Reformatting hardrive - can't find XP serial?

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lonelyrobot

New Member
I am planning on reformatting my laptop which has XP.

I cannot find the windows disk and serial key which came with the laptop when I bought it.

Is there a way to find the serial key for windows on my computer?
 
There's no sticker on the bottom of the laptop with the windows genuine info? You can also right click 'my computer' and go to properties and its in there. As for the disc, you would have to call the manufacturer for a new one.
 
lonelyrobot said:
I am planning on reformatting my laptop which has XP.

I cannot find the windows disk and serial key which came with the laptop when I bought it.

Is there a way to find the serial key for windows on my computer?
Click to expand...
It is possible that your laptop uses a manufacture Restore disc or partition

Generally all manufacture laptops do not come with a Windows disc, and have not for some years now
But, they all are still required to have the OEM (the key) label affixed to the bottom of the laptop

You can contact your laptop manufacture on purchasing a Restore Disc
These discs are sold at a significantly reduced cost (sometime ~$20 to $40) as you have already purchased Windows XP with the laptop originally (assuming OEM)

What is the Make and Model of your laptop?
 
It is a sony vaio purchased in 2006. I found out the XP version - it is XP media center edition. I have tried to call Sony/Microsoft in the past for other issues and they are no help because I have an OEM and I did not purchase a help package. Does anyone know if there is more than one edition of XP media center?
 
lonelyrobot said:
Does anyone know if there is more than one edition of XP media center?
Click to expand...
No only one
But You could have XP Media Center SP1 or SP2 or SP3, and therefore your key may still not work

Best to source the exact "Recovery Disc" from Sony, they will sell you this ;)
 
In my experience with XP (I don't know about Vista) is that your key will be accepted regardless of whether you install sp1, sp2 or sp3. The important things in general are:

It must be the same version of XP (so either Home or Pro or Media Center etc)
It must be the same bit version (either 32-bit or 64-bit)
If your key is for an OEM version, then you must be installing an OEM disc.

Do you know anyone who might have an XP Media Center OEM disc? If you got a hold of one, you could install it and enter your own key info. That is still legal. You just wouldn't have all the Sony extras that come on a recovery disc.

Anyway, if you don't know anyone with an oem disc, then yeah - you'll have to buy a recovery disc from sony or from www.restoredisks.com
 
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