How to Reinstall XP Pro without CD and Wiped HDD?

[joeytheg]

Hello,

I have a Dell Dimension Optiplex 755 that I got from a garage sale (they were practically giving it away, so I thought what the heck.) I can see the Dell OEM Windows XP Pro Product Key on the outside of the machine. The previous owner told me he doesn't have the original CD, and he wiped the internal hard drive completely clean. When I went to turn it on of course, the computer doesn't boot up at all because it can't find an installed operating system.

How can I go about reinstalling Windows XP Pro on this machine without the original CD and with a clean hard drive? Or am I out of luck?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you all.

 

[cl-scott]

You can try contacting Dell about getting replacement media. The Optiplex line is their business line, so they have longer support models for those than the others. That will help your odds, but you may have to resign yourself to the fact that you'll have to try and find a copy of XP on eBay and hope you don't get scammed. Or you could probably buy a copy of Windows 7 to put on it.

 

[Sam234]

Have you checked there's no hidden recovery partition?

Or you could install Linux (Ubuntu or Mint) their very good free alternatives to Windows or Mac now and their Virus Immune!

 

[joeytheg]

Thank you cl-scott and Sam234 for replying. Really appreciate it.

I don't have the ability to check if there's a hidden recovery partition or not—I can't get the rig to power on correctly yet.

Never tried Linux, but once I've exhausted all possibilities, I may do that.

 

[Sam234]

Thank you cl-scott and Sam234 for replying. Really appreciate it.

I don't have the ability to check if there's a hidden recovery partition or not—I can't get the rig to power on correctly yet.

Never tried Linux, but once I've exhausted all possibilities, I may do that.

You can try it without installing! Most distributions can be placed onto a CD or DVD which you can boot from, loading to a working environment without making any changes to your hard drive, you don't need to find any drivers either, pity Microsoft can't manage that!