XP key question

I have bought a copy of XP in the past. The question I have is if I buy a Dell and get a XP key can I use my Windows XP disc and not the Disc that came with Dell to install XP onto the computer? I am gonna make a bootable XP + SP2

Just curious

If you buy Dell, you should get a XP CD. It is very similar to the OEM install. The main differences is that with the Dell CD, you don't have to type in the key (yay!) and it comes with the Dell stamp, otherwise everything should be the same in comparsion to a non-Dell XP CD - or so from what I've observed from doing a clean install with it.

You'd probably have to find out the dell key manually or thru some third party script since they usually don't put the key on paper so yeah, I don't see why it wouldn't work using a non-Dell XP CD as long it's one key or license per computer.

I ask because in the past Dell OS cds only allow installation on dell computers and I thought the key was the same

Heat said:

You'd probably have to find out the dell key manually or thru some third party script since they usually don't put the key on paper so yeah, I don't see why it wouldn't work using a non-Dell XP CD as long it's one key or license per computer.

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It should have COA somewhere on the case. When installing use that Key. If you extract it using software it might be the wrong one becuase Dell preloads the OS from one image. This means thousands of computers would have the same key extracted using software.

yeah that is what I am thinking, the code is on the case

Andyman902042 said:

It should have COA somewhere on the case. When installing use that Key. If you extract it using software it might be the wrong one becuase Dell preloads the OS from one image. This means thousands of computers would have the same key extracted using software.

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I believe the case would only have the service tag and express service code. I think it did come with a COA but it did not have the key. Like I said before, with the Dell CD, you don't have to type in the key.

But that is still a good point about other computers having the same key. Nevertheless, I assumed the first poster just wanted to make a slipstream SP2 CD using the Dell install CD, which should work as long he only uses it on a Dell - why waste a license if Dell already gave you one? The CD key in question also may or may not work if he uses the non-Dell CD for the SP2 slipstream on the Dell.

I have low-level formatted five Dell PC's and installed non-Dell Windows XP pro w/SP 1 without trouble. I would recommend a low level format to clean the MBR prior to doing this. The client I was working for was finally convinced that the proprietary software Dell forces upon their customers was garbage and let me kill it.

Wedo

Yes you can, I've reformated a Dell and used an OEM XP CD to reinstall using the COA on the Dell case.