Windows XP Pro - Is it legal

[OneBigNewbie]

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a used HP Desktop (Pentium 4) which has Windows XP Pro installed and with the COA sticker still on. But the seller lost the Windows Recovery CD, (the only CD he still has available is the Drivers disk).
He told me that if in need, I can use someone else's Windows CD and enter my License Key on (my) the desiktop that I am going to buy.

Is there anyway to 'recover' the Windows XP software from the computer, instead of (a) borrowing somebody else's CD, or (b) buying a new pack of the O/S. (Most probably, I may not have a easy time finding one these days since Microsoft discontinued selling them).

Any good advice which does not cost me a few hundred $ to get a copy of Windows XP Pro just for the sake of of CD media.

Thanks.

[Steve R Jones]

Yes you can legally use another CD provided it's an OEM cd of the exact same version as your OEM cd key.

[Welshjim]

OneBigNewbie--Ask HP to sell you a full WinXP disk--not a Recovery Disk. They should not charge more than around $20. It will help if you have the original sale documents with serial numbers, etc. This will be essential if you run SFC /SCANNOW, a repair install, etc..

[rbc1100]

I bought a XP Media Center recovery disk for my HP laptop for 16.95. Never got a chance to use it as I also got a free upgrade for Vista. I am running Vista now but you never know.

[OneBigNewbie]

My special 'Thank You' to each one of you who helped. I really appreciate it !

Now
- I bought the used computer - it has Win XP and SP2 installed - with a file
containing all the basic Drivers, such as Video, Audio, and Modem (no
Backup).
- I managed to find an OEM Version of WinXP already with XP2 in it. [In the CD is a ReadMe, it is a HTM document, and says it says SP2 is already included].

And, then, I Googled on how to create a recovery disk, and have found a few articles on how to "Slipstream a Windows XP SP2 Recovery CD". All of them were written prior to Microsoft releasing SP3.

I am not exactly sure whether my newly purchased has XP3 already. It is still using IE Version 6. But when I used Control Panel > System > System Properties > General, it says under System: "Microsoft Windows XP - Professional - Version 2002 - Service Pack 2".

QUESTIONS:
-(A) My guess is that over the next few days and weeks when I use the newly bought USED PC, somehow it would update to SP3 without me noticing (through the various ways that Microsoft may do it one way or another). Am I correct ?, and if so,

-(B) Here, when I do my 'Slipstreaming' do I need to incorporate SP3. Or am I going too fast (I am not sure if SP3 would work - although my newly bought USED PC uses an Intel [and not AMD] Processor).

-(C) If in future, if I do something which may need my original WinXP CD (as a validation, for example), will it fail because SP3 is not in the CD. Am I just too paranoid about this whole business of legality, honesty, and integrity, etc.

Please help on the above Slipstreaming task {I cannot find a way to make a Recovery Disk otherwise on my USED PC, because I think it had been done once already. And Microsoft disallows it to be done more than once}.

Thanks,

[bruce_b]

As they said above, get HP to supply an XP CD for your computer.
You may have to pay for it. If they balk, explain that you tried to burn
it from the Recovery and it Failed. You are entitled to a cd for the OS
but it may not be free. Or just get an XP (pro or Home) as needed
OEM from someone to copy. All ok as long as you use your License (coa)
when installing. And yes, you should have an XP CD with the various SP
integrated into it.
I would keep one XP CD as original, then slipstream on with SP2
and another with SP3 .. This way, whatever pc you need it for it wil
be fine. To slipstream get a free program call Autostreamer from
here:

http://www.softpedia.com/progDownloa...oad-13918.html

It is very easy to use, just read and follow the onscreen prompts.
I suggest when burning your new cd to keep the write speed as
low as possible for best results.

[OneBigNewbie]

Hi Bruce B,

Question:
- Can I use Autostreamer to make a Recovery Disk from just WinXp Pro OEM disk alone (which already has SP2 integrated), I have the COA already.
I know Autostreamer can make another Recovery Disk from my WinXP Pro OEM (with SP2), and with me downloading SP3 from Microsoft.

- Am I asking a very stupid question... please clarify. (I do not think so, because the WinXp Pro OEM disk does not contain the DRIVERS, although I can reinstall WinXP directly from the cd I have already).

Appreciate your help with this.

[bruce_b]

You will not be making a Recovery Disk per se.
What you will be doing is making an Operating System
installation / repair cd with the proper Service pack
already in it. As to the drivers, all hardware is unique and
you need to locate, download and save to a cd all the drivers
your computer requires, especially for Motherboard Chipset
On board Video, Audio, Network Card .. Most of these should
be at the HP site or perhaps the seller has the driver cd

[Train]

And do not be surprised if XP has all the needed drivers either.

Post the model of that rig and we can direct you to the drivers if any others are needed.

Nothing wrong with having possibly needed drivers on a cd for those just in case needs.