Using Dell Components in other systems

[z0n3]

I was talking to some friends today and on of them asked if I could help him take some parts from a dell and put them in his new computer. My other friend said that you can't move components from a Dell to other computers because they alter the parts so that you can't. I know that you have to jump through some hoops inorder to upgrade a motherboard in a Dell but I don't know about the rest of the components. I am wondering if friend number two is factualy correct.


Short version: Will I encounter any problems if I try to place items,RAM, a hard drive with a operating system, and a video card, from a Dell into a home built computer.

Woops! I meant to put this in gen hardware but I guess it will be fine here.

 

[Xaotic]

Processor, RAM, HDD, optical drive, PCI-E/AGP/PCI cards will be fine. Some of the motherboards can be moved, depending on mounting bolt patterns(some require modification including cooling). Cooling mounting is generally proprietary and can be a pain to deal with... If it is an ATX form factor case then the power suppli can be moved as well, though they are generally underpowered.

The HDD with an OS is likely to be a problem, unless the board is swapped as well. Technically, it violates the COA, but even so reactivation will be necessary.

 

[z0n3]

The board won't be swapped. I know about the proprietary cooling that some dell motherboards have. Unfortuately that is the case with this board.
Reactivation is a hazard that I'm willing to endure.

 

[Pinky]

There's 2 issues with the hard drive and existing OS install - the drivers/chipset installed in the OS not being exactly the same or close to the old motherboard, causing BSOD at startup. The other is the unique hardware id not matching and requiring reactivation as previosuly mentioned. MOST of the time M$ doesn't care and calling will get you reactivated. They're keeping people honest and only once with a laptop did I see them deny reactivation for a client (rightsully so, too).

Dell uses generally standard parts, as do most OEM manufacturers nowadays. It's cheaper to buy bulk parts when you're not building/configuring them for only your specific needs.

 

[wannaoc]

When you call MS just be honest. I've had to do countless calls for reactivations and every time I told them I swapped the motherboard or something like that and I've been given a new code.

 

[z0n3]

I've had to reactivate many times before. That won't be a problem.

 

[meionm]

There should not be any warranty on components from manufacture of that component. Once I pulled hd from a laptop, went online check warranty from manufactre and it said to contact oem manufacter.

I have one windows from dell that I tried to install on the machine that I build. Windows intalled but the serail number from the sticker wasn't accepted.

 

[Pinky]

I have one windows from dell that I tried to install on the machine that I build. Windows intalled but the serail number from the sticker wasn't accepted.

This is an issue with the activation key you were using not matching the range of keys M$ provided to Dell to use with that CD.

There's a few types of XP, and all of them use a different set of keys:

XP Home Retail
XP Home Upgrade
XP Home OEM (Dell, Compaq)
XP Pro Retail
XP Pro Upgrade
XP Pro OEM
XP Tablet PC (all OEM)
XP Media Center 2005 (all OEM)

If you try to activate with a key not intended for that version of XP, it simply wants you to call. If you're using an OEM key with an OEM disc it at least needs to be the key and disk for the same manufacturer. If you try using a compaq presario XP OEM disc on your Dell XPS, when you call to activate they will ask for the make/model of your PC. Being that they won't match, they cannot issue you an activation code. So you always have to use a disc intended for the make/model of PC that matches the activation key.

I've worked on a lot of PCs that had pre-SP2 version of XP on them, and I had to reinstall over the existing installation with a version of XP with SP2 added (slipstreamed). The XP with SP2 disc uses a different range of codes than the pre-SP2 versions of XP, but I have never had a problem getting M$ to activate it because the XP with SP2 disc was by the same manufacturer of the PC.