Is there anything Dell specific about XP serials on a Dell?

[JDub02]

Got a new dell PC here at work. It has an XP key on it, but we run Win2k with no plans of going to XP any time soon.

Could I use the key to upgrade to XP on my home machine? Will it work with any XP CD or would I need the original Dell OS CD?

Thanks.

 

[Nothinman]

I doubt that would be legal unless work owns your home PC too.

 

[JDub02]

don't see why it would be illegal. It's an unused key. If my company doesn't care, that's just like giving someone an unregistered copy of Windows.

 

[JDub02]

Just trying to figure out if I need to use the Dell media or if I can just use a friend's XP cd.

 

[Nothinman]

I doubt you need Dell's media.

 

[Ynog]

Just because its an used key doesn't mean its not illegal. And it doesn't matter that your company doesn't care, its
all about how the product was licensed. And just because they aren't using the license doesn't make it ok to use it.

Nevertheless,

There are a few questions to be answered for you to figure out what media is required.
If your company got just one machine from Dell, you probaly are going to need either an OEM version or
a regular XP version. However if your company bought multiple PC, its more than likely you are dealing with
a Corporate version of XP. The product code is going to be associated with one of those media types.

 

[JustMike]

I have heard that in the case of Dell, the license "belongs' to the computer it was sold with. You cannot reuse it regardless if you're actually using XP on the Dell machine or not. If you're going to violate the license anyway, how is different than installing a pirated copy?

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: JustMike
I have heard that in the case of Dell, the license "belongs' to the computer it was sold with. You cannot reuse it regardless if you're actually using XP on the Dell machine or not. If you're going to violate the license anyway, how is different than installing a pirated copy?

I've never heard of a license being tied to a particular machine.

There's nothing on the sticker that says it has to remain on the machine.

btw, the license is for XP home ... something that my company would never use anyway (domain).

Heck, it was paid for, why not get some use out of it?

 

[InlineFive]

Dell's Media isn't the full version of Windows, it's just a restore disk.

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: Ynog
However if your company bought multiple PC, its more than likely you are dealing with
a Corporate version of XP. The product code is going to be associated with one of those media types.

Not always. We have a volume license at work, but machines have OEM Product Keys on their stickers. Presumably, the stickers were just standard issue at the distributor and left on the machines even though the Keys were never used. Those aren't Dells, though. But in this case, since it's an XP Home key, it's almost certainly an OEM install and not a volume license.

 

[Snuffaluffaguss]

you will most likely need thier media

 

[JustMike]

Originally posted by: JDub02

Originally posted by: JustMike
I have heard that in the case of Dell, the license "belongs' to the computer it was sold with. You cannot reuse it regardless if you're actually using XP on the Dell machine or not. If you're going to violate the license anyway, how is different than installing a pirated copy?

I've never heard of a license being tied to a particular machine.

There's nothing on the sticker that says it has to remain on the machine.

btw, the license is for XP home ... something that my company would never use anyway (domain).

Heck, it was paid for, why not get some use out of it?

Call Dell and ask them... I am pretty sure they will confirm what I've said.

Like I said, if you're not going to follow the terms of the license anyway, just go and use a pirated copy like everybody else does.

 

[mcveigh]

i'm pretty sure it can be done.

 

[imported_Phil]

It can be done, but you're going to need more than just the sticker- that's only one part of the Certificate of Authenticity. It's not going to be entirely legal whichever way you look at it.

 

[Abzstrak]

you can do it, but OEM versions are tied to the machine and you cannot transfer it to another machine legally....

 

[fredtam]

Will it work with any XP CD or would I need the original Dell OS CD?

You could use any XP cd however the problem is that key has already been activated by Dell on the computer it came with. That means if you try to activate it MS will tell you that that key has already been activated.

Dell's Media isn't the full version of Windows, it's just a restore disk.

It is the full version.

 

[redbeard1]

I believe that Dell XP restore disks only work on systems that have a dell hardware identifier. Whether the XP key will work on some other install is questionable. The install from Dell will be considered OEM, so if the key is going to work, it would at least have to be OEM XP. There is a difference in OEM and full XP, in that you don't get the recovery console and repair install options with the oem disks.

OEM XP is assigned the machine it came with. If that system dies, the key goes with it. Retail versions follow who bought it, not the system.

 

[fredtam]

I believe that Dell XP restore disks only work on systems that have a dell hardware identifier.

It will work on any system however the key has been activated so you will not be able to activate it.

There is a difference in OEM and full XP, in that you don't get the recovery console and repair install options with the oem disks.

There is no difference. All recovery and repair options are available on OEM XP.

 

[redbeard1]

There is no difference. All recovery and repair options are available on OEM XP.

Sorry, but I have gone through a repair or two, and for the most part OEM's do not. The reason I figured this out was because I was working on a system and tried to get it to either run the console or do a repair install. After thinking I was crazy because either option wasn't to be found when booting to the cd, a google search turned up the explanation about most OEM disks. It saves them licensing money by not having it available on the disk. So I found a full version of XP and was able to do the repair I needed.

I believe that Dell XP restore disks only work on systems that have a dell hardware identifier

I've not had personal experience with this, but I remember reading it on these forums, that someone tried to use their dell XP disk to install on another system, and could not because it said it wasn't a Dell system.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: redbeard1

There is no difference. All recovery and repair options are available on OEM XP.

Sorry, but I have gone through a repair or two, and for the most part OEM's do not. The reason I figured this out was because I was working on a system and tried to get it to either run the console or do a repair install. After thinking I was crazy because either option wasn't to be found when booting to the cd, a google search turned up the explanation about most OEM disks. It saves them licensing money by not having it available on the disk. So I found a full version of XP and was able to do the repair I needed.

I believe that Dell XP restore disks only work on systems that have a dell hardware identifier

I've not had personal experience with this, but I remember reading it on these forums, that someone tried to use their dell XP disk to install on another system, and could not because it said it wasn't a Dell system.

As a test to check if my Windows CD was bad or if it was hardware I installed my girlfriend's cousin's Dell restore CD (Win XP Home). It worked perfectly like it was the real Win XP Home disc. I had no problems with running it on my computer.

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: Abzstrak
you can do it, but OEM versions are tied to the machine and you cannot transfer it to another machine legally....

HOw in the hell did we ever let Microsoft do this to us? MS didn't build the computer.... I thought if you had a disc and the Certificiate Of Authenticity then you were legal??

 

[Abzstrak]

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: Abzstrak
you can do it, but OEM versions are tied to the machine and you cannot transfer it to another machine legally....

HOw in the hell did we ever let Microsoft do this to us? MS didn't build the computer.... I thought if you had a disc and the Certificiate Of Authenticity then you were legal??

Yep, read through MS's licensing site, OEM OS's are not to be transferred to another system. If you buy a full version for that system, then all you can do is throw the OEM one away.... your not allowed to sale or give it away once its been installed on a system, its locked to ONLY that system.

 

[Abzstrak]

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: Abzstrak
you can do it, but OEM versions are tied to the machine and you cannot transfer it to another machine legally....

HOw in the hell did we ever let Microsoft do this to us? MS didn't build the computer.... I thought if you had a disc and the Certificiate Of Authenticity then you were legal??

Yep, read through MS's licensing site, OEM OS's are not to be transferred to another system. If you buy a full version for that system, then all you can do is throw the OEM one away.... your not allowed to sale or give it away once its been installed on a system, its locked to ONLY that system.

 

[fredtam]

Originally posted by: redbeard1

There is no difference. All recovery and repair options are available on OEM XP.

Sorry, but I have gone through a repair or two, and for the most part OEM's do not. The reason I figured this out was because I was working on a system and tried to get it to either run the console or do a repair install. After thinking I was crazy because either option wasn't to be found when booting to the cd, a google search turned up the explanation about most OEM disks. It saves them licensing money by not having it available on the disk. So I found a full version of XP and was able to do the repair I needed.

I believe that Dell XP restore disks only work on systems that have a dell hardware identifier

I've not had personal experience with this, but I remember reading it on these forums, that someone tried to use their dell XP disk to install on another system, and could not because it said it wasn't a Dell system.

You are getting confused by two different products. OEM and system restore cds. The first (OEM) is what you can be purchase on newegg and others. This is the complete version of XP. Recovery console and all. As a matter of fact I just did a fixmbr from the repair console with my OEM cd. When that didn't work I did a repair installation.

The other is a restore disc. In the case of Dell this is the full version. However it has been streamlined with something similar to MS preinstallation kit (opk) in order to make some options unavailable to the average idiot (recovery console) and add Dell specific options like Dell help. I use the opk on systems I build for this very reason (along with easier deployment of updates and drivers). It is not tied to the bios or other hardware with the exception of the fact that it has already been activated by Dell. You can install the Dell version of XP on any computer. The trouble comes when you try to activate it and the components do not match the components in the MS database. This is no different than if you took your retail version and tried to put it on another pc and activate it.