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djoye
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2004
- Messages
- 3,114
I often work on friends' PCs and if I have to reinstall the OS I prefer to give them a properly-working (not cracked) OS so I'm looking for some info on using brand-name PC COA keys to reinstall operating systems. Many times these are Dell, HP/Compaq, etc PCs that have a proper COA on the case.
Is there a sure-fire way to successfully install Windows using the COA/key label on a brand-name PC and getting it to activate properly without using a manufacturer's recovery disc for installation?
For XP, I had obtained an XP SP2 Home OEM disc that installed just like a typical retail copy of XP -- it asked for a key and would require activation. This disc lets me use the key on the COA and successfully activates where as with other XP Home discs they would not recognize the COA key as a valid key and I wouldn't be able to complete the installation.
Does MSDN have an ISO equivalent to this? Would it be a Volume License disc?
Are Vista and 7 as picky about which disc you use or can you basically use an Ultimate disc, enter in the COA key and it then installs the appropriate OS?
Is there a sure-fire way to successfully install Windows using the COA/key label on a brand-name PC and getting it to activate properly without using a manufacturer's recovery disc for installation?
For XP, I had obtained an XP SP2 Home OEM disc that installed just like a typical retail copy of XP -- it asked for a key and would require activation. This disc lets me use the key on the COA and successfully activates where as with other XP Home discs they would not recognize the COA key as a valid key and I wouldn't be able to complete the installation.
Does MSDN have an ISO equivalent to this? Would it be a Volume License disc?
Are Vista and 7 as picky about which disc you use or can you basically use an Ultimate disc, enter in the COA key and it then installs the appropriate OS?