Windows Vista from Sony Viao Recovery disc

[bshz38]

Hi my old desktop computer gone down and need a copy of windows.

i have sony viao laptop but it only came with recovery cd is their away of getting that information from that computer and creating a new os windows vista disk so that i can use on my other pc.

alternative: i have windows xp home edtion sticker on my computer with my cd key if i just download the same version can i use that cd key. The company i bought the computer from has gone bust so i can not contact them for a recovery cd.

[Just Playin]

No, your Vaio laptop recovery disc will not work.

Theoretically, you could download a copy of XP home and use the product key on the COA to activate the OS. However, MS takes a very dim view of the practice and have a large stable of lawyers who will make that painfully clear. Also, you had better be extremely sure of your source as you don't want to start of with an OS filled with nasties from the get go.

Try a reputable PC repair shop and they might reinstall using their disc and your product key for a nominal fee, or ask a friend for a matching MS install disc (not a manufacturer's recovery disc).

[plodr]

As long as you have an XP Home serial, you can borrow a friend's XP Home CD and when it asks for a serial, use your number and it will install.

If the computer still boots up, before you do a clean install, user a program to grab all the drivers and burn them to a CD so that if some piece of hardware doesn't work, you can install the proper driver from the CD you burned.