[FortySixandTwo]

My Sony Vaio came with XP Home edition, however, I immediately put on XP Professional (hacked copy). This was before the fuss over service packs so I didnt care, but now I would like the service packs and obviously, my product Key is invalid. So what I would like to do, is revert to Home edition using the legal Product Key printed on the back of my PC. However, I no longer have the software that came with my computer. microsoft said to contact Sony, and I dont feel like paying $19.95 for fee based support to ask them this question, when they may not be able to help me.

anybody have any ideas?!???

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If you have your original XP Home product key, borrow a friend's cd, install and use your own Product ID. Back up ALL your data before starting.

Also- because you will be "downgrading", you may need to wipe the drive before starting. Post back if you run into any snags.

Johanna

[Johanna]

If you have your original XP Home product key, borrow a friend's cd, install and use your own Product ID. Back up ALL your data before starting.

Also- because you will be "downgrading", you may need to wipe the drive before starting. Post back if you run into any snags.

Johanna

[Murray S.]

Howdy:

Don't count on that key code working especially if your system came pre-installed and pre-activated..

You are probably going to have to spend the money and get the proper disks from Sony!!

Murray

[shiprek]

I thought I read in the press that MS designed SP2 to run on pirated copies of XP. This was on the basis that it was better to make pirated copies more secure than have them sending out nasties. Its worth a try.

Shiprek

[Murray S.]

Shiprek:

They changed their mind..

Microsoft Corrects: No XP SP2 for Pirated Copies
By Larry Seltzer
May 11, 2004

Despite reports indicating that Microsoft Corp. was planning to allow users with pirated copies of Windows XP to install Service Pack 2, the company has confirmed to eWEEK.com that this will not be the case.

"Recent press reports indicating Windows XP Service Pack 2 will install on pirated or illegal copies of Windows XP are not entirely true," said a Microsoft spokesperson. "Instead, prior to installing, SP2 will check the OS' product ID [PID] against a list of known pirated PIDs. If a PID is found to be invalid, SP2 will not install." This behavior is essentially similar to that of Windows XP SP1."

It never did change and SP2 was never available to pirated copies of XP !!

Murray

[FortySixandTwo]

thanks for all the info guys, i appreciate it, but i think i'm stuck with paying some money for the discs.
i talked to sony, and i can buy the recovery cd's for only 22 dollars. so now i have to decide whether i want to pay 22 dollars for a secure windows but a totally wiped harddrive (i dont have discs for any program, as everything from MS Office to Photoshop 7.0 is all pirated) or just enjoy my programs with a loopholed windows...
hmmm
decisions, decisions..

[Murray S.]

No decision at all.. Keep it as is and your support here and most Help Websites ends..

Go legal and you get all the help you need!!

Murray