Need help with hard drive!!

[gresdontknow]

i recently got a hard drive with xp from my buddy. i installed it on my motherboard and it ran fine. i wanted to get rid off the existing data on the hard drive so i ran the system recovery, now all i get when it starts up is an error message: error configuration problem the system well not run properly. it goes on to tell me that i have to contact Microsoft. how can i fix this problem without a recovery disc?

 

[tigsounds]

I see a license issue here.

 

[Proximon]

Here is the link to XP licensing, it may take a little effort to read but is fairly straight forward:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/eula/home.mspx

13. SOFTWARE TRANSFER. Internal. You may move the Software to a different Workstation Computer. After the transfer, you must completely remove the Software from the former Workstation Computer. Transfer to Third Party. The initial user of the Software may make a one-time permanent transfer of this EULA and Software to another end user, provided the initial user retains no copies of the Software. This transfer must include all of the Software (including all component parts, the media and printed materials, any upgrades, this EULA, and, if applicable, the Certificate of Authenticity). The transfer may not be an indirect transfer, such as a consignment. Prior to the transfer, the end user receiving the Software must agree to all the EULA terms.

As you can see, the XP license was more flexible that Win 7 OEM.

That said, you likely will never get it working right now without the installation media. If you don't have it, you don't own the license. If you don't own the license, this post violates our forum rules.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/245458-45-read-first