[Jayce]

I hope this isn't flirting with the lines of software piracy, but I'm working on a computer right now that came pre-loaded with XP Home SP2. It keeps erroring out that a bunch of files on the CD (Dell Branded) cannot be copied or read properly when I try to install the OS, which due to the previous HDD failing, is required I do so.

Is there any way I can just... get... an XP Home SP2 ISO and burn it to a CD and use the key on the sticker of the Dell tower to activate it?

I normally don't deal with private computer tech stuff like this with people's personal computers, so despite the million times I've installed XP, this area is kind of new and I just don't want to put this person in a bad place (licensing being legit, wise) without being positive.

[Trotter]

yes, it is possible. And you did good in how you worded it. I've had to do the same before as well.

It is the license that matters. The disk can come from anywhere.

[Jayce]

Originally Posted by Trotter

yes, it is possible. And you did good in how you worded it. I've had to do the same before as well.

It is the license that matters. The disk can come from anywhere.

I gotta admit, I'm quite unsure of why the CD won't work. The CD is perfectly fine of scratches, yet it errors out. At the same token, when I boot up any Ubuntu CD I have, it freezes halfway through loading the LiveCD image.

Oh, right. Change the CD/DVD drive. Right? Did it. Same results.

Weeeeeeee!

[MikeFuryXP]

Hey jayce it sounds like your CD/DVD drive is giving you nightmares.

Lets Try this:

1.Either find out what CD/DVD drive that customer has and reupdate the firmware with a newer one.
Please don't try to flash the CD/DVD drive or you'll have a great time explaning to the customer why their dvd drive died...

or

You can download windows xp home sp2 from a legit site safe sit, I can't say it here or risk getting shown the door out of tech-forums.
Beaware that you have people on the net playing one trick ponys with XP's home and Pro ISO and using more harsh corparate versions so be careful of what you download tonight.

Try installing XP from a flash drive if at possible or try a SD memory card reader.
I've done it from the memory card a few times and it works just fine as long as my motherboard bios supported it.

[Jayce]

I already tried a completely different DVD Rom drive that I had from my stack of spare parts and it too failed.

EDIT - looks like the 1 stick of RAM is bad. I took one out and now GParted LiveCD works fine. I'm reinstalling XP now to see how it does. Thanks guys!