I have 2 desktop and 2 laptop PC's, all Compaq. All Windows XP SP2. On one that my son used I want to completely wipe and reinstall Windows. The OS CD's I got with the computers are all mixed up, don't know which is for which. Does it matter? If I use the CD I got with one of the laptops on his desktop, since its Windows XP won't it have most of the drivers I need anyway? He has so much crap on it, I just want to wipe it and do a fresh install.

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Originally Posted by klmgb

I have 2 desktop and 2 laptop PC's, all Compaq. All Windows XP SP2. On one that my son used I want to completely wipe and reinstall Windows. The OS CD's I got with the computers are all mixed up, don't know which is for which. Does it matter? If I use the CD I got with one of the laptops on his desktop, since its Windows XP won't it have most of the drivers I need anyway? He has so much crap on it, I just want to wipe it and do a fresh install.

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If both CD's say "Windows XP" on them then you "should" be able to re-install from any of the OS CDs. The License should be taped to the machine in question which is mostly standard practice now-a-days. With regards to the drivers I would play it safe and go to the HP website and download all the drivers for your machine (the one you're going to rebuild) and burn them to CD if you can just in case the Windows XP install doesn't recognize your network card (or modem).

Goodluck

Casey