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Thread ID: 72262 2006-09-06 06:50:00 Reinstalling XP Home OEM fnphoto (2434) Press F1
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482921 2006-09-06 06:50:00 I want to delete & format C: drive using fdisk etc. & completely reinstall Win XP Home. The problem is I want to know if I can use the product recovery CD and product code which came with my computer (dare I say it - a PC company machine).
A while ago I used partition magic to delete the hidden (recovery) folder to gain more space for C: drive.
Can I now still safely use the CD & OEM serial number?
fnphoto (2434)
482922 2006-09-06 07:46:00 If the product recovery CD actually contains the Windows system installation files, then it should be OK.

If it was just a boot CD that invoked the files on the hidden partition, then no.

In the latter case you dont now have XP to reinstall, but I suspect the recovery CD will be an OEM XP version and will work?
godfather (25)
482923 2006-09-06 12:43:00 The recovery cd's will not work.
WHat I did was I borrowed a xp cd from someone and used that with my COA and it worked.

If it doesn't you can always call Microsoft and they usually help you get a new one. (Have patience with them)
trinsic (6945)
482924 2006-09-07 00:52:00 Unless the XP CD is of exactly the same species (i.e. XP Home OEM) then the COA won't work either.

As it's OEM, all support is from the (ex) supplier, so MS may not have to "help" if they don't feel like it.
godfather (25)
482925 2006-09-07 05:45:00 Thanks guys. I thought that I may as well try installing with it as I also had two other later versions of XP (just in case) and it worked perfectly! It also fixed a problem with my secondary primary 80Gb HDD which I couldn't see in windows at all! fnphoto (2434)
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