About XP CD

[Great Wolf]

Question about the Windows XP CD. I have my CD that i got with my Dell Laptop. Can I use this XP CD for my new build. Hopefully i can, just set up my CDROM as my first boot and put the XP cd in and reboot. The thing that is getting me is that on the XP cd it states: " Only use this CD to reinstall the operating system on a Dell computer. This CD is not for the reinstallation of programs or drivers." Thats why i'm asking my question. Any help would be much appre.

04

[ktkendall]

I would have to say that no it will not work, we just had another person here asking that same question and another member said that it will not work. Apparently the Dell CD's will only load on a Dell PC that they are designed for, something about the CD being specifically keyed to the BIOS of the Dell PC..

[Statica]

Ok to answer your question:
a) You cannot run a copy of XP that is already running elsewhere, because of Windows Product Activation. In short, any time you install a copy of Windows XP, it will generate a unique set of "keys" based on the type of computer, components in the computer etc, and then ask you to activate itself with Microsoft. This is not the same as Registering the product (where u have to give ur name and personal information). When you try to activate your product, the system at the other end will know that you are running a duplicate copy of XP, and you will not be able to use that copy of XP. This is per the EULA, the gist of which is - one XP per computer.
I feel you should know this information, be it an XP CD that came with Dell or that you borrowed from somewhere else.
b) Let us consider that your laptop is not in use anymore or you are using some other valid, licensed operating system than the XP that came with it. You still would not be able to install XP on your new build because the CD looks for a unique ID that is generated by your Dell laptop for verification.

[Great Wolf]

Ahhh..Sh*t.... well looks like i gotta dish out some cash for a OS system. Its all good, i'll just go out and get XP Pro! Thanks for you help guys!

04

[sdkfz]

Yeah, it is a pain especially as the official stand of Microsoft is that if you uninstall the OS from the OEM machine you are legally allowed to use the OS on another machine, BUT and its a big one, the OEM companies make the OS so customized to the machine that it is almost always impossible to use it on a differnent machine. The problems include the lack of 'uiniversal driver lists" that the regular OS has ("Why do you need them the OEM company says cause I know what we put in the computer and if the cusotmer upgrades they get drivers with the hardware), activation issues as mentioned etc. etc. etc.

It is almaost always a pain when you switchnfrom the store bought PC to the build my own mode, but in the long run you will be much better off and richer for it too.

Make sure you get an OEM copy of the new OS from some place like newegg, sure you are still buying something that you alreay have, but you will save 100 dollars in the deal. The only real differences are that you lose the three calls to microsoft for support and you can probably get a better and faster answer from pcmech