How is your day going?

[Dave]

I don't personally know of a way to use a live version except to create a backup of the system and then try that. It's not something I've done from one PC to another Camper.

What I have done though is upload Windows XP version SP3 to my online storage. It's 724MB and it's in .iso format. You will need to extract it to a cd and then once it's written to the disc take it out the drive, then just put it back in. Once you done that, it might auto run, if not then you will need to run the disc directly from windows explorer by following the steps below.

I have posted the images below so you can see that it will extract to a cd ok. I've checked it with my anti virus and it's clean

The link for the download is http://www.filefactory.com/file/31tdlp6tnbuq/Windows.XP.Professional.SP3.x86.Integral.Edition.Updated.June.2019.6.15.iso

The images of steps are:

1 - As I started to create the cd
2 - When the cd was created
3 - The files on the cd, you will note that there is a 'Setup.exe' file there, you need to double click that to get the install process running.
4 - Is after I double clicked on the setup.exe file


Now you have to hope that your product key works OK

Good luck

[camper6]

Well thanks.  I will give it a try.  But what do you do when it asks for the key when you install?  This is going to be fun for me.

I did make an install CD disc many years ago but I can't remember how I did it.  This is the one I used on the laptop but it only has SP 2 on it instead of SP 3.  I must have made that before all the updates were installed and I think that's the problem with the laptop not being able to access the internet.

[Dave]

But what do you do when it asks for the key when you install?

As long as you have the original product code, in the case of a laptop the code will be on the bottom of the machine. Sometimes on PC it might be on the back of the machine.

I thought I read in a previous post that you managed to get your product code from somewhere.

If you don't know what it is see if you can get here to look at options to retrieve it

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/3-simple-ways-to-find-your-windows-10-product-key/

[Dave]

UPDATE:

Try this Camper

1. Command prompt
The most direct method for finding your Windows 10 product key is from the command line.

1. Type cmd into the Windows 10 desktop search box.

2. Then, right-click the command line result.

3. Select run as administrator from the context menu.

4. Type this command at the prompt: (or copy and paste the whole line below)

wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

Then press enter

As you can see in Figure A, the command will display your current Windows 10 product key.

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[Ronald]

Turns out it was the motherboard and it's not worth fixing and it's a crying shame but that's life. My friend payed $800 for that unit.  He should have just kept the old unit for what it was being used for.  They only played games on it.

Check on EBay for a used one.

[Ronald]

Camper bunch of keys on here that you can try.
https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/activate-windows-7.html

Scroll down near the bottom of the page.

[camper6]

Thanks.  That's a real help.

[camper6]

Got the laptop going  But now I find out it doesn't have a network adapter.  Ordered an external from Amazon.  Not being able to access the internet makes it real difficult to try to fix anything that needs a download.  Couldn't install a printer and contacted Canon. They couldn't get it going either.  I gave them remote assistance permission.

[Ronald]

Got the laptop going  But now I find out it doesn't have a network adapter.  Ordered an external from Amazon.  Not being able to access the internet makes it real difficult to try to fix anything that needs a download.  Couldn't install a printer and contacted Canon. They couldn't get it going either.  I gave them remote assistance permission.

Why are you buying and external adaptor.

Read this for help: https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-10-network-adapter-missing/

[camper6]

With a clean install in Windows XP it might be different than with Windows 10.  I tried to find an internet adapter and no dice. Anyway, the external adapter was only $20 including shipping from Amazon and there's no guarantee that it will work either.  This is what you run into when dealing with old operating systems and old laptops.  But on the plus side.  I have sure learned a lot about computers and operating systems. Thanks for your interest and help. 

[camper6]

Turns out it was the motherboard and it's not worth fixing and it's a crying shame but that's life. My friend payed $800 for that unit.  He should have just kept the old unit for what it was being used for.  They only played games on it.

Check on EBay for a used one.

I did.  Too expensive over $200 U.S. plus shipping.  You can buy a laptop at Walmart now for about $400. 

[Ronald]

Camper I thought you were installing Windows 10 on the laptop. Guess I got my wires mixed up.

[camper6]

I have three projects going.  Trying to fix two laptops. Got one fixed with Windows XP but still having problems. One wont connect to the internet. That's the one I got the external wifi adapter for.  It arrived.  Can't get it to work.   The other one now wouldn't boot up but I knew it was working.  Hooked it up to an external monitor and it works. Then there was the all in once Acer that I took to the repair.  Told me the motherboard was gone.  When electronic equipment gets old you can expect all kind of weird problems.  I would love to install Windows 10 but I don't think those ancient laptops or my desktop have the necessary memory or whatever it takes.  In the meantime I'm learining a lot and having fun until I get frustrated.
These are Dell laptops given to me so no real loss.  One of them now works with an external monitor but the screen is black.  Trying to figure out why.  Plenty of files on it that I will recover. How are you doing.  If you remember you sent me the flash drives with Windows XP on them.  How are you doing?  Any projects going? 

[camper6]

I discovered something new that will be useful for me.  The file transfer wizard.  Connect with a serial cable and transfer files and settings from one computer to another. Should be fun.

[Ronald]

I discovered something new that will be useful for me.  The file transfer wizard.  Connect with a serial cable and transfer files and settings from one computer to another. Should be fun.

With all the money your spending, like I said go to Amazon and pick up a used HP for around 150.00 with Windows 10 installed and a SSDrive. You'd be amazed on the difference and the speed.