Win XP

[Rand Dusing]

Ok, I've been working on my friends comp and no luck,I've done 4 different virus scans, defragment, botting in different modes, but overall it still sucks. So we will probaly just reinstall WinXP. He has an HP Pavillion but he can't find the disc to set it back. I was wondering if I brought my WinXP cd and installed it on his computer with his CDKEY (it's on the side of his case) if it would work? I'm not sure if this is illegal or not but we both own WinXp so I think it should be ok. But does each WinXP cd only work with on cdkey?

[Gettinbye]

As per your question:
"But does each WinXP cd only work with on cdkey?"
No. But it's not the CD as much as the type of CD. Chances are, he had an OEM install cd. You can't use the same key on a RETAIL install cd(assuming yours is retail, not OEM), because of the parameters set by a specific file and coding on these different kinds of disks. Unless you BOTH had an the same kind of cd (OEM or Retail), the key won't work. At that point, your best bet (short of buying another copy) is to contact his computer manufacturer and ask for a replacement disk.

[Rand Dusing]

Ok, I bought an OEM cd so do you tihnk it should work?

[Gettinbye]

If his copy came bundled with his HP pavilion, then it should be OEM as well, so it should be no problem. When you contact Microsoft to activate it, you'll just need to tell them that this was a re-install job...
The truest test would be to try to install it...if, when you enter the key, it continues to install-then it will be fine. If it says invalid product key code when you enter the key, then his copy must've been Retail.