scoobyster

Hi All

I've inherited an old PC and am trying to sort it out so it's usable for someone. It has been messed around with and had things deleted when they shouldn't have been, so it needs a fresh format and XP install. There's no Windows licence sticker on the case and I have a sneaky suspicion it might be a shady copy. How can I tell? It hasn't been connected to the net and is still on SP2 so it won't have seen Windows Update for a while if ever.

I've got an XP disc but no spare licence so it will be a ball ache if Windows won't install after I've formatted... Hence I'd like to be forewarned.

Cheers

HHxx

If you are wiping it and installing fresh, you will need a license key. Aren't XP licenses dirt cheap now anyway?

If the machine is made by one of the larger pc manufacturers, it could possibly have the license key in the ROM but there also would be a sticker stuck to the case. These are usually rebuilt from a image via their restore discs.

StickyMicky

If it has no licence, maybe stick Ubuntu on it instead of Windoze ?

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

If I was putting together a machine for someone I would be installing Ubuntu on it - no hassles with viruses, and no hassles with licenses.

StickyMicky

scoobyster

Thanks. Hmm well my own machine used to require the licence key to be typed in from the sticker when installing, but last time I did it I'm pretty sure it was authenticated by magic over the net. (Although it's possible I'm confusing it with my Dell laptop which does have it on the ROM as you describe)

The machine I'm working on now was built by a small time back-bedroom type builder I think.

The mate who's having it will have an XP licence on his, now defunct, PC. Will we get away with using its number for the 'new' machine?

Any recommendation of a source for said dirt cheap licences for a simple life?

Cheers.

scoobyster

..

scoobyster

Aye I did wonder about Ubuntu but that'll mean I'll have to do a bit of research and figure out what I'm doing, which means spending more time than I've got at the mo. It would be fun otherwise though, I'll consider it.

scoobyster

Oh all right I'll give Ubuntu a go, downloading now. Do I need to do anything about drivers in advance? It's got some hideous m/board with the CPU soldered straight onto it! Everything is on board so the m/board driver will probably do it all.

StickyMicky

I installed Ubunbu on my old Thinkpad laptop

Its rough specs

800mhz
384ram
some other stuff crappy old stuff

It installed fine and sorted everything out for me, it really was "install and use", i was quite impressed to be honest, if i did not game on my home desktop i would convert that as well.

Ant

Another for ubuntu , I use it on my browsing laptop .very simple to use

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

Ubuntu works great on older kit. I have some old Pentium 3 and early P4 stuff with Ubuntu running on them for various purposes, and it performs very well both in terms of stability and responsiveness.

If you need any assistance on this front, happy to offer what I can, but it really is just a matter of downloading the ISO, burn to CD / DVD and you can even run Ubuntu from the cd to try it on your hardware without installation.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

there are utilities you can download which will tell you your xp product key which you then make a note of

Gregsti01

iTrader: (1)

Download Rock xp software its free and will tell serial no.Once you have got serial no put computer on line it will soon tell you if it is genuine,if it is do a repair with XP disc

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Just install with any serial number, patch the WGA (look on youtube) and there you go.

M$ aren't releasing any more updates for XP as far as I am aware.

StickyMicky

All the more reason to not act like a council pirate and use Ubuntu instead