Emachine Desktop

[Kodiak]

I have to go out to a customer tomorrow with an emachine and it sounds very much like I will have to format this pc and I was wondering, since he can't find his recovery cds and there is a legit key on the side of the box will any oem of the same version work with his key code like others do?

[HMIBarryLSalter]

I don't know the answer to your question but I do know how to avoid the problem you feel you will be facing.

If I need to reformat a customers machine and I don't want to lose anything off there machine, not even the current state of the machine, then I will use norton ghost and ghost their whole drive to a file on my hard. Since the new version of ghost sucks (my opinion) I have it for the license but I use the old version off Hirrem's CD. as you can see, I'm not promoting using it without a lic. I bought the software but the new version won't do what I want it to do like the old one does.

Here's another tip, if the customer is not overwhelmingly in a hurry, contact the manufacturer (emachine) and order them replacement discs. Some manufactures send replacements without cost, some charge shipping and some just say "oh you need to do this or that" and the setup runs from a hidden (or not so hidden) partition on the disc.

I hope that helped some...

Barry,

[Kodiak]

Thats the problem in this case. He has to have it up an running tomorrow. If the pc is down I just use UBCD for windows to get their data and either copy it or burn it to a cd. Now to reinstall window I was wondering if I can just use my copy of windows of the same version and use his key code then that would save him $100. I have done this with a few other brands of desktops and laptops just never had to try with an emachine and thought someone out there had.

[NooNoo]

You can use replacement media of the correct type... type is verified by a little file called setupp.ini (http://www.thetechguide.com/howto/setuppini.html)

This does not change anything other than allowing you to create a replacement media from any type of xp media. It does not get around activation or cd key entry.

[HMIBarryLSalter]

The reason there are so many answers is, because the question sounds so specific and simple and yet is asking many questions of it's own:

1) Is the version of Windows XP the same version of XP or as in from the same computer as the customer owns?
2) Are you aware that some installations (restores that is) do not require a key at all, my daughters Del is a perfect example and the sotec laptop used ghost to restore to disc had no key to enter.

The question here is if the recovery CD is for a different type of machine, then the pre-packed drivers will not match up at the very least or not work at all at the very most. My reply there fore, was to avoid not being able to get back to the current state in case the discs you had did not render the result you hoped for being the question had been posed.

Barry,

[Kodiak]

This is my xp home cd I bought at the store so its just the os not from a dell, Toshia or any other machine just a oem disc from the store so there is no driver specific so0ftware built in. His machine he said was a couple years old so not sure if it is sp1 or sp2. I'm fully aware some machines do not need the key as I have done hundreds of installs on many types of machines just never tried a install on an emachine with a different oem cd thus is why I ask. He has a valiid sticker on the side of the box from what he tells me so I'm not doing anything illegal.