Member Avatar for Figaro21

I have recently purchased a brand new Acer PC with Windows XP Home pre-installed.

Acer do not supply a Windows disc and instead you have to make a backup disc when starting the PC for the first time which is to be used for any sebsequent recovery.

As I have a genuine Windows XP Home COA sticker on the case please advise if it would be legal for me to use my brothers Windows XP Home disc to do a fresh install on my PC and use my own COA to activate it or indeed if the installation would even accept my own COA.

I know the laws surrounding Microsoft products are very strict and do not wish to deviate from the legal line although I feel I should in some way have a Windows XP Home disc so I may install the OS as a clean install if I wish rather than have the PC set to Acer specs with a lot of their branded cheap software to unistall.

Also, would you be able to advise, why, when I run Belarc advisor I am told that my Key starts with CXCY9 yet my COA sticker quotes an entirely different Key starting VFGRJ?

I'm not bothered about retaining any of Acers OEM software, all I want is a clean install.

Thanks.

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Short, practical explanation tied to the thread: Belarc is showing the key that the factory image actually uses, not the key printed on the COA sticker. Many OEMs ship XP using a factory (SLP) activation method so the preinstalled copy uses an OEM/SLP key built into the image (and the BIOS checks for an OEM marker) while the COA sticker contains a separate, unique key kept for proof-of-license or for non‑SLP reinstalls. That is why the key Belarc reports can look nothing like the COA number on the case. See Microsoft’s product-activation overview and a plain explanation of SLP. Microsoft: Description of Microsoft Product Activation (background) · System Locked Pre-installation (SLP) — Wikipedia. (support.microsoft.com)

What to do if you want a clean install (practical checklist):

  • Before touching anything, create Acer recovery/media images and copy your COA (photo) and any driver installers (grab the NIC driver first so you can get online after a fresh install).
  • If you borrow your brother’s XP disc, confirm it is the same edition and channel (XP Home, and whether it is OEM/System‑Builder vs retail and which service pack). Media/channel mismatches are the usual cause of a CD rejecting the COA key; ’s note about media type is exactly the point to watch for. If the installer won’t accept your COA, either use Acer’s recovery media, obtain the correct OEM/System‑Builder reinstall disc for your machine, or follow the activation fallback (below). XP, OEM and the repair/reinstallation — which disk do I need?. (experts-exchange.com)

Quick troubleshooting tips:

  • Check activation status on the running system with the Activation Wizard (run oobe/msoobe /a). If a reinstall later refuses the COA, entering the COA in the Activation Wizard or using Microsoft’s telephone/activation flow has traditionally been the fallback (see “How to activate Windows XP”). Keep in mind modern support for XP activation is limited and OEMs are the primary support path for preinstalled copies — preserve the recovery partition or get official recovery discs from Acer if possible. How to activate Windows XP / product activation guidance. (learn.microsoft.com)

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Member Avatar for caperjack

hi ,Welcome to daniweb ,if its legal or not, i do it all the time when customers bring me the computer and no windows cd ,as long as you are using you key why not ,
i also do it with my own laptop and my daughters new compaq does the same as you acer .acer is going to make you make a copy and use that !! as for belarc not sure why the key is different

Member Avatar for alc6379

It's legal.

You have a license to use it, as obviated by you having a CoA sticker. The disc, no matter where you get it from, is just the media you install the OS with. As caperjack put it, if you're using your own key, and not someone else's, or a pirated key, you're good to go.

Member Avatar for Figaro21

Thanks for the advice.

As I said, I'm legal with my own genuine COA key so I'll go for it. Will borrow my brothers disc at the weekend.

Member Avatar for DjLizard

Make sure the disc is OEM, and not retail or upgrade, or else your product key won't be accepted.
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