ok i recently got a new comp…yay…it’s great…but it came with no os…fun…but all i had was windows me…and it wouldn’t boot from that …with no os installed…so i borrowed my freinds xp disc and installed it… it worked of course but you have to send in the code to register and i can’t do that because he has already registered it and it won’t work so i was wondering if sombody could explain how in install a lower version of windows from a higher one…maybe like win me from xp…and don’t say just put the disc in because that doesn’t work either that or tell me how to make it where i don’t have to register win xp
Would the ME disk simply not load or did your comp just not like the disk? If it’s a matter of not loading, you can change the start-up format (though I don’t remember exactly how) so that your comp will boot from the CD-ROM drive.
If it’s a brand-new computer and the disk isn’t working, then you should call the company who sold it to you and request a new disk or at least technical support. Is there a warranty on it?
Use the same Product Key/Activation Code. It will work every time anybody ever tries it. Trust me. It doesn’t matter if your friend used it already. Just tell Windows that you don’t want to Register your copy at this time.
Option #2-Downgrade to Windows ME
Advantage: There isn’t one. (except that you would always have the Windows CD if you ever needed to reinstall it…)
Uninstall XP. Go into your BIOS. This is usually done by pressing delete or F1 during a certain timeframe when your computer boots up. Make sure that the CD-ROM is the First Boot Device. If the computer is supposed to be able to boot from the CD, then this should fix your problem. If the computer’s not supposed to be able to boot from the CD-ROM, then you need to install MS-DOS as your first os and then upgrade from there. If the computer is supposed to be able to boot from the CD and this doesn’t fix your problem, then I’m out of ideas for you, unless you want to install MS-DOS and then upgrade.
screw linux. i hate microsoft, but it’s just too popular. eventually, linux won’t even be able to keep up with it. just keep it simple fear and stay with windows.
Heh. Some of the posts didn’t make sense to me. Of course if he was able to load Windows XP from a Cd-rom, he had to have had the boot on Cd-rom. And although I don’t know about Windows XP for sure, with Windows 98 I just use this old serial number from another computer. I have used it on about five computer. You are not supposed to do it, and I have no idea if they have anyway to tell that it is not yours, so I say give it a shot. Seems like it would be far too hard for Microsoft to tell you are running off of the same serial number. I imagine that the only time you might run into problems is when you tried to do Windows Update. I read somewhere that they are stopping updates to pirated copies. Don’t know how that is possible to tell, but that is what it said.
Yes, you would think so, but it’s good just to douoble check (you know how Microsoft is…).
Yea, it is illegal.
No, they can’t unless they write a program that scans your hard drive and you download it to your computer (or they upload it to your computer) which is highly unlikely.
Yea, they’re soon going to be scanning your registry for your s/n and seeing if it is already registered. (or they might compare it to the s/n of the actual Product CD, there might be some relationship there…) Too many people pirate Windows though for them to stop it and catch all the people so you’re pretty safe.
Hi Fear. Ill post this almost exact copy from sealife post just in case you surely see it.
I had exactly similar problem as you did. Rented my dad’s Windows XP and it went down in 30 days as i didnt give that unique serial code that wasnt yet in use. So i lended my friend’s Win XP SP2 which didnt need unique serial for each user. So with that code i guess there can be as many users as possible. And SP2 beats the usual Windows XP also anytime.
either that or tell me how to make it where i don’t have to register win xp 
