Okay, here is my issue. I just purchased a new Dell with Windows 7 and want to keep it "clean" so I prefer not to download students papers...just in case. The computer that was replaced was an IBM NetVista and the O/S was so infected I just wiped it out when I got the new machine. I have a few Windows 2000 disks (with licenses) but need XP or better for Office 2007. The old IBM NetVista has an Windows XP license sticker attached to the side of it but the recovery partition is wiped out. I want to load XP on the NetVista as my "teaching computer" so if it gets infected I would just re-image it. I want to purchase a copy of XP and get it loaded by XP is kind of hard to come by. Just to be clear - I am not asking for a used or pirated copy of XP. I want to know where I can find a real product that is new and cheap. Best Buy has Windows 7 for $200. Would it be better to just buy that and not waste time tracking down a copy of XP? Any suggestions?
I have some legal copies (OEM license from school). Send me an email I'll find the way to put it on my webs server for downloading.
You can use the License Key from the IBM NetVista. I have several old and no longer used notebook computers and an OEM MSWinXP(HE) disk and use one of those license keys for the VirtualBox instance I run of MSWinXP(HE).
To whoever has extra copies of XP for this guy, to get your legal copy of windows XP online use Nlite or imgburn to create an ISO and upload it. To the original poster: Since you already have a key, is it home or pro? Because you can use DELL xp home discs (and maybe pro, I'm not 100% sure) like any other OEM disc, they are essentially unmodified. Then when windows prompts you to activate you go to "activate over phone" > "change product key" type in your legal product key that is affixed to the case and then you should be free and clear to activate. I'm not 100% sure this is 100% legal or not but I do know that the one key is associated with the one computer when it's all over and as far as I'm concerned that's the whole idea.
Okay, I pull a hard drive out of another machine that had a bad motherboard that was the closet (I forgot I even had it and they are all the same models) and I was able to hit F11 and use the Recovery Partition and reload XP from the IBM service partition. All legal, all done, all easy. I will now load some free anti virus software and create an image of the drive. If it gets messed up, I will just re-image it and be A-OK. Thanks for the feedback.
Dr. Randell, Check your email, I sent you a message along with the log-in on George Washington University's MSDN. Which you can download and get a key from there. BTW, please don't download Windows 7 'cause I need it.
If you don't mind just having another copy of Windows 7, you can get it for $30 by being an active student: http://windows7.digitalriver.com/store/mswpus/en_US/DisplayHomePage
+1 for newegg always get the OEM versions from newegg inexpensive version of the regular sofware Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754 $104.99
+2 for Newegg Another option if you need a lot of licenses is to join MS TechNet. You also get access to betas.
Try this on for size I use this for a multitude of things, not the least of which is keeping my Windows 7 safe from outside bugs. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx It's worked for very well for me and you don't need a separate license as it installs on top of your Windows 7 OS. Patrick
I've found their prices (and academic pricing in general) to be pretty good for some items, especially MS and Adobe products, but others can be found cheaper on Newegg.
