Guys,

I am trying to fix a friends laptop and like alot of fools I know he does not have the original disks that came with it. It was running Windows XP Home.

The laptop in question is a Packard Bell. I thought I would be able to use an XP Home disk I have here, install it and use te product key on the bottom of the laptop. Turns out, I can't! XP installs fine but when I enter the product key from the laptop it doesn't work. Probably because the key on the laptop is for a Packard Bell OEM disc but I have no idea where to get one.

What are my options?

Thanks in advance.

By the way, I had to put in a new hard drive as the other one died completely, thats why I have to reinstall.

Guys,

I am trying to fix a friends laptop and like alot of fools I know he does not have the original disks that came with it. It was running Windows XP Home.

The laptop in question is a Packard Bell. I thought I would be able to use an XP Home disk I have here, install it and use te product key on the bottom of the laptop. Turns out, I can't! XP installs fine but when I enter the product key from the laptop it doesn't work. Probably because the key on the laptop is for a Packard Bell OEM disc but I have no idea where to get one.

What are my options?

Thanks in advance.

Best option is to sit down with your friend and have him call MS and have him explain what happened (replacing the hard drive) and MS should issue a new product key.

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