[submix8c]

(sigh... beating a dead horse...)

Using the above info (the "list"), you may
1 - extract/copy the Pro FPP w/SP3 CD contents to a folder
2 - copy the *.CH_ files (listed above) of the MSI disk, overlaying the FPP ones
3 - change the SETUPP.INI line with "PID=" to read xxxxxOEM (leave the "x" part alone)
4 - extract the CD BOOT (internal on the CD) to "somewhere"
5 - using burning software of choice burn a new Bootable CD (no need for Joliet, but go ahead if you want)
VOILA! XP Pro w/SP3 "Generic".
(p.s. the EULA will wrongly indicate FPP, but you don't care, do you? and the *.CH_ are basically EMPTY, telling you to "contact the vendor"...)

As I said (and now repeating), before you got HUFFY, a Generic OEM will NOT Pre-activate and (AFAIK) WILL work with OEM COA keys. The keys you get with the "purchased mom-and-pop) WITH a Generic OEM Disk (these are usually "system builder kits" - 2 CD's) and you get ONE Key UNLESS you purchase MORE and are UNIQUE (NOT used over-and-over) as you seemed to misunderstand. The second CD is the OEM Preinstall Kit CD freely available from MS as an ISO.

The above 5 steps will give you your "Mom-and-Pop" CD that you "lost" but have a Key for. You will NOT get support from the Vendor (MSI - but you don't care). This info is FREELY AVAILABLE on the WWW.

A NON-Generic OEM is the type (like your MSI Disk, and TOTALLY irrelevant to your topic) that has the four SPECIFIC files (see list) that the Vendor (NOT Mom-and-Pop) use to allow for Auto-Activation using the INTERNAL key (not the COA key), thus you STILL have to have that key (internal) to pre-activate. The COA KEY will/should work with the (MSI) CD/DVD, but WILL require activation - using it on ANOTHER PC is illegal - the CD goes with the COA/Hardware. They ALSO (usually) provide Drivers integrated into the CD (and sometimes other "stuff). As you describe it, it is a RESTORE CD and more than likely does NOT "rebuild the whole hard drive" (but is cram-packed with other "stuff). You describe two DVD's - this is what I have for my Dell - NOT a "Recovery Set" (usually an IMAGE of the OS Partition built from the Recovery Partition and spanning more than 2 DVD's, usually 4 or 5) but an INSTALL/Reinstall Disk. DO NOT confuse the two. It would be POSSIBLE that you have a "slimmed down" Recovery set, but doubtful. I DO, however, have a set of Compaq Recover Disks that literally rebuild the HDD, the INTERNAL key being on the first CD (boots kicks off the Recovery) and the OEM-OS-CD as the second (also bootable but no embedded key).

"Standard" CD will usually have the SAME FOLDERS as the Restore CD (may have a couple extras). Visually compare the Pro-FPP to the MSI-Home-OEM contents and see if that's true. Heck, you could list the FOLDER NAMES here and that would probably tell the tale.

Jeez, I thought the post was VERY clear and NOT filled with "implications" (e.g. your point#1 "generic" response). I NEVER accused you of "pirating keys", did I? Did you have to go into a diatribe?

side note -
I usually use CAPS instead of wasting keystrokes/mousestrokes to bold or italic specific points. Problem?
side note#2 -
I suggest you image the WHOLE HDD or use a different one before you "wipe" the HDD in case you want to put it back to Factory for possible sale. Even further, using a second HDD, try the DVD's you have to see if they indeed "restore to factory". SOME Recovery Disks won't "restore" to even a different HDD (the HDD is pee'd on internally to prevent pirating - only an EXACT MAKE/MODEL will work).

Done! (been there, done that, love fixing/reloading friends/relatives "virus-ridden" PC's - NOT!)

edit - re your MSI DVD - this is my Dell one (not hologrammed).

Attached File(s)

•  MyDellMCE-50.jpg (80.08K)
  Number of downloads: 1

This post has been edited by submix8c: 18 August 2012 - 01:39 PM

[Lord Wolf]

submix8c, on 18 August 2012 - 01:29 PM, said:

As I said (and now repeating), before you got HUFFY, a Generic OEM will NOT Pre-activate and (AFAIK) WILL work with OEM COA keys. The keys you get with the "purchased mom-and-pop) WITH a Generic OEM Disk (these are usually "system builder kits" - 2 CD's) and you get ONE Key UNLESS you purchase MORE and are UNIQUE (NOT used over-and-over) as you seemed to misunderstand. The second CD is the OEM Preinstall Kit CD freely available from MS as an ISO.

The step by step is indeed useful. I don't recall saying anything about being able to have it be 'pre-activated'. Not sure what you're on about with the 'unique' key thing, as I can use the same key multiple times, just so long as it's sequential usage and not concurrent usage (ie, can only have that key in use on one install at a time, but when that key is no longer in use, I can then use it again). I was rather clear on remaining legal with my use of the keys and such.

Lord Wolf, on 11 August 2012 - 06:19 PM, said:

4. In relation to #3, I have multiple product keys, *ALL* of which are legal/legitimate and were obtained through legal/legitimate means. I have at least one OEM key that I'm aware of and at least 3 FPP keys that I can think of off the top of my head. Getting into Vista and 7, I have multiple keys on those too, mostly FPP, but again *ALL* legal and legitimate. I know you're not implying it, but just to cover it, there isn't anything illegal going on.

submix8c, on 18 August 2012 - 01:29 PM, said:

Jeez, I thought the post was VERY clear and NOT filled with "implications" (e.g. your point#1 "generic" response). I NEVER accused you of "pirating keys", did I? Did you have to go into a diatribe?

I recall clearly saying that I knew you weren't implying that I was doing anything illegal. In fact, I quoted the part where I said it and you can even compare it to the post I said it in. As for going on a 'diatribe', I did no such thing. The closest I came to that in the post was in stating that I'm not the one who needs to read. Not only did you accuse me of constantly 'pushing' for something despite what I was being told (which I did not do), what I have quoted from you (above) also demonstrates it as well. I do appreciate your help, but, again with all due respect, please read what I'm saying and not assume you know what I'm saying despite not reading it. I didn't say you were implying that I was doing anything illegal (and in fact, I stated that I knew you weren't). I said that on purpose so that when I stated my position and clarified my use and intentions, anyone reading it would know I wasn't under the impression that you were hinting at something.

Again, I do appreciate help that you provide, but please read thoroughly, because you appear to skim and then make assumptions (at least in this topic).

[submix8c]

http://www.msfn.org/...en-xp-versions/

I believe I/we elaborated quite well.

[Lord Wolf]

submix8c, on 19 August 2012 - 10:28 AM, said:

http://www.msfn.org/...en-xp-versions/

I believe I/we elaborated quite well.

As explained to you in reply to the PM you sent to me and harassed me there despite being told to not talk to me anymore, you made yet another assumption.

For anyone wondering what's going on, his reason for linking to a topic of mine from a few years ago was because he assumed that I was trying to be sneaky/deceptive by making this topic. To quote him, "Did you not think it would be noticed?" My reason for asking about the differences back then from curiosity and wanting to learn. In this topic, I was asking for a legal source for where I could download an OEM ISO from since I do have a legal key in my possession but am missing the disc. So no, I wasn't trying to 'get over' on anyone or anything else implied by the question sent to me in PM.

So to submix8c, no I'm not a NEW user, despite you calling me one, nor am I the one skimming instead of reading (your actions have already outed you on that).

To everyone else, sorry about this post but after getting a PM where submix8c's made his intentions clear for why he made his reply, I felt it necessary to fill in the blanks for others. Thank you for your understanding and I look forward to future interactions minus the harassment.

[bphlpt]

Ignoring the current "discussion" between Lord Wolf and submix8c, and I sincerely hope you both will just drop it....

I'm sorry, but unlike Win7, I am not aware of any place to legally download a copy of an XP ISO of any variety, unless you have a TechNet subscription. (I don't have one, but I think I understand that it would give you access to this kind of thing.) It doesn't matter that you already have a legal key, or that you are just looking for a "replacement" ISO for your missing disc. Some computer suppliers provide the option, for a fee, of having a replacement disc sent if you bought your system from them, but if this applied to you, or you were a TechNet subscriber, I would assume you would already be aware of these options. I've heard that some people have purchased an OS disc through ebay, Amazon, Newegg, Craig's list, etc, but I've also heard that not all of the discs offered there are legitimate, so be aware.

So if you have an XP disc of any kind, or can obtain one, that you can update and modify using submix8c's instructions or something similar, along with nLite, RVMIntegrator, HFSLIP, or whatever your method of choice might be, then that's probably what you should do. If you do happen to find a legal source to download an XP ISO, please let us know because I'm sure there are others who would be interested.

Cheers and Regards

[Lord Wolf]

bphlpt, on 19 August 2012 - 09:53 PM, said:

So if you have an XP disc of any kind, or can obtain one, that you can update and modify using submix8c's instructions or something similar, along with nLite, RVMIntegrator, HFSLIP, or whatever your method of choice might be, then that's probably what you should do. If you do happen to find a legal source to download an XP ISO, please let us know because I'm sure there are others who would be interested.

Trust me, if I find one, I'll be sure to share. Of course before doing so, as I'm sure you can understand, I'll be checking to make sure that it is legal/legit. Not only because I don't want to get into any trouble for sharing it, but also to ensure that I don't download/use something that could have a trojan in it.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

bphlpt, on 19 August 2012 - 09:53 PM, said:

I'm sorry, but unlike Win7, I am not aware of any place to legally download a copy of an XP ISO of any variety, unless you have a TechNet subscription.

So if you have an XP disc of any kind, or can obtain one, that you can update and modify using submix8c's instructions or something similar, along with nLite, RVMIntegrator, HFSLIP, or whatever your method of choice might be, then that's probably what you should do. If you do happen to find a legal source to download an XP ISO, please let us know because I'm sure there are others who would be interested.

My own opinion is that Microsoft had planned a side business of providing replacement media. Official avenue to get media ...

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware

Hasn't worked out according to plan really. I believe they simply missed the boat here, being a lumbering behemoth and all. In other words they could have easily used the internet infrastructure to fill the needs of people by posting an ISO (refreshed with each SP). Much of a Windows CD/DVD is found in the large service packs anyway, their sizes are usually more than one half the size of the distribution disc. And, since they went to activation there is really no excuse for the runaround. But it is what it is. There are no fully legal methods for most people to get what you mentioned except for that link. And when you consider how bad Microsoft wants to kill WinXP, it's a miracle that any avenues exist at all.

Keeping in mind that Microsoft support is not completely averse to asking "can you borrow a friend's disc?" (stated in various other forum comments) but stopping short of suggesting to "find an ISO and burn it", we can assume there are several tiers of legality in their minds. But one thing is absolutely for sure, the legality of obtaining an ISO outside of official avenues is a completely separate issue to the rules here (a completely clean and exceptionally well moderated forum) so some things are just better left unsaid! IMHO, it is better for people to go to SevenForums and MDL and do their own research and then, take their own risks.

[Lord Wolf]

CharlotteTheHarlot, on 19 August 2012 - 11:06 PM, said:

Keeping in mind that Microsoft support is not completely averse to asking "can you borrow a friend's disc?" (stated in various other forum comments) but stopping short of suggesting to "find an ISO and burn it", we can assume there are several tiers of legality in their minds. But one thing is absolutely for sure, the legality of obtaining an ISO outside of official avenues is a completely separate issue to the rules here (a completely clean and exceptionally well moderated forum) so some things are just better left unsaid! IMHO, it is better for people to go to SevenForums and MDL and do their own research and then, take their own risks.

Yeah I've seen references, I believe on a Microsoft site (like answers.microsoft.com) and by a MS employee who clarified that it's okay to borrow a disc, so long as they use their own unique key (said in a way that basically says that a key can only be used on one install at a time).

Not sure if you and I are on the same 'page', but when you say "outside of official avenues" and whatever, if it's not by legal means then I don't want to risk it. I'm sure that's what you were referring to but just clarifying my stand on things. If someone (be it me or someone else) is able to provide a link to an ISO and it can be demonstrated/proven that it's legal, then I'm sure that the staff of this site will be fine with it, although asking first would definitely be a good step to take.

Since no one seems to have been able to provide such a resource yet, odds are that there are no resources (legal ones that is). Oh well, just have to hope I can come across that disc if I'm unable to 'piece' one together myself. If not then just have to deal with not using the key. I have multiple product keys for XP Pro, so not a big deal unless I come to a point where I actually NEED one more key.

[submix8c]

http://www.msfn.org/...tion=boardrules

Aside from the ISO, please read rules 7a, 7b, and 7d, Sir Lord Wolf. If you should reread the thread, you'll see your reactions to a number of senior members.

As for the ISO, AFAIK only MSDN/Technet (and SEL/VAR, whatever) had those available.It just won't happen unless it's illegal so don't even bother. As stated repeatedly (AND in the PM's you HAD to bring up in this thread ), DROP it and use the supplied info I gave to "roll your own" as SPECIFICALLY stated in Post #17. I'm absolutely POSITIVE of the "list"/key-info so trust it or not - your choice.

(Some people just don't appreciate honest criticism/assistance.)

On a side note, you (I "assume" it's you) DID provide a couple of Unattended info's. Thanks. (See how easy that is?)