[ashlee_brooks]

I am planning on reformatting a computer, but there is one problem. The person who originally hooked up the computer left no software with him, not even the windows xp disk. It pretty much all became preloaded. Is there a way I can reformat this computer without the windows xp disk? Could you please email me at e-mail removed...posting your e-mail adress in open forums may provide you with correspondence of an undesirable nature.

Edited by wannabe1, 26 September 2006 - 07:31 AM.

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Hi ashlee_brooks...

Do you have the product key for the installed operating system?

You can use any Windows XP installation cd (of the same version) to format and reinstall Windows, but you must use the product key supplied with the original operating system that was installed on the machine.

wannabe1

[wannabe1]

Hi ashlee_brooks...

Do you have the product key for the installed operating system?

You can use any Windows XP installation cd (of the same version) to format and reinstall Windows, but you must use the product key supplied with the original operating system that was installed on the machine.

wannabe1

[ashlee_brooks]

product key?

[wannabe1]

The product key is the 25 character alpha-numeric number that come with the operating system. It may be located on a sticker on the the machine (OEM or branded machines) or on the documentation that came with the operating system when it was purchased. (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx)

[ashlee_brooks]

I will have to check it out thanks,

[ashlee_brooks]

if i do not then what will i have to buy windows xp to put it back on there

[wannabe1]

There are applications that will pull the product key out of the registry for you. Magic Jelly Bean works very well for this.

[ashlee_brooks]

thanks