no windows xp disc

[turbog03]

ok i bought my compaq 8000 series computer from circuit city a few years ago. i am now wanting to re-install my windows xp home edition but when i was looking for the xp cd i couldnt find it. then i got to thinking and i never remember seeing an xp cd. what i am wondering is what do i do if compaq/circuit city didnt give me an xp cd? can i just find out the product number off of the one on here here now and borrow someones xp cd and just enter my product key? by the way this will be my first time re-installing windows on my computer, so if you have any advice on what to do and tips on re-installing windows iwould really appreciate it.

thanks

 

[Trotter]

can i just find out the product number off of the one on here here now and borrow someones xp cd and just enter my product key?

Yes, and yes.

Lot's of programs will give you the serial code for your Windows. I use Belarc Advisor because it is free and small. It gives you a lot of info about your system as well as your software. It is not as thorough as Everest and all, but I like its file size.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Belarc_Advisor_d1385.html

 

[gameover]

I would also like to do the same glad you brought this up man thanx. All I need to do is borrow my friends xp disk find out my current and there done? am i correct

 

[wasisnt]

Did you check to see if you have another partition on your drive that stores the recovery files? That way you press xxx key when booting to do a recovery.

 

[chris32680]

definitly the partition. i had the same problem with my father in law's compaq. searched through everything looking for xp disks...then actually decided to read the manual that came with it.

its on a 'secret ' partition...at least that's what i think it was called.

stupid if you ask me.

 

[EricB]

hit f10 to restore the drive with compaq's and hp's computers

 

[Law]

I think the XP that came with your compaq is OEM, and the key will not work with a retail or other OEM CD. Most likey you'll need to startup the recovery console as stated by EricB or it can be found on your start menu/program file /

It's possible now that most manufacture are providing the recovery program on a hidden partition. There are ways to start it up too if the F10 key does not work for you or the program doesn't work. You can set that partiton active, it will boot because it's bootable, it has the nesscary IO.sys, etc files.

 

[turbog03]

ok i am new to this and i am not sure if i am asking to do what i want to do. i want o reinstall windows which i am thinking will take all compaqs extra stuff off of my computer. i want it to were there is really nothing on my computer but the programs i need and the ones i use. i did the recovery thing awhile back and it just sent it back to how it was when i first got the computer, with all compaqs stuff on it. am i thinking wrong or what do i need to do?