Windows XP Serial Number - can it be changed?

I purchased a new IBM THinkpad R40 that came with XP Pro, and since
then had upgraded the hard drives to much larger ones. To do this I
lost the system restore hidden partition on the original drive. Well,
I got a virus that wiped out the drives. I had purchased a set of the
IBM restore discs, and when I went to use them they would not restore
the system original hidden IBM system partition as they were supposed
to.

So I had to install a copy of XP from my son's computer, which I'm
running now, but am getting messages saying Windows is not a
legitimate copy.

Is there any way I can change the serial number of the installed XP to
the original XP serial number that came with the computer, and is on
the WIndows sticker on bottom of the laptop?

Jim

Nope.
"Jim" wrote in message
...
:I purchased a new IBM THinkpad R40 that came with XP Pro, and since
: then had upgraded the hard drives to much larger ones. To do this I
: lost the system restore hidden partition on the original drive. Well,
: I got a virus that wiped out the drives. I had purchased a set of the
: IBM restore discs, and when I went to use them they would not restore
: the system original hidden IBM system partition as they were supposed
: to.
:
: So I had to install a copy of XP from my son's computer, which I'm
: running now, but am getting messages saying Windows is not a
: legitimate copy.
:
: Is there any way I can change the serial number of the installed XP to
: the original XP serial number that came with the computer, and is on
: the WIndows sticker on bottom of the laptop?
:
: Jim
: