XPPro Sp2 newdisk/old serial

[uesquebeathus]

hi, I have a copy of a new windows xp pro sp2 disk which was issued to a friend, I copied it because she is almost 80 and is continually tidying up by her way of it and clearing out what she thinks is rubbish and often throws out a few things she should keep.

I then as a test attempted to install it and use my original serial numbers which are pre sp2.

this did not accept the serial at the point when the install asked. and that was the end of the test.

I was a little disappointed as I had hoped that installing this way would be utilizing a newer updated XP Pro with all the SP2 inclusive.

I thought this would be better than slipstreaming and make it a more up to date install and more sure and complete.

can I use this disk in slipstreaming ?

or

is there a way I can use it with my older serial to install xp pro?

[Arie]

This other installation CD is probably a different version of Windows XP and with version I mean that you have a Retail serial and this is perhaps a Volume License disc or perhaps an OEM. But it could even really be a different version of the OS itself, so you might have a Home serial and the disc is Professional. I don't know how these things work as I always use corporate editions which work with a Volume License Key. My Gold key works on my SP1 disc and also on my SP2 disc, so I wouldn't know why it wouldn't be the same for you, unless Microsoft blocked your serial in SP2, which would mean that you need to contact Microsoft and ask for a replacement. Hope this helped a bit anyway.

[uesquebeathus]

Hi, Aria,

thanks for the reply, prior to a couple of accidents I was employed as an IT engineer, but now i am a disabled one, who tries to keep my brain active if my body is not able to. I purchased two oem windows xp pro in 2003 and assembled two computers for home use, the newer copy was from a friend who's son had given here a computer originally win 98 which was updated by a guy who used a school copy/version, earlier this year I was asked to check out the computer by her daughter who works with my wife. It was very very slow, full of spyware and a couple of virus/trojans, i cleaned that out, found that only 96mb ram was fitted upgraded that to 512mb plus the old ram, which certainly lifted it a good bit. Then it came to updating the windows xp which worked ok until it came up with this was an illegal license, she paniced a bit then decided to purchase a license and downloaded it from microsoft and that was the version i copied.

I was surprised to find that I could not use my current license with it but there were two things, I understand that microsoft was runnig out of numbers using the frame that was originally used and issued newer disks with a newer format of serial numbers. I thought that the new disk would have been more uptodate than me slipstreaming my version plus the sp2 updates, a pity I could not do it as my current computer will have to get re-installed as I am getting a few Blue screens when the pc just hangs with "c000021a" error at shutdown, I have restored it back to an august restore point and for the last few days only had one error at shutdown, which is an improvement but I still feel that something is not quit right if you know what I mean, it just is not as good as it was, as if there was a fault slowing it down.

I was going to do a repair install or if i am forced to a full wipe and reinstall with the hope that the newer copy version instead of the slipstreamed version would save a lot of updates afterwards.