Windows XP repair

jwills

My friend is having me fix her PC. The whole system32 folder is gone, and she has lost her XP installation CD. Am i able to use someone elses XP installation CD just to repair her OS. I didn't know if the product activation thing would allow me to do that. Thanks for anyones help.

sthomas

The only way you will have to worry about product activation is if you reinstall the OS from scratch. I believe if you just do a repair of the OS you will not have to reactivate the product but I could be wrong. If you did have to reactivate the OS all you would have to do is call Microsoft and have them activate it over the phone if it will not activate online. In my experience if you call them and explain what happened they will do it for you.

theseman

I do beleive a repair install requires re-activation. That being said it is very simple and not that big of a hassle if you do need to call MS.

Travis

jwills

Does it matter if i use Home edition or Professional? Do I have to use what she already had installed on her PC?

WanBoy67

Yes, the code will only work with the version shes licensed for

tech-airman

jwills wrote:

My friend is having me fix her PC. The whole system32 folder is gone, and she has lost her XP installation CD. Am i able to use someone elses XP installation CD just to repair her OS. I didn't know if the product activation thing would allow me to do that. Thanks for anyones help.

jwills,

Was the Windows XP pre-installed onto the computer by the OEM?

KGhaleon

It will depending one whether she has OEM, retail, etc and the version of the OS(home, pro, media, etc). You *always* have to reactivate. I've had to call microsoft every single time I install a new OS. ;_; (this being, hundreds of times) Sometimes if your lucky, the code will be verified and you don't have to worry about calling. You can use an OEM CD with a retail install, but then it won't accept the key and you have to start all over. Confirm what she has beforehand and make sure it's the correct key.

I'm not sure about this, but have you tried system restore? Not sure if that would work on a system32 folder. You've probably already repaired the system though.

jwills

I believe it was oem version.
Can't do anything with restore point. I can only get to recovery console. Anyway she ended up buying a new version of xp home ed. since she lost her original CD. I'm just going to install it clean. Thanks for the help.

KGhaleon

http://searchwincomputing.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid68_gci1167895,00.html

System restore can be done from recovery console.