I have four DELL PC's with XP Home and have an install question.

[TazExprez]

I have 2 DELL laptops and 2 DELL desktops. I need to install XP HOME on all of the PC's and wonder if I can install XP Home on all of these PC's using only one DELL XP Home CD. I have all of the XP Home CD keys, but the Dell XP Home CD does not ask for a CD key number. Do these PC's automatically enter the number, or will I have problems? Thanks for any help.

 

[TazExprez]

One more question. Could I just change the CD key in the system after installation, and then activate? Thanks again.

 

[Billb2]

ALERT...ALERT...ALERT

Wares thread..................

Your answer.....no, not legally.

 

[DrGreen2007]

You should be able to use the CD on all the machines.

Dells CD's are tied to check for a Dell BIOS, if it finds one, it doesnt prompt to enter a CDKey and finishes the install.

If it doesnt find a Dell BIOS, then it prompts you to enter the CDKey.

If you take a brand new Dell PC, and use a keyfinder to check the CDkey thats installed, youll find that its not the same key thats on the COA for that computer.
If you check another new Dell PC, youll find the CDKey is most likely the same as the first one you checked.

The Dell CD's use an embedded CDKey

 

[TazExprez]

Thanks a lot for all of your replies. These PC's belong to my father, my sister, my mother, and myself. I am the only one in the house that has kept all of the CD's that came with my PC. They all threw out their CD's and now that their PC's are slow as molasses, they would like to get everything removed and updated. Should I change the CD keys, btw? Is there a way to do that? All of the PC's have the original CD keys on stickers. Thanks again.

 

[DrGreen2007]

Theres no need to change the CDKeys if you use the Dell CD

 

[TazExprez]

Thanks a lot for your help. I guess I'll install it on the three other PC's. If I ever get any activation or genuine validation errors I guess I could give M$ the other keys over the phone.

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: Billb2
ALERT...ALERT...ALERT

Wares thread..................

Your answer.....no, not legally.

Umm, you're wrong.

What media it's on doesn't matter, what matters is that he has the keys for each computer he's putting it on.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: compman25

Originally posted by: Billb2
ALERT...ALERT...ALERT

Wares thread..................

Your answer.....no, not legally.

Umm, you're wrong.

What media it's on doesn't matter, what matters is that he has the keys for each computer he's putting it on.

:thumbsup:

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: DrGreen2007
You should be able to use the CD on all the machines.

Dells CD's are tied to check for a Dell BIOS, if it finds one, it doesnt prompt to enter a CDKey and finishes the install.

If it doesnt find a Dell BIOS, then it prompts you to enter the CDKey.

The Dell CD's use an embedded CDKey

Actually, using a Dell "restore" CD on a non-Dell computer still uses the embedded CD-KEY, and does not prompt you for a different one. This will of course cause problems when attempting to activate the Dell OEM pre-installed key, since SLP'ed Dell systems are set to auto-activate, and non-Dell systems running that Dell CD will not be able to activate. You would have to use a key-changer program to install a legit key first, then activate.

 

[TazExprez]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: DrGreen2007
You should be able to use the CD on all the machines.

Dells CD's are tied to check for a Dell BIOS, if it finds one, it doesnt prompt to enter a CDKey and finishes the install.

If it doesnt find a Dell BIOS, then it prompts you to enter the CDKey.

The Dell CD's use an embedded CDKey

Actually, using a Dell "restore" CD on a non-Dell computer still uses the embedded CD-KEY, and does not prompt you for a different one. This will of course cause problems when attempting to activate the Dell OEM pre-installed key, since SLP'ed Dell systems are set to auto-activate, and non-Dell systems running that Dell CD will not be able to activate. You would have to use a key-changer program to install a legit key first, then activate.

Thanks for your reply. What is a good program to change the keys? By the way, I have a purple DELL Windows XP Home CD.

 

[TazExprez]

I don't think I have a restore CD, since mine does not bring any network drivers, or any other system specific drivers. It seems to be a fresh install of XP Home.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: TazExprez

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: DrGreen2007
You should be able to use the CD on all the machines.

Dells CD's are tied to check for a Dell BIOS, if it finds one, it doesnt prompt to enter a CDKey and finishes the install.

If it doesnt find a Dell BIOS, then it prompts you to enter the CDKey.

The Dell CD's use an embedded CDKey

Actually, using a Dell "restore" CD on a non-Dell computer still uses the embedded CD-KEY, and does not prompt you for a different one. This will of course cause problems when attempting to activate the Dell OEM pre-installed key, since SLP'ed Dell systems are set to auto-activate, and non-Dell systems running that Dell CD will not be able to activate. You would have to use a key-changer program to install a legit key first, then activate.

Thanks for your reply. What is a good program to change the keys? By the way, I have a purple DELL Windows XP Home CD.

You don't need to change keys if you're installing on Dell machines.

 

[TazExprez]

Thanks a lot for your reply. If I want to change the key, anyway, how could I do it?