OEM question...

[TonCrafter]

I've got a "recovery" disk for xp from my old alienware computer. Can I use that to install XP on my new setup? I ask because when I try to do it, "I get a nvdata.sys cannot be found, install failed."

I assume I'm going to need to buy a new copy....correct?

 

[peterhuang913]

Yea, you need to get a new copy. The alienware disc might have some files for that system that might conflict with a new build. You also need a new key. Just go buy a OEM $89 XP Home disc from Newegg.

 

[TonCrafter]

Yea, you need to get a new copy. The alienware disc might have some files for that system that might conflict with a new build. You also need a new key. Just go buy a OEM $89 XP Home disc from Newegg.

I've never bought an OEM install before. How's it all work?

 

[peterhuang913]

OEM is just the CD without the shiny box. Everything else is the same. Some people say you can only activate it once, but I know you can call Microsoft to activate it unlimitedly.

 

[superdave1984]

The recovery disk won't work without the recovery partition on your hard drive.

 

[KSoD]

OEM is just the CD without the shiny box. Everything else is the same. Some people say you can only activate it once, but I know you can call Microsoft to activate it unlimitedly.

That is for OEM Vista not OEM XP.

The recovery disk won't work without the recovery partition on your hard drive.

That is correct. That is why the Alienware disc did not work.

 

[TonCrafter]

So, if I buy an OEM XP disk, I can only use it once?

 

[KSoD]

No. You can use it all you want. But basically you can only use it to install on 1 machine. Since you will have to activate it and that activation will be tied to that machine.

 

[forrestcupp]

But you can buy more COA licenses and use that same disk with however many licenses you buy.

 

[Bruce]

I've activated my media center OEM on 3 totally different PC's already.