[Ttwotone]

Ok, I'm a newbie, so I just need some clarification on something very basic. I have an HP Pavillion a520n with Win XP. When I first got this PC I made a recovery dvd as recommended. The utility only allowed one copy to be made per computer (or I could have used several CDs).

Now, my question is this: is this disk essentially my copy of the Win XP OS? Can I use this disk to potentially install XP on a new PC that I construct or a new hard drive? I have my Win 95 and my Win 98SE disks that came with my first PC and subsequent upgrade. Is this recovery dvd a "homemade" Win XP disk, or is it only able to be used on this computer to recover from, let's say, a virus or some other catastrophe? Because the PC came with no other disk for Win XP. :4-dontkno

 

[Ttwotone]

Ok, so I've answered part of my own question by finding and reading the EULA on my computer. The software is not licensed to be used anywhere but on this one computer. But, I think it could be installed on a new hard drive if I were to replace the existing one on this computer. However, I still don't know for sure if the recovery disk I made will accomplish this if it should become necessary. Anyone know?

 

[Doby]

If your hard drive fails yes you will be able to install windows with the disk you created. I think that you already know that this disk will not work on another computer

 

[Ttwotone]

Thanks for clarifying that for me. For a new PC I guess I can install Win 98 SE and then get the XP upgrade. I'm really just beginning to research the idea of a new PC (to build or not to build...that is the question). So, thanks for the input!

 

[Doby]

If you get the XP upgrade edition there is no need to install 98 first, in fact don't do it. Just boot from the XP cd and sometime during the install it will ask for your 98 cd just to verify that you own one. You simply put the 98 cd in then it see's that you own a copy and you put the XP cd back in and away you go

 

[Ttwotone]

Cool! Thanks for the tip. :grin: