----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Russ Cox"

> >Save Win XP license?
> >I have acquired from someone a "crashed" computer that I was able to resurrect. The computer is running an OEM copy of XP and has
> >the license code sticker >on it. I'd like to ensure all the previous owner's files are unrecoverable.  If I scrub the drive, I will
> >lose the Win XP license.  I don't think I can install from another >copy of XP because the license # is synched to the Win XP CD
> >and I don't have the original XP CD. As I remember from a previous discussion with Microsoft, >they just say to use the original CD
> >to reinstall XP. I do have other copies of XP, but I don't like to waste the perfectly good license for this machine.
> >Is there any tool that will overwrite the free space on the hard drive to make sure the old files are unrecoverable? That should
> >keep the current OS and >applications intact.
>   

Just a thought, depending on what type of machine you have acquired.  
You can use Windows explorer to look for a folder that contains the i386 
files.  Sometimes rather than ship a disc they are put on the machine.   
You can copy them off to CD if you find them.   The disc will not boot, 
but you can run setup from the CD or from the files copied back to the 
hard disc in case you lose the OS.  If you need to run recovery console, 
you can use a disc that is the same type as the installation you have.   
You could also clean up the machine you have now and then image the 
drive and save it to DVD or CD for recovery.  Some image programs have a 
boot capability, so you can recover from a new hard drive or reformatted 
one. Once you have a viable backup (depending on how deep you want to 
get into it) you can make a new user and set it up the way you like, 
then delete the current user before you clean up the machine. You should 
have the administrator password to do this.  HTH    George

-- 
GeorgeMary Skokan	skokans at gmail dot com

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