Windows XP Virus problems (OS Clean Install)

Razoo

Hi

I bought my daughter an Acer Aspire 5633 laptop running Windows XP Media Edition about 18 months ago. I have just purchased another Aspire 5633 running Vista for my son. Neither laptop came with the MS Operating System disc. My daughter's laptop has a restore file in a hidden partition on the HDD. My son's laptop has a restore disc (CD).

A few days ago, my daughter's laptop picked up a virus. I think it has Vundo and maybe some IE hijacker virus as well. Rather than mess about trying to remove the virus(es), I am going to do a clean install of Windows XP Home SP2. That should also get rid of the unwanted features and programmes that Acer installs.

I am also going to do a clean install of Windows XP Home SP2 on my son's laptop to get rid of Vista, which I really don't like for reasons too many to go into here.

Questions please:

1. I have a legitimate copy of MS Windows XP Home SP2 that I purchased for my own computer. Is it true that I can install Windows XP Home from this disc onto as many computers as I like, providing each of these computers has its own valid MS OS Product Code?

2. Would the existing valid OS product code for my daughter's Windows XP Media Version work with a new installation of Windows XP Home, or will it only work with the XP Media Edition OS?

3. Would the existing valid OS product code for my son's Windows Vista work with a new installation of Windows XP Home, or (as I suspect) will it only work with the Vista OS?

4. I have seen several adverts selling just MS Windows XP Product Code labels taken from defunct computers and the like. The sellers claim that the operating system can be installed from any MS Windows XP disc (as I already have) and then activated by telephoning Microsoft and explaining that the original computer that the product code was registered to has been scrapped and the OS transferred to a new computer. Does this seem viable? Has anyone done this successfully?

Thanks

Razoo

mdbarber

1. As mce is based on xppro which has downgrade rights in theory you should be ok
2.Probably not but you can try, worse case scenario you have to phone ms and explain wish to downgrade, see if they give you another key.
3. very unlikely, but ok with some editions so number 2 answer should also apply
4. definitely not, all these will be oem versions which live and die with the machine they were originally installed ok, will probably work but according to pedantic old ms will not satisfy the licence and be legal

As you have the licence for xpmce just borrow a mce version disk and install.