes it does ask me for my a number that is on the side of my computer, but it only asks me for it when I put the disc in and click install when the cd's menu pops up. You see like I said I dont usually do it like that I usually put the disc in, restart, a black screen says Hit any key to boot from disc, then I say fix repair, esc to not repair then a new screen says hit d to delete partion I do so and then hit enter to install windows. So if I do what I usually is it going mess up his computer and make it not work or anything like that, and also will it corrupt my disc and make it not work.

 

[lumbus]

The CD itself is read-only and will not change in any way whatsoever from just using it. *IF* you use YOUR key to activate his copy of Windows, it is possible that you just lost one of your activations, which means that you will be able to use your key one time less. This happens when your computer contacts Microsoft over the Internet to activate Windows (it is not a change to your CD, but to their database). If you change the key before activation that shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck.

 

[bobby987]

How can I tell how many activations I have left?

Thanks

 

[lumbus]

I think the only way to find out is to call Microsoft.

 

[bobby987]

forgot to ask how many activations do I get? Does it go per month, year, or is there just a so many on a disc?

 

[Doh!]

You don't need to worry about the activation problem since you need to use your's friends CD-key for his computer. If you want to use YOUR windows CD-key for HIS computer, you would be better off using one of those illegal copies because it's not any different than using a warez copy.