Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Windows XP can probably be downloaded from illegal file sharing sites, but a) that's illegal and b) there's no product key. There's one alternative.
I have Windows 98 and want to upgrade to Windows XP, I have daemon tools and ultra iso but am trying to find a version of XP to download and mount. Please help if you can. My mom's computer and my sanity depends on it.
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You can download Windows XP from somewhere, I'm fairly certain; you just can't do it legally.
And even if you did illegally download an image, you wouldn't have the thing you really need.
There's really only one solution.
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Purchase a copy of Windows XP.
Microsoft has not made Windows XP available for download, and in any case it certainly isn't free. You must purchase a copy, which typically means getting it at your local or on-line retailer.
Yes, I'm certain that there are various places where you can illegally download a copy of Windows XP and probably many other software packages. But the key word there is "illegally". You would be stealing software almost exactly as if you walked into the retail store and walked out with a boxed product hidden under your coat.
That's what software piracy is all about.
Now there is at least one additional complication if you were to illegally download an image of a Windows XP installation CD. That image does not include the product activation code or "product key". The product key is printed on the box. The box that you didn't purchase. Even with an image, without a product key you won't be able to install Windows XP.
Once again, I'm sure there are places where you can get a product key illegally. However each product key is supposed to be unique. If the key you get has been used by anyone else then it's possible, perhaps even likely, that it still won't work when you activate Windows. One of the whole points behind activation is to track which product keys have been used too many times or are known to be illegal and deny them.
Seriously, the right thing to do, the legal thing to do, and the most problem-free thing to do is to go out and purchase a copy of Windows XP.
And if that's something you can't afford, then perhaps looking into some of the free alternatives such as Linux might be a more appropriate - and legal - solution for you.
Article C3086 - July 15, 2007 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
September 30, 2011 1:25 AM
@Mickael
There are no legitimate sources for downloading Windows XP. Microsoft has never made downloading XP legal, therefore, it is illegal and a violation of their terms of service. Many people feel this is unfair, especially if they have a license key and have lost the original copy, but fairness and legality are two completely different issues. As for OEM versions, there's always the risk it won't be compatible with another machine than the one it was intended for.
October 14, 2011 6:55 AM
anyone i have an ibm laptop older one i need to install windows xp on it i understand the product key if i do download it off the internet i also understand try on oem version of xp and that it is a possibility that it might not work with my laptop. i read that u dont do passwords but the screen is locked and i cannot remember the password is there a way of retrieving it or is there a backdoor i could use to get in so i can fix the password.Also if i do download xp off the internet do i use a rewritable dvd or cd to burn it to? thank you so much any answer i can get to any of my questions. Alisha Brown
14-Oct-2011
January 12, 2012 9:31 AM
I had windows xp professional with keys, which i had bought before. But now the CD had got broken. how can i download from microsoft to get the CD.
January 12, 2012 12:16 PM
@Romeo
Here's another article on Ask Leo! about what to do if you have a legal install but no CD:
I don't have installation media for windows, what if I need it?
January 12, 2012 5:45 PM
ive downloaded windows xp media edition and got it to install without a pro. key,
first off, why.
because my parents pc got a very very bad virus, i couldnt right click on anything, a program was shutting down and disabling alot of stuff, the only way i could copy and past it to a drive on a network or on a flash drive was "ctrl c" and "ctrl v", took me several hours to do all that it was over 10 gigs of coping,
2nd off
we did not recieve any disk for a Dell Demension e510 and didnt no way back when that we were so post create one our selves.
they had to use my pc wich was slower than shit half the time. 1ghz with a gig and a 1/2.
took me 2 days up to a week to find online with the same windows version and i actually got it, without using or asking a product key.
my parrets had a windows xp home media center
and thats what i gave them.
then several months later i gave them windows 7 ultimate for free with a good key i found online..
you could say half of it was ilegal but didnt know what to do. i was the one with the brains and getting around without paying anything...
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