2006 Chevy Malibu front passenger CV axle replacement

I went to the junkyard today and pulled out a CV axle out of
another vehicle and I just want to know if the axle was
damaged after I pulled it out it came out fine took a lot of
struggle and finally popped out but didn't look like what I saw
on all the videos but when I look up a picture of the CV joints
my vehicle it looks the same as in the picture I'm looking at
and also on the videos there was always a little ring that was
holding the CV shaft into the transmission .. there was no
ring on the end of mine and it wasn't in the transmission
either  I checked .can anybody help me please ?I'm due to
tear the CV joint out of my car tomorrow and put the other
one in but I don't want to tear mine out of my car if this one's
not right or if it's broken any kind of way thank you!!