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Using an installation CD of Windows XP Pro Media Center Edition on a Gateway PC
May 18, 2010
8:59 PM
8:59 PM
Enrico
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Hello everybody:
Could someone please advise me if there would be any problem in using an installation CD of XP Pro Media Center Edition for a Dell PC on my Gateway 835GM Media Center PC.
I'm presently unable to use my PC to recover my OS from the hard drive partition or my set of recovery CD's.
I was advised to try a recovery program named Artellos, however, it didn't work.
Someone else advised me to get a copy of Windows XP Pro Media Center Edition and use the recovery console in there to enable my hard drive to work again.
Someone has offered to sell me a never used copy of Windows XP Pro Media Center Edition with the validation code for $50.00
Can I use this CD on my PC? If so, will the validation code work, or should I just use my original one.
I'm thinking along the lines, if my hard drive is bad and needs to be replaced I'll have an install CD on hand at less cost than buying a new one.
Thank you in advance for your time on my behalf.
May 18, 2010
9:16 PM
9:16 PM
Locutus
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If the disc came with a computer, it will not work, period.
It is an OEM disc if it came with a computer, and is designed to work only on that one computer.
However if you used the code that came with your computer on the exact same edition (IE, Windows XP Pro Media Center Edition came with the computer) then it might work.
Oh, the site that was :(
May 18, 2010
9:24 PM
9:24 PM
Enrico
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Thank you for your answer.
I guess I also couldn't use it on a new hard drive either, correct?
May 18, 2010
9:34 PM
9:34 PM
Ashraf
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Locutus is wrong, as far as I know. The CD and the Windows CDKEY from the Dell computer should work just fine on your Gateway computer. However, using either of them for your Gateway computer is illegal – you are only allowed to use the CD and CDKEY for the computer it came with.
You will be able to use that new CD for $50 on your Gateway, but I don't think it will of much help on your Dell.
That said, have you tried to use Paragon's Rescue Kit Express (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/rk-express/) to fix Windows, or if it is not fixable, to recover your files from the Dell?
Hope that helps.
May 18, 2010
9:37 PM
9:37 PM
Ashraf
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BTW Enrique if you are a student you can get Windows 7 Pro for $65 from http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx.
May 18, 2010
9:58 PM
9:58 PM
Gioneo
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Ashraf is right. As long as you have the matching key for your OS, you can use it.
And as the illegal part of it… I guess if both computers belong to you and the OS is genuine, I doubt they will come after you. 
And whoever is selling you that " never used copy of Windows XP Pro Media Center Edition with the
validation code for $50.00 ", make sure it comes in original packaging ( wrapping too!).
Good luck Mate!
May 18, 2010
11:11 PM
11:11 PM
Locutus
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Ashraf said:
Locutus is wrong, as far as I know. The CD and the Windows CDKEY from the Dell computer should work just fine on your Gateway computer. However, using either of them for your Gateway computer is illegal – you are only allowed to use the CD and CDKEY for the computer it came with.
Some OEM keys are designed not to work that way I thought… 
Oh, the site that was :(
May 18, 2010
11:19 PM
11:19 PM
yourpalal
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Gioneo said: …………..Ashraf is right.
Well,……….. OF COURSE HE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Life is just a phase you're going through…you'll get over it.
May 18, 2010
11:22 PM
11:22 PM
Gioneo
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Locutus said:
Some OEM keys are designed not to work that way I thought…
You're probably referring to distribution discs… In theory they are designed to only work with specific hardware , but there's a workaround.
He he he… There's always a work around. 
May 18, 2010
11:33 PM
11:33 PM
Locutus
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Gioneo said:
Locutus said:
Some OEM keys are designed not to work that way I thought…
You're probably referring to distribution discs… In theory they are designed to only work with specific hardware
He he he… There's always a work around.
Well, yeah. But I mean in the sense of "la di da taking the disc out of the plastic and sticking it into the other brand's computer" sense.
Oh, the site that was :(
May 18, 2010
11:41 PM
11:41 PM
Adrian
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@Ashraf: Pity I am not a US student…
And the offer is so small at the bottom of the page… difficult to notice…
May 19, 2010
2:21 PM
2:21 PM
karen
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If you give up on trying to fix Windows and just want to get data files off of the hard drive, try booting from a linux Live CD. I had a bad harddrive one time that would spin up, stop, repeat. Windows couldn't handle that, but the once I booted from the linux Live CD, I managed to slowly get the important data off (and learned a lesson about better backups). The drive still misbehaved, but linux handled it better.
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