• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Lost Windows xp pro cd

C

cOrE

Weaksauce
Joined
Sep 12, 2006
Messages
109
I cant find my cd for windows xp pro does anyone know where I can download an iso or anything I still have the key but need the disk. I looked on the microsoft site and didnt see anything.
 
cOrE said:
I cant find my cd for windows xp pro does anyone know where I can download an iso or anything I still have the key but need the disk. I looked on the microsoft site and didnt see anything.
Click to expand...

If you have a retail PK, you can call Microsoft. :D
 
If you previously purchased an OEM copy, the only legitimate place to download an ISO of Windows XP is MSDN/Technet via subscription. MSDN/Technet also lists the CRC32 & SHA-1 hashes for all their ISOs so you can verify they are authentic. For a Retail ISO you'll need to edit the SETUPP.ini so it matches the Pid from your *missing* OEM CD. There are only a handful of Pid, so when in doubt ask Google. WinXP will tell you your product key is invalid without the proper Pid.

If this is a key from a pre-built laptop or desktop, you'll need to contact the manufacturer to supply you with a replacement disk (for a small charge). Such copies of Windows XP use special activation, and the product key on the sticker is useless.
 
Cyberbeing said:
If you previously purchased an OEM copy, the only legitimate place to download an ISO of Windows XP is MSDN/Technet via subscription. MSDN/Technet also lists the CRC32 & SHA-1 hashes for all their ISOs so you can verify they are authentic. For a Retail ISO you'll need to edit the SETUPP.ini so it matches the Pid from your *missing* OEM CD. There are only a handful of Pid, so when in doubt ask Google. WinXP will tell you your product key is invalid without the proper Pid.

If this is a key from a pre-built laptop or desktop, you'll need to contact the manufacturer to supply you with a replacement disk (for a small charge). Such copies of Windows XP use special activation, and the product key on the sticker is useless.
Click to expand...

i disagree I work on 2000, XP, Vista, and 7 systems all the time for folks and do alot of reinstalls. I keep a copy of Windows 2000Pro, XP Home, XP Pro, XP MCE2005, XP Pro 64bit, Vista 32, Vista 64, 7 Home Premium, 7 Pro, 7 Bussiness, and 7 Ultimate, and do alot of OS reinstalls on Prebuilt OEM machines the sticker is a valid and legit key always has been. Where did you get your info? The Disk that comes with machines usally is a VLK copy that installs the VLK edition of XP with features deactivated ect lol and relabled to say XP Home because there is no XP Home VLK
 
The key on computer is a legit key, but you need a OEM/System Builder verison of Windows XP. If you just try to install a copy of Windows XP Pro, that comes in the Retail Blue Box, it will reject the key.
 
In my experience, computers from the likes of HP and Dell usually require a re-installation DVD from the respective companies to work since they use special OEM VLK versions of Windows with a common key used on multiple computers. The stickers on the PCs have unique product keys, but only to prove you have a valid license. Such keys can't be used to activate VLK, OEM VLK, or store-bought OEM & Retail copies of Windows. I've tried, failed, called Microsoft and was told outright the license is valid, but such keys can't be used for activation and to contact the OEM.

insaneshell, you must be very lucky to always have customers with normal non-VLK versions of Windows on their OEM pre-built machines. Occasionally the OEMs will do this, but it's not guaranteed. If I've been overlooking something and there is a magical way to get those keys to activate without a special CD/DVD from an OEM, I'm all ears.
 
Last edited:
If you have a legit COA, then just download a pirated pro copy and activate it through the built-in Microsoft activation. As long as it activates, it is completely legit. I've had to do this for 100s of laptops in the last year. OEM disks do work, but have crap on them and are always outdated.
 
if you are in the UK I can send you a legit official xp pro sp2 oem disc, as I have 2 or 3 of them that I got years back when I bought some cheapo pc's, all of them run perfectly without needing anything else to install, like hidden partitions etc.

Fuck the pirate option, as you will end up gettign more than you bargained for.

Either try MS and they will charge you a few quid/bux for a replacement disc, but since its oem they may refer you to the manufacturer or try msdn/technet, but stay the fuck away from torrents as you really will regret it sooner or later.

Also, OEM discs dont always have shit on them, the one's I have are just pure XP pro sp2 with no 3rd party shit whatsoever, it depends ont he manufactuere asto what type of shit you get on a oem disc, but alot of them dont put anything other than what MS themselves would have on it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
OEM XP discs have modified OEMBIOS*.* files (there's just 4) on them. That is the only difference for the most part; the OEM can add in other files as well that contain the OEM logo, support information (all seen on the System Properties dialogue) - but the thing that ties a specific OEM XP disc to that OEM are those 4 OEMBIOS*.* files alone. And I've never ever used the Product Key on an OEM sticker - there's no requirement for it when you have a "proper" OEM branded installation disc which I always do and it's created like this:

I have a "stock" XP Home and XP Pro ISO that I add the necessary OEMBIOS*.* files to when I need to do a clean install on an OEM machine and the client doesn't have the discs themselves (which of course is pretty much 100% of the time for whatever reason). I load the ISO into UltraISO, my ISO editing tool of choice, delete the OEMBIOS*.* files that already exist, drop in the ones that are OEM specific based on the brand of the machine I'm working on, save the ISO, burn it on a CD-RW and wham, I'm done.

When the task is required again, quick erase the CD-RW and repeat the process for the next OEM, if required, etc.

You can find the OEMBIOS*.* sets over at the MyDigitalLife.info forums - I've got about 47 different OEM sets so, I've yet to encounter issues with creating a "proper" OEM disc when necessary.
 
Joe Average said:
OEM XP discs have modified OEMBIOS*.* files (there's just 4) on them. That is the only difference for the most part; the OEM can add in other files as well that contain the OEM logo, support information (all seen on the System Properties dialogue) - but the thing that ties a specific OEM XP disc to that OEM are those 4 OEMBIOS*.* files alone. And I've never ever used the Product Key on an OEM sticker - there's no requirement for it when you have a "proper" OEM branded installation disc which I always do and it's created like this:

I have a "stock" XP Home and XP Pro ISO that I add the necessary OEMBIOS*.* files to when I need to do a clean install on an OEM machine and the client doesn't have the discs themselves (which of course is pretty much 100% of the time for whatever reason). I load the ISO into UltraISO, my ISO editing tool of choice, delete the OEMBIOS*.* files that already exist, drop in the ones that are OEM specific based on the brand of the machine I'm working on, save the ISO, burn it on a CD-RW and wham, I'm done.

When the task is required again, quick erase the CD-RW and repeat the process for the next OEM, if required, etc.

You can find the OEMBIOS*.* sets over at the MyDigitalLife.info forums - I've got about 47 different OEM sets so, I've yet to encounter issues with creating a "proper" OEM disc when necessary.
Click to expand...

to much work, I keep a copy of the MSDN disks for Home, Pro, MCE, and VLK. These disks work with every key including OEM CoA's from the likes of Dell, Compaq, ect.
 
Last time i needed to, used a retail disk, made a .iso out of it, edited the setup.ini or something and converted it to oem, to accept sticker key, then, activated online without issues.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top