window xp activation lock out
 

lets just say i screwed up and micro$ost wont help.I should have put more thought into it before i did what i did.

Problem: I changed the mother board in my daughters pc now activation has locked me out and they won't activate it ,I'm sure the pc is over five years old has been messed with before its always been slow and the heat sink was strapped in with tie raps, I dont know the key code the one on the case didnt work for the activation phone them process's I dont even have the cd, blah blah ...

Question: can I use one of the several Linux based live op systems I downloaded to get past the activation lock out crap on xp to at least get to her pics and music to back them up for the switch?..

She seems willing to scrap windows and go with Linux she just wants her pics and music , she needs a new computer but its all she's got for now and is mostly made from recycled this and that.

Please help me help her it was my mistake (kinda)

Ok you screwed up but all is not lost.

Yes you can. I would recommend Ubuntu, for ease of use, or DebianLive for stability and then installation. When you go in with a LiveCD you can navigate your way around Windows and back up the files you require. It isn't hard but if you have trouble just ask and someone will walk you through it.

You have got an external hard drive or something to back up the files to haven't you?

Lol, don't be to hard on yourself, I'm sure we have all done similar things with Windows at one stage or another.

thank you for your help,
from every thing I've read so far that's how I thought that it would be.

And no on the external drive it would be nice but i can only afford bills . and trying to learn something new and save 7 pc,s from the dumpster (recycle is good) ,, Its awsome to get help after i try to figure out as much as i can on my own and I just need that help when I'm just not sure i should proceed.

So far I'm liking where this transfer is going, Thank You much When I'm ready to get the chance to use what i have learned here.

If you have another hard drive you can install a linux OS to it and you'll have access to data also. That way you won't overwrite the data you have on that drive.

putting a hard in,that was my original idea i had, so my daughter could learn the new op system, I did intend backing up those files first I knew I could if i just had the DVD s to do I knew it would work it did on the practice pc with debian , I just needed a way to keep it from freezing up first , I knew it could go wrong but didnt expect to end up locked out.
Thanks so much for the reply this is aw some I get more comfortable every time I get help and a new idea. after I get exhausted after long searches on my own ..

THANK YOU!

That's an excellent idea Eddy1, I didn't consider that in this instance but it is how I started with Linux.

You're welcome