Frustrations with legally installing software.

I have a laptop that I'm getting rid of and I needed to wipe the current operating system (non-Windows) and put XP back on the laptop. The laptop came with a legal version of XP, but no installation CD. No problem, I have an MSDN copy of XP so I can install the software and it does install. However, I don't want my MSDN XP getting out into the wild so I just need to change my XP key. Microsoft graciously provides instructions on how to do it, but the instructions don't work because the MSDN XP does not recognize the OEM CD Key that came with the computer.

Searching the internet finds a whole host of information from "borrowing" a valid CD from a friend and using the key to downloading an ISO from bittorrent to do the installation. Now, I don't have any friends who have XP CD's laying around as computer makers don't ship CD's anymore with computers.

I'm currently stuck. I have a valid license, but no way to actually use the software. I've contacted the manufacturer so see if I can get a copy of the CD, but it's been a few years and I'm not hopeful.

It'll be easier to convince them to switch to Linux at this rate.