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    HP zt1170 w/o restore disks. OS options are?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by MrCreosote, Mar 30, 2009.

  1. MrCreosote

    MrCreosote Notebook Enthusiast

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    What to do regarding putting proper XP Home install w/COA? :confused:

    1) Try to find someone with zt1170 disks?
    2) Try to find OEM XP Home CD and use COA keycode?
    3) ???

    This laptop is not worth the expense of purchasing restore disks even if they were available.

    4) Install Ubuntu or Freespire???

    Thanks in advance,
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Reagrds,
    Tom
     
    MrCreosote, Mar 30, 2009
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  2. qhn

    qhn Notebook User

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    . Does your COA say OEM? if NO, then OEM disk wont work!

    . Get a retail XP installation and use your COA

    . Ubuntu is ok - meaning goodbye to Windows

    cheers ...
     
    qhn, Mar 30, 2009
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  3. Shyster1

    Shyster1 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    If it's not worth the cost of the old _HP restore disks, then it's certainly not worth the cost of a retail XP installation. The thing almost certainly came with an OEM royalty version of XP preinstalled, which means that the COA will not work with a retail version.

    That seems to leave you only two options: (a) see if you can find someone else with the restore disks for this thing who's willing to let you borrow them, or (b) cut yourself free from the ties that bind, and start learning how to linux!

    Personally, I'd go with (b).
     
    Shyster1, Mar 30, 2009
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  4. nobscot6

    nobscot6 Wise One

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    linux makes you smile
     
    nobscot6, Mar 30, 2009
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  5. Shyster1

    Shyster1 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Not always, at least not at the beginning. :D
     
    Shyster1, Mar 30, 2009
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  6. MrCreosote

    MrCreosote Notebook Enthusiast

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    What about the claims people make that if I can find an OEM XP Home Disk, that that will work with the COA? And as far as restore disks, how close do they have to be model wise?

    As far as Linux, while Ubuntu is definitely the most popular, Freespire, I have been told, is loaded with proprietary drivers and codecs that make multimedia easier to implement than Ubuntu.
     
    MrCreosote, Mar 30, 2009
    #6