Reinstalling XP- no disc, with Valid Key...

[GregoryS1]

Twice this week, I've had two computers to re-install Windows XP with no recovery discs.
Is there a way to use a seperate XP install disc with the genuine OEM Key on the side of the
Computer?

 

[BigPoppa]

Download X-in-one disc of XP. Copy I have comes with Home/Pro/MCE2005 OEM/Retail and a Corp edition. Select the right copy, install, see if it activates.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: GregoryS1
Is there a way to use a seperate XP install disc with the genuine OEM Key on the side of the Computer?

If the system shipped with Windows XP and still has the OEM motherboard, you can preserve the BIOS OEM pre-activation scheme by scavenging the OEM system files from the hard disk (or obtaining them from another source), then create an XP installation disc that will not require activation at all.

The system files are unique to each OEM but not unique to each machine. So you can get the Dell OEM files from one Dell machine and use them for a different Dell machine, but not for an HP machine. Obviously, this must be done before you wipe-out the OEM installation, if you want to scavenge them from the machine on which you are working. Below are the file names and location:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}
OEMBIOS.CAT

C:\WINDOWS\System32
OEMBIOS.BIN
OEMBIOS.DAT
OEMBIOS.SIG

These files must be repackaged in CAB format, which can be done automatically using this batch file and script:

http://s89934018.onlinehome.us/BIOS/getfiles.zip

Unzip getfiles.bat and getkey.vbs to any working folder but you probably should keep the path limited to short (DOS compatible) folder names. e.g. C:\TEMP\OEMFILES instead of C:\TEMP\OEM BIOS FILES

Using this method, you don't need to copy the OEM files to your working directory, the batch file will do it for you. Double-click getfiles.bat and after 20 seconds or less, you should have the following files in the same directory:

OEMBIOS.CA_
OEMBIOS.BI_
OEMBIOS.DA_
OEMBIOS.SI_
winnt.sif

The winnt.sif should contain a generic product installation key used by the OEM for this purpose. This generic product installation key is only for installation and cannot be used for activation, nor will it match the product key printed on the COA sticker.

Just drop these five files into the i386 folder copied from your OEM Windows XP install CD and overwrite the existing files. Now create a bootable Windows XP install CD with these files located in the i386 folder. I also copy winnt.sif to the root directory of the install CD, but this may not be necessary.

That should be it, you shouldn't even need to enter the Product Key during installation but if you are prompted, make sure you input the generic product installation key, not the product key from the COA. If you've done everything right, Windows XP will be pre-activated just like it was shipped from the OEM and will never require manual activation.

 

[pugh]

great info TCS, I know a person who's computer I was working on and they lost their disk. I will try this method if I need to reformat.

 

[RebateMonger]

Only thing is...the big OEMs pretty much all have Recovery Partitions on the hard drive, so this shouldn't be necessary. And if the hard drive has failed or already been reformatted, then it won't work because all the original files are gone.

Dell, in my experience, will quickly ship a replacement CD to the owner for the askinq. HP can be tougher. I think they have a web page on this topic.

Lesson: If you own a major-brand computer and don't have a recovery disk, either make one now or call the maker and order one now. Don't wait until it's too late.

Ongoing image-based backups can also solve this problem, allowing you to restore your entire PC to a previous point-in-time. Software like Acronis or Windows Home Server can keep ongoing disk images for you.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Only thing is...the big OEMs pretty much all have Recovery Partitions on the hard drive, so this shouldn't be necessary.

Beyond the obvious reason why someone might not want to restore the crapified and often dysfunctional OEM system image, browse the support forums of Dell, HP, Gateway, and others for topics like "recovery partition doesn't work" or "recovery fails from recovery partition". Plenty of them.

And if the hard drive has failed or already been reformatted, then it won't work because all the original files are gone.

It works fine if you obtain the files from an alternative source. As I stated, "The system files are unique to each OEM but not unique to each machine. So you can get the Dell OEM files from one Dell machine and use them for a different Dell machine, but not for an HP machine."

One caveat; the generic installation key is different for XP Home, Professional, and Media Center SKUs. So if you try to create an XP Professional install CD using the winnt.sif file obtained from an XP Home system, or vice versa, the generic installation key will need to be changed in winnt.sif to one that corresponds with the edition being installed. There are websites that have compiled a list of generic installation keys used by different OEMs for the different OS SKUs. Microsoft even provides generic installation keys on TechNet and MSDN (public access).

Dell, in my experience, will quickly ship a replacement CD to the owner for the askinq. HP can be tougher. I think they have a web page on this topic.

While you're searching for the topics mentioned above, also search for topics like "replacement discs don't work".

Lesson: If you own a major-brand computer and don't have a recovery disk, either make one now or call the maker and order one now. Don't wait until it's too late.

Last but not least, search for topics like "can't create recovery discs" or "recovery set creation terminates with critical error" or "recovery set created successfully but fails to load". Shall I go on?

 

[Stern]

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Download X-in-one disc of XP. Copy I have comes with Home/Pro/MCE2005 OEM/Retail and a Corp edition. Select the right copy, install, see if it activates.

I can't seem to find anything about this X-in-one disc. Do you have a link?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Stern

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Download X-in-one disc of XP. Copy I have comes with Home/Pro/MCE2005 OEM/Retail and a Corp edition. Select the right copy, install, see if it activates.

I can't seem to find anything about this X-in-one disc. Do you have a link?

Yes, sounds like an interesting thing to have in the computer-repair toolkit.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: Stern

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Download X-in-one disc of XP. Copy I have comes with Home/Pro/MCE2005 OEM/Retail and a Corp edition. Select the right copy, install, see if it activates.

I can't seem to find anything about this X-in-one disc. Do you have a link?

Yes, sounds like an interesting thing to have in the computer-repair toolkit.

I think you'll have to search the unauthorized channels for that one.