No product key is required, but it will probably ask for a password. That
is the pasword of the original administrator, the one who installed XP. It
is often blank, meaning just hit the return key. But, if XP came
pre-installed (e.g., Dell, Gateway), it might be something else, and only
the PC maker will know for sure.
But, be aware that the recovery console is limited in what it can do for
you. Here are some links about using the recovery console:
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm (near bottom)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/win_xp_rec.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058
"Charlie Bress" <left@thirdbase.com> wrote in message
news:%23EUkv0nmIHA.5208@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I have an XP home PC that has a number of problems including failing to
>shut off.
>
> The original XP CDROM is lost. I have an XP Home CD from a different
> system.
>
> Can the recovery console be run using the wrong CD?
>
> If it asks for the product key will the old one ( that is available) work
> or would the one on the available one work or are we simply SOL?
>
> The old key was an OEM one and the available CD is not an OEM one.
>