[niceguyrichy]

I have a completely legit XP Home cd key that I need to use on a comp I'm building tomorrow as a favour. thing is, I only have XP Pro discs handy, so if I try and install using a pro disc and plug in the Home key, will it accept it and just install XP to Home specs? or will it be rejected out of hand?

[aNy_oNE]

I would say it would just be rejected.. You could always acquire a copy of xp home from somewhere

[Tipstaff]

It'll reject it. Your best bet would be to grab the CD off a friend, or some other way.

Of note: there have been many different versions of install CDs over the years: XP Home and Pro oringal, SP1, SP1a, SP2, and a couple updates of each one. Most times the updates to each version was more for adding new keys to the installer (while omitting older keys from the list). So, even if you get a disc off of someone, or download it, there is no guarantee the CDKey you have will work with the disc you get simply because the CDkey you have won't be in the installers database of valid keys. Believe me, this is one thing I, as a system builder, have to keep track of. The smart builders have a copy of every single updated OS disc just for this exact purpose, cuz you never know when you will need it.

BTW, when SP3 comes out it'll be the same damn thing again since one of the major reasons for SP3 is to introduce new CDkeys as they were running out of valid ones.

Speaking of which, one of the things Microsoft did right with Vista was that they have 1 disc for 32bit, 1 for 64bit, and each covers all versions of the respective OS (Basic through Ultimate). As you install you just input the key you bought, and it automatically know to install that version, and that one only. The only

[niceguyrichy]

ok, thanks.
I figured it was a long shot, guess I have to turn to ole faithfull and hope to hell she spits out the right disc image within the next couple hours.
typical really. I have a completely legit copy of Home edition, but can't find the CD. and I have every single other windows back to 95, but just not xp home.. grrr

[Tipstaff]

Yeah, it does suck. What sucks even more is that you won't know that the CDkey does or doesn't work until part way through the installation process. All that work up to that point, and you could have to restart it over again with a different disc. It does get better though. If you have a paper CDkey sticker, be it one that doesn't have a glossy coating on it, came attached to the bottom of a laptop purchased within the last year, or one of the new huge ass yellow paper stickers (fugly things), these ones usually work with newest OEM SP2 discs that came out.

[CDsDontBurn]

hmm, i'm actually in the same boat myself right now!

i'm working on a machine for a client of mine who has winXP home sp2, but i forgot to ask for her winXP disk. so i'm using my copy of winXP home.

is that legal? i don't see why not since i don't have any keys for it and i use it only purposes such as this right now.

i might have to come across and "alternative solution" if for whatever reason this key doesn't work

EDIT:
solved my problem. i didn't read the key right. i think i might be needing glasses

[Tipstaff]

Is it legit to distribute the CD? Probably not (cuz Microsoft charges $30 for replacement discs), but to be honest as long as you are not distributing the CDKey too, it shouldn't be.

People lose their Windows OS discs really easily. Hell.. they get scratched all to hell even more easily. As long as they have a legit key, I really don't mind helping that person out.

[CDsDontBurn]

i got it to install last night. i used my winXP home disk and their key. they should still have their winXP home disk that came pre-bundled with their emachine computer.