Download XP ISO file

Hello,
I am sure something similar has been posted somewhere but I couldn't find.
It has been quite a while since I used XP, so I have forgotten a lot. My problem is; I have a friend who uses XP on an old computer for basic things. The computer doesn't boot anymore. I can see the product key on the computer but as she doesn't have an installation CD, the only way seems to be creating a bootable CD.
But I couldn't find any download page for XP. And I read somewhere that legal copies of XP cannot be found on the internet.
Is it true or is there a way to download a legal ISO file?
Thanks in advance.

 

any downloaded xp would be illegal, there is a download for a set of floppy disks for xp home, but you would have to have a floppy disk player in the pc.

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is there a hidded recovery partition that would set pc back to factory out of box??

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what is the make, model and model number of pc??

xp home, pro, or media center edition??

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if you can give the error message , we might be able to figure out what the non booting issue is.

 

Just a suggestion,

If the old PC has a floppy drive.
Find a friend or someone who has XP on a machine. Create an XP boot disk (the floppy).
On the old machine set the BIOS to boot first from floppy disk.
Boot the old machine from the floppy.
That at least may allow you to look at drive C:\ on the old machine but probably won't let you look at the MBR (the MBR sounds like the source of the problem).

Try the Microsoft pages for a stand alone "fixboot" app/program. If the fixboot app/program is available burn it to a bootable CD on another PC if it is too large for a floppy. Re-set the BIOS on the old machine to boot from CD and go from there.

This is all old stuff you probably know anyway.

Other than that I am out of ideas.

Good luck, Aunty Jack.

 

Yes, I had an idea,

http://www.hiren.info/downloads/freeware-tools/mbrtool

This might fix the problem.

Good luck,

Aunty Jack.

 

The solutions listed are common ones that most people already know about and usually are little help if any. Try to make a bootable USB Flash drive with Win XP on it or try to download an ISO and burn it to a cd! As microsoft no longer supports XP I am sure the problem of that being illegal is no longer an issue! I would also suggest if you get it up and running again to download " combofix " this will install the windows recovery council which often seem to be of great help with all types of problems.

 

@brjanowich, legality is still an issue because if it does not pass WGA then you cannot get xp activated or updated.

 

But as I stated in another topic, I have already loaded XP onto 2 other computers with those computers tags for the license and they work fine. I only have one computer that won't load an OS on it, at least not XP, it did take an older OS though and is working fine. This issue mostly seems to be an issue with XP and HP systems although I do see this common problem posted a lot with other manufactures, except Dell?? There also doesn't seem to be a point in giving the error message on the blue screen because in my other topic you asked for it and still have yet to comment on it? Also there are many programs out there to remove Microsoft's crappy Windows Genuine Advantage! (WGA) WGA is just another Microsoft design to get more money! How many people have paid for a computer with a Microsoft OS on it, had a problem, had to purchase the OS again and again. It's like buying a car, then after it's paid for, having to pay some more money for another title next year because the one you bought is only good for one year. When you pay for it you should own it! Someone should explain that to Microsoft.

 

when you buy an os direct from microsoft you do own it, when you buy from an oem you do own it however it is tied to the pc it came installed on.

 

Hello Elizabeth23,

OEM XP.

Yes, I have a horrible job to do for a family member in the next few days. Remove Win 7 (pirate) and then either install XP Pro (still in shrink wrap but no product code) and see how that goes or, install Vista Home Basic (genuine) and see how that performs with a few tweaks. Brand new modem is, ummm, "fritzed" so will use an old D-Link which has it's install CD. I am being nagged to get this done and the more people nag me the more stubborn I become. (probably my Finn/Estonian/Russian ancestry has something to do with this).

All I can hope for is the XP Pro is the OEM version for the particular PC. One of those"all in one" MSI models.

Wish me luck or see a black cloud of swearing in a few languages rise from Adelaide.

Cheers,

Aunty Jack.

 

@Aunty Jack, good luck!

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