Reformatting With A Different Windows Xp Disc

[FCsteve]

my computer has some stupid virus that has managed to piss me off today more then ever. so i am going to reformat it. but .. my computer doesnt have an xp disc. can i use my buddys xp disc with my product key ?

[Torres]

i dont think you can use your key...you're gonna need to use his cd key to do it

[jmitch]

try f8 or f11 at start up if u have a system with it preloaded on it.

[audiofanaticz]

Windows xp product keys are made for that cd.

I know on windows 98, 2000, me that as long as its a 98 product key for a 98 disc it will work.

Tho now since vista dropped they dont care much about xp.

I know I use to have to call in my activation becasue I used my product key to many times, now I dont have to call it in, and it activates right away with no errors..

All you can do is try I guess. you may get lucky with it. If it fails, call windows xp and request a new product key. They will ask you what the cd looks like and blah blah blah, just tell them it says win xp home eddition (or whatever addition it is) and tell them the cd is shinny with windows xp logos all over and what not. For some reason they alway asked me what my cd looked like.

[Shyne151]

You can use your key with his disc... as long as they are the same version... ie a home key and home disc.

[Slinky]

You can use your key with his disc... as long as they are the same version... ie a home key and home disc.

im not 100 percent sure on this but it should work. i doubt the keys are disc specific. id say just give it a shot

[MonstrNrgy]

It should work, I used a burned XP home cd with a key from my older computer when i downgraded my new one from vista to xp.

[anti.commander]

as long as you use his disk and his key it will work.

If this was pre-vista and you had to do this, you would need to either do an activation patch or call it in.