I am having issues with my computer and I believe it may be a problem with the drive image I have installed on the system. My computer came with a "recovery" CD including Windows and all the other junk a computer manufacturer pre-loads on the machine. I want to do a clean install of Windows only. I have my Windows XP Home OEM SP1 product code. If I obtain a copy of a Windows XP Home OEM SP1 disc, can I use my own product code (license) or does Microsoft's new anti-piracy activation process prevent even legitimate use like this?
Most PC manufacturers give you a CD for reinstalling just the OS. It sounds like your system is from one of the few that don't. Typically, OEM codes will only work with CDs distributed by the system manufacturer. If you are lucky enough for XP to install using your code and a different CD, you most likely won't be able to complete the XP activation process. You are within your rights to activate it over the phone. Just answer the questions truthfully (you own the license, and this is the only installation), and they won't hassle you at all. If XP won't install, you can call your system manufacturer. They should be willing to send you a CD with just XP. Alternatively, you can manually uninstall all the undesirable crap after a system restore, but your computer won't be quite as clean as it would be if you just install the OS (there will be several superfluous registry entries, and likely some left behind directories and shortcuts). The artifcats won't do much harm, but no one wants unnecessary crap on their system.
Thanks for trying to help. You just repeated pretty much everything I already knew. I DO have a factory restore CD, which I mentioned in my initial post. The problem is, I want to do a clean install of Windows ONLY to see if the other junk on the recovery disk is what's causing the problem. Since I don't have a Windows XP disc only, I was thinking of trying to obtain an OEM copy and use my own license (and OEM activation code) to install it. If I understand you correctly, you're saying that will probably work, but only if I call them instead of activating online, right?
I guess I provided more info than you wanted, which led you to believe that I didn't really understand the situation. I understand completely. The chances of a random OEM CD installing XP with your license key is probably less than 50%. If you are lucky, and it does install, the chances of you being able to activate XP is less than 5%. When you attempt to activate it online, you will be given a number to call to activate it over the phone. If your new OEM CD will not install XP with your key, you should be able to get a CD for just the OS by calling your system manufacturer. This CD should work with your key, or they may provide you with a replacement key.
Thanks for the info. I seriously doubt they will give me an XP only CD. I've tried asking other computer manufacturers in the past (I hate recovery CDs) and they wouldn't do so.
