Member Avatar for driven81

Is it possible to do that? I got a real nasty virus on my desktop, (XP) which has completely hampered my internet connection and slowed everythign way down. I've searched and searched for the answer but haven't found anything yet.

I don't have the original xp disks for my desktop, but I do have the restoration disks for my laptop which are for Vista. Can I format my desktop and just use the Vista disks?

Also note, the laptop with vista on it was bought in the store, while I custom built the desktop which has xp on it.

Edited by driven81
  • 4 Contributors
  • 4 Replies
  • 114 Views
  • 8 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by driven81

Dani AI

Generated

A short, practical roadmap for that builds on , and without repeating what they already said.

OEM/laptop recovery media are generally tied to that specific laptop (vendor activation and bundled drivers), so using the Vista restore disks on a custom-built XP desktop is unreliable and likely to fail activation or leave you with the wrong drivers. Before wiping anything, the priority is safe data and license recovery.

  1. Immediate actions (do these first): unplug the PC from the network to slow malware spread; do a full backup of user data to an external drive. Key XP locations to copy are:

    • C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents and Desktop
    • C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Favorites (Internet Explorer)
    • Application Data and Local Settings folders for browser profiles (Firefox, Chrome)
    • Outlook PSTs (Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook)
      If Windows still boots, run a product-key recovery tool to capture any installed keys. If it won’t boot, use a Linux live USB to mount the disk and copy the files.

  2. Removal vs reinstall: if you want to try remediation without reinstalling, boot from a reputable offline rescue medium (vendor rescue CDs from major AV vendors) and run full scans before anything else. That can save your setup if the infection is removable. If you prefer a clean slate, note the practical reinstall options: use matching retail/OEM media + the right license, buy a modern supported Windows license, or move to a current Linux distro.

  3. Notes on choices: retail Windows keys are transferable; OEM keys are tied to the original hardware. XP and Vista are both unsupported and risky long-term—consider installing a supported OS for security. If trying Linux (as suggested), test first with a Live USB (Linux Mint or Zorin are beginner-friendly) so hardware and file access work before committing.

Checklist: isolate, backup (including hidden profiles and PSTs), extract any product keys, try offline AV rescue, then choose reinstall path (retail media, new Windows license, or Linux).

Recommended Answers

All 4 Replies

Member Avatar for caperjack

the answer is "no" you cant use the disks from the laptop ,they are for the laptop and only for that laptop

Member Avatar for JorgeM

not a good idea. It will not work as expected. without the XP CD and serial nubmer, you are out of luck for that computer.

Member Avatar for rubberman

Why not install and use Linux? You can boot a Linux live cd/dvd drive, mount your Windows file system, copy your data files to a thumb drive, and then install Linux - it will happily reformat your drive, removing all trace of your virus, and you can use OpenOffice or LibreOffice to read your MS Word, Powerpoint, and other files.

Member Avatar for driven81

Thank you rubberman, will definitely be looking into this...haven't gone linux before, will be the first time I'm giving it a shot!

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.