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Will the XP that came with my DELL work on new pc?

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pyramus

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2004
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Hi guys,

I am building myself a new pc from scratch and I was hoping to take my hardrive out of my DELL pc and install it into new pc. Will this work ok?

I was told by a friend that XP wouldn't work as it would be looking for the Dell components or something.

I know the drive would be fine if I formatted it and installed it into new pc but will XP that came with the Dell work?

It sickens me to think I would have to fork out money to microsoft to get another OS.

Thanks
 
Unformatted, XP will complain to high heaven about the presence of way too much new hardware. It should boot up and then lock down making you call up their customer service center to verify that you own the CD.

If you format, it's possible the Dell CD will not install. Many OEMs like to add some kind of protection to assure their restore CDs can ONLY be used on their computers (or even on a specific model). You could always try, but there's no garuntee you won't be left with a freshly formatted drive with no OS....

JigPu
 
You can try to do it but you may have file missing error problems. I tried it witha Compaq version of the XPP cd and it installed with the COA off that machine but like I said I got some missing file errors, but it installed and is working fine.
 
With all the Dell OEM cds I have used, for the new Dimension series, should work just fine for you. I have had to install it on some other computers, because the restore cds for those computers could not be found. It will install all the normal Dell things *dell support, etc, etc*, and it will have the Dell drivers available. Other than that, it should work just fine.
 
i have a dell version of xp home and it works fine (except it installs dell solution centre, which i cant get rid of, any help on that?) but it should work just fine
 
If it dosn't activate on-line, you will have to call MS, read them a long number, they will read you a new number, and then you're done.

The only trouble you might have w/ that is if Dell installed XP w/ a different product key than the one you have (like w/ my bros HP). Then you will have to choose "enter new product key" before reading MS the long number mentioned earlier. I found this out when I called about my bro's HP. After they found something fishy w/ the number I read them, they just asked if windows was already installed when you got your comp, I said yes, and was told to enter in the product key that is on the box, which was different than the one already entered in there.

Sounds coplicated but it's so easy. Just call 'em up (if on-line dosn't work). They'll tell you what to do.
 
The XP version you have is " OEM ". You will be able to physically install it but, you will be calling MicroSoft to activate it. They WILL know that it is an OEM version. So you won't be able to use it.
 
to activate it just look for the number on the sticker that came with it. in my case it was on the bottom of my laptop. it works fine on my comp and you DONT have to call, i did it over the net
 
I hate how MS deals with all that BS, but what I love is how its so simple. Reactivating is so easy its not even something to laugh about. It takes about 30 seconds to get a hole of an operator, you read them numbers, they read u numbers, and everyone is happy.

NOT ONLY THAT! but i bought a copy of WinXP Pro OEM from Software Guy, and they sold me a phony (or a pirated cd key). I told Microsoft what happened, and that i bought it from software guy, and that the cdkey was being used by someone else, and they gave me some long number and it was activated like that.

With that kind of support I wouldn't dare try to cheat them. Their policy is strict, but think about how many pirated copies would be out their without it.

And if your willing and want to save yourself the hassle, then fork out 130bucks to Newegg for a perfect OEM version.
 
if their policies are so strict then how come i am running the exact same copy of windows xp home on 2 comps with the exact same cd key? i have not had any probs at all. they cant tell because it could be a reinstall therefore same cd key, which does not infringe the copyright.
 
Thats weird cuz usually it will say its allready been registerd... and then you have to do it through the telephone. But hey what ever works for you!

Oh and be very carefull what you say on these forums about that stuff ;)
 
lol thanks for the advice on the *cough* illegal business *cough* dont wanna be caught thats for sure.........
/me waits for microsoft to bust down the door and kill him lol
 
im sure its happend! just... you never found out about it. Microsoft has its share of hitmen who will take care of anybody that needs to be taken care of... like if you were to try and sue them
 
I think they mostly care about large corporate abuse of multiple installations of one copy of software. I have probably "reactivated" my MSDN copy of XP pro 300+ times without ever having a single complaint or question the MS representive on the phone.
 
In regards to what Movax said. How much of the original hardware needs to be left in order for it to be considered an upgrade? I would say just do it one step at a time 'till you got a whole new comp :). W/ my bros HP, we just got new case, and mobo.

But w/ my personal copy of OEM XP Pro, I think I've upgraded everything since it's first install, which I can't see as being illegal. Think I have some case fans from the original :). But yeah if the original comp is parted out, dumped in the garbage, or something I think it's fine to move it to a new comp.
 
DeathONator said:
In regards to what Movax said. How much of the original hardware needs to be left in order for it to be considered an upgrade? I would say just do it one step at a time 'till you got a whole new comp :). W/ my bros HP, we just got new case, and mobo.

But w/ my personal copy of OEM XP Pro, I think I've upgraded everything since it's first install, which I can't see as being illegal. Think I have some case fans from the original :). But yeah if the original comp is parted out, dumped in the garbage, or something I think it's fine to move it to a new comp.

There is a code retrieved from the hardware in your computer, each set of numbers is distinctive to the time, version, and type of hardware you have. A number is then created combining all of the hardware in your computer, actually i think its ram, cpu, gpu, mobo, and hardrive. There is no way to decipher the code to see what hardware you have, that said, any change in hardware at all, even if you bought two of the exact same CPU's on the same day, and you replace them later on, it will recognize it, as the serial numbers are the same.
I dont remember the point im trying to get to, but i know that the code doesn't include your case or case fans :D
 
Yes, I had to re-activate my coppy, when I upgraded my mobo, when I fried my mobo and bought the same moddle, and maybe another time. It's no big deal. Just call 'em up.
 
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