question regarding xp activation key

[ipfreak]

hi:

i bought a laptop from ebay and it came with xp
prefessional. it worked fine but it didn't come with XP
OS CD. it was legal until recently it started telling me
it is illegal copy of XP. I tried to get the original cd
and the guy just never return my email.

now i just bought another copy of XP pro from ebay but I
don't really want to reinstall on the laptop. could i
replace the key only instead of reinstalling the whole
thing?

thanks

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Use your legitimate full copy of WinXP Pro to perform a repair
(a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, using the new CD and Product
Key.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341


Bruce Chambers

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having both at once. -- RAH


"ipfreak" > wrote in message
...
> hi:
>
> i bought a laptop from ebay and it came with xp
> prefessional. it worked fine but it didn't come with XP
> OS CD. it was legal until recently it started telling me
> it is illegal copy of XP. I tried to get the original cd
> and the guy just never return my email.
>
> now i just bought another copy of XP pro from ebay but I
> don't really want to reinstall on the laptop. could i
> replace the key only instead of reinstalling the whole
> thing?
>
> thanks