Installing XP from recovery disk from a different PC

I have a machine that originally had XP Home installed, so the CoA has an XP Home key. However, the machine was upgraded to XP Pro, but I don't have access to that key and so I need to revert to XP Home edition. My problem is that the only copy of XP Home edition I have access to is on a restore disk for a Gateway machine and the one I'm trying to restore is an HP machine and the restore disk won't boot on the HP machine (though it does boot on a generic machine that I built myself). Does anyone know why this disk won't boot on the HP machine and/or if there is a way to get this to boot.

I do have ImgBurn and can make a new ISO disk, but if I simply make a new ISO from the Gateway disk, I assume that it still won't boot on the HP machine.

Thanks for any help in this dilema!

 

If you still have XP Pro installed you can get the key by using a key finder such as Magic JellyBean (Google it).

You are pretty much out of luck trying to get the Gateway restore disk to boot on the HP machine. The chance of getting that to work is very slim.

 

Though, you could try and find a copy of XP Home or Pro. If you start by running the XP Home or Pro disc and get to the point where you are able to format and/or erase the disk partitions. Go ahead and format the partitions as you like then eject the XP Home or Pro disc without installing and replace with your Gateway restore disc and force a shutdown by holding the power button down until the PC turns off. Then power up your PC and boot from Gateway restore disc you should then be able to run the restore process. Best of Luck!