XP OEM reinstall questions

[fbrdphreak]

So my buddy has an older Compaq laptop. He has always used a Compaq-branded XP install disc (not recovery disc, full install disc) to reformat his system. He left his CD with me so I could rip it with nLite and slipstream SP3 to make his reformats easier. Well I lost the disc. Doh.

Googling around I found this page and created an XP disc using a plain XP disc image I had, slipstreamed with SP3, and with the OEM pre-activation key specified on that site. He just tried to install it and it said the key was no good. I also had him try the COA key on the bottom of his laptop, but setup wouldn't accept that either.

How can I get an XP image created with a key that is valid for his XP license that will install and activate just fine? TIA


Moved from Software For Windows to Operating Systems.

AnandTech Moderator
mechBgon

 

[krose]

Can the laptop still boot to Windows? OEMs use a volume license and the key is actually different than the one on the sticker. You will need this key and a couple of files from the current install. But you need to boot to Windows to get them.

 

[AlexWade]

The thing about Windows XP is that OEM keys are only good on OEM discs. The same for retail and upgrade versions. There is one file that specifies all this information. It is the \i386\setupp.ini file. Read this link and you may be able to fix your problem.
http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Product_IDs

 

[fbrdphreak]

Yeah I was afraid he would be lost without that file. I'm pretty sure it wasn't on his system before the format.

Luckily his wife has a newer HP system with the XP install disc as well, so I think he just used that and all was well.