Is the XP CD that came with my Compaq computer capable of being installed on my desktop?

[Infohawk]

I'm thinking about buying a $50 license for win xp home. Of course they don't come with a cd. My compaq laptop came with winxp pre-isntalled and there is a backup disc.

Can I install xp on my desktop (assuming I get a license) with that compaq cd? Is there anyway to find out by looking at the compaq cd. If I do install it from the cd, is it going to install dumb stuff like compaq center on my desktop? Or is there a way past that?

Thanks.

 

[obenton]

The "backup" CD is likely useful only for the system it came with - not the complete program.

 

[Finite]

You may be able to copy only the windows XP files from the disc and write those using a cd burner to a cd. This disc would not be bootable but if make a start up disk in XP and boot the system you want to install XP on with the satart up disc and the cd and type setup at the prompt then XP should start to install. Never tried it myself but..... here let me check and see if there is a setup file on the XP cd, hold on........... Yes there is a setup file there. So what I said above should work fine just make sure you only copy the XP os files and nothing that compaq put there.

 

[Derango]

It might also be locked to that specific brand of computer (through looking at what manufacturer the BIOS reports), since generaly, OEM versions that you get with a retail type computer don't require activation. Its that way with dell...I don't see why compaq would be any different.

 

[GregMal]

You may instead want to look at Amazon.com at XP Home retail upgrades.
After rebate and coupon you can get it delivered for $49.99.......Greg

 

[Finite]

Derango:

Whatever file on the disc that would look at the bios would not be copied over with the XP files from the disc. This would not be built into the OS installer since that would require modification of XP which just wouldn't be cost effective for the oem vendor. They would have to re-program all their versions of XP versus just adding their own little check program to the disk, which again would be seperate for the XP files making up the os.