A person is asking my Opertating System (XP home) CD...should I give it?...read details before answering?

Question

The Operating System (Windows XP Home) of my friend has crashed. His Operating System CD is also not working. He wants to take my Original Windows XP Home Operating System CD to reformat his system. He says, he will use my CD to load and then use his XP Keys.

He says, there will not be a problem because my System Keys are not in the CD...and he told me that my System keys are below my laptop and he doesn't know it...And hence there will not be any problem.

Should I give him my CD to reformat his system?

Please reply ASAP...Serious answers please.

Thanks for the people who answered till now (4th answer...Dinesh)...

He tells me that I can make a copy of my CD to him and give to him...he doesn't need the original CD. Our laptops are not same company. But our versions are same ... Windows XP Home...

So give me a definite good answer...can I make a copy of the my Original CD and give it to him? I will not give my Keys personally...but will that Copied CD contain the key?

Thanks to everyone who answered and helped. I just used your advices and advices from other places that I got. I didn't have to give him any CD in the end. Sorry, I can't chose any best answer because all of them helped in a way. Thanks anyway.

Answer 1

has he got his bios set to boot from CD?
If the machines are the same make eg both compaq, it should be ok
or use your CD and ring microsoft to activate.
if the story is true, this too is ok
if cd is broken - contact microsoft for replacement

Answer 2

So long as you only lend him the CD, and keep the keys to yourself, then there is no problem, and he will be happy :-)

It sounds like your friend is on the level, and you can help him out, without any drama :-) (legally there is no issue either, because what you pay $'s for is the key... not the CD).

Note: If you were to give him (or anyone) the keys to your CD, then there is a problem. Win2000 and earlier - no issues (apart from moral ones). WinXP (and WinVista)... the keys are actually part of what gets sent to Microsoft for registration/authentication purposes. If a key is used on more than one machine you can end up with your system not working (or his, or more likely, both).

:-)

Addendum: Regarding copying the CD. The CD is actually copy protected quite seriously. There are obviously programs available that happily remove copy-protection, but they are not legal, so if anyone asks, I didn't tell you this ;-) (If you don't have access to CP removal tools, then copying the CD will produce a blank unusable CD... or you could email me and I could help you out :-) The CD does not contain any key information...

Answer 3

the CD is the same for everyone(allowing for updates etc_mine has a separate one for Sp2 cos mine is old) the bit you are paying for when you buy an operating system from Microsoft is the license key(product key) so as long as he has his product key which is valid then he can use your disc no problem.. PS:- copying windows Cd's is prohibited(read the front of the disc) but as your friend already has a genuine copy, then i think Microsoft would overlook it(they have much bigger fish to fry than you) . and if you are that concerned then make sure your key is registered and go with the disk to your friends house so you don't have to let it out of your sight!! and if he did use your product key then it wouldn't match the hardware configuration on Microsoft's server anyway. that's why if you make too many changes to your hardware- it asks you to reactivate within 3 days(changing motherboard or processor or changing sound card and graphics card at same time would probably trigger it too) just lend him the disk!! go on help out a friend in need.

Answer 4

Presuming you have registered your XP Home with Microsoft, lend him the CD. It will do no harm to you or your PC and may well do him a big favour!

Trying to get a copy CD from Microsoft is a major task so forget it. Make a copy your own CD.

Reading some of the answers to this simple question makes me think there are lot of weenies logging in to this site. Time to take a stroll in the park in this beautiful autumn day, me thinks!

Answer 5

The TRUTH behind the firing of Don Imus: I truly believe Don Imus was fired because there weren't any other good news stories out there. The only major news story was about the father of Anna Nicole's baby (which was losing ratings because of repetativeness, and even when the real father was announced, it wasn't that interesting) . So most of the newscast time was then used on Don Imus. If you notice, newspapers didn't really keep repeating the Don Imus story. But the competativeness of television news kept giving this story steam. People are going to tell you he said "nappy-headed hos" but you didn't actually hear it in the context of how it was said. If you were to actually listen to how he said it, you'd hear that he was laughing in the background while saying it. Don Imus is a responsible person who knows the ins and outs of broadcasting as he had so much experience with it. It is very sad when a man can say three words in a joke and was ultimatley fired for it. I am not backing him up on it, but was this the best way to treat the situation? You can relate this to the Halocast. Yes, there is a MAJOR difference between the deaths of 12 million people and one person firing of a job, but there is one similarity: The actions used as "punishment" for the "unacceptable nature" of the persons do not fit the crime. I believe that Imus should have been kept on the the two-week suspension to let the dust settle on the controversy. Now he will get a show on satellite radio and gain lnew isteners from the publicity. Now he can say WHATEVER he wants.

Answer 6

Microsoft uses the new Windows Validation Tool that you MUST run in order to continue recieving Windows Updates and other services. You Windows XP disk DOES have encryted info on the correct Key that must match it. If the validation tool 1)will see that his Key does not match his COPY of Windows, therefore it will be rendered NOT GENUINE. Meanwhile, when it tries to validate your copy of windows the next time, it will know the KEY has already tried to pass as GENUINE but wasn't and now your copy will be rendered NOT GENUINE. Plus, he will have to register his new installation within 30 days, but this is now done by, yep, the Windows Validation Tool. No way around it!

Answer 7

May be he will not be able to install windows without the cd key in the first place. His cd key will not match with your cd.

Answer 8

yeah, i'm not an expert, but i do not steal and that usage fits my rules. i think the other option is he gets another copy from microsoft for $20, which is a rip-off if you ask me... i don't believe lending the CD is illegal, but since you said "a person" instead of "a friend", then consider your personal risk (person flaking out, not returning CD) and your H.E. (hassle expectancy)

Answer 9

NOPE

it's not oging to work. i try using a key that was a pre-installing key for a retail version of windows XP.
what what your friend is trying to do is not going to work

you can give to him, but don't give him your key. even of it doesn't work because that key is regerster yoru comptuer band name compnay :)

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i custom build my computer i left my Xp packet at my parents house and only had my cd, so i used my sister's XP key from her laptop and it didnt' work. also tried with my bro laptop and my friends computer and it didnt' work.

Answer 10

Never loan out your original CD's!

If you can make a good copy do that.....Never loan them out because you may never get them back, or you may not get them back in original condition as sent....then no more friend :0(