Clean installing XP onto laptop....

[damienb]

Hi all,

I have an IBM Thinkpad T43 running XP Pro and I'm thinking about wiping it clean, creating 2 partitions so I can create a dual boot with Vista Business. My laptop can with XP Pro already loaded and has the product key stuck on underneath. It also has a restore partition which I have already used a few time to start from scratch due to various reasons. If I just boot to a proper XP Pro disk, create partitions and install will the product key I have for this laptop on the bottom work? There will have been no actual hardware changes unless it notices the change in partition size? Then I could just download the specific drivers that I need for the laptop of the web (the restore partitions sets everything back to factory defualt, partitions and formats the hard disk, installs windows, all the drivers (some are not even needed) and even install some other usless software)

Will the product key work doing a clean install with a proper disk???

Damien

 

[Nodsu]

I have done this several times with my T42. The product key only works with a OEM CD.

 

[raybay]

The product key will work with the version of Windows that came on the hard drive, and was embedded on the hidden partition. If you did not diddle with it too much, you may have an opportunity to create a seven-disc install set.
The T-43 only allows one such disc set to be made, but you can buy another set from IBM Lenovo at a low price of around $30.
The product key will not work with other versions of Windows XP Professional... as it is specifically designed to work only with the T-43 disc set.

 

[damienb]

I have an OEM disk. And I have also burned off the 7-disc set of disks for the IBM T43. I have them safe in case of total hard disk crash. But ive not needed them as of yet so Ive just restored using the built in restore partition.

Are you saying that it just will not work using a proper OEM disk with my product key?

Damien