installing OS (no Product Key) on a Dell system with a new motherboard

[Turbonium]

Long story short:

- Dell laptop's motherboard is fried and needs replacing
- I don't have the Product Key for the copy of Windows installed on it
- Dell said that as long as I use the recovery disc supplied by them, it won't even ask me for the Product Key on install because it reads the data off the motherboard
- If I replace the motherboard, does that mean I can't install Windows on the system without it asking for a Product Key again?

 

[TonyH]

If you're replacing it with a Dell motherboard it will probably not ask you for a key during installation

 

[Steltek]

I guess the key code label on the bottom of the laptop is worn so you can't read it?

Anyway, Dell recovery discs are keyed to a flag in the motherboard BIOS - if you install it on a machine with a Dell BIOS and the version of Windows being installed matches the BIOS' embedded SLIC digital signature, it doesn't need a key code to complete the install. This is true no matter how many times you recover the system.

 

[Turbonium]

I guess the key code label on the bottom of the laptop is worn so you can't read it?

Exactly.

Anyway, Dell recovery discs are keyed to a flag in the motherboard BIOS - if you install it on a machine with a Dell BIOS and the version of Windows being installed matches the BIOS' embedded SLIC digital signature, it doesn't need a key code to complete the install. This is true no matter how many times you recover the system.

But what if the motherboard replacement I'm getting has a different SLIC digital signature? As an example: I'm installing Vista Business 32-bit... what if the digital signature in my replacement motherboard is for a different version of Windows? Then I'm screwed, right?

 

[Fardringle]

If you are installing it on a completely different type of motherboard (i.e. technically a different computer) then you are outside the legal limits of your OEM license whether or not it "can" work. However, if that new motherboard was used in systems that were sold with the version of Windows that you want to use, then it should work.

 

[Turbonium]

If you are installing it on a completely different type of motherboard (i.e. technically a different computer) then you are outside the legal limits of your OEM license whether or not it "can" work. However, if that new motherboard was used in systems that were sold with the version of Windows that you want to use, then it should work.

It's an identical motherboard (perhaps technically a different model, given that Dell seems to have multiple revisions of the same board), but it's quite literally an identical motherboard. I'm only replacing it because something on my motherboard is fried.

 

[Fardringle]

If it is the same model motherboard (even if it has small differences) then you shouldn't have any issues with it.