Reinstall non-OEM XP disc on Dell Inspiron 5100

[Slikkster]

Ok, here's the deal:

Just bought a used Dell Inspiron 5100 laptop at a good price. It has a valid XP Pro COA on the bottom of the laptop base.

However --and why is beyond me!-- the previous owner installed a *corporate* version (aka hacked) of XP Pro on the hard drive. I didn't realize this until I started downloading all the security hotfixes it needed, including the "Genuine" applet that MS downloads.

I can only assume that someone lost their previous Dell Restore CD and installed this XP version. By the way, there's no "recovery partition" on this Dell; already looked for that. It's too old.

Anyway, I want to be able to use the valid COA on the laptop to reinstall XP. I've tried changing the Product Key via editing the registry to reset the activation applet. I get the "this key is not valid" error (paraphrasing). After more research, it appears that is because the hacked XP installed was not an "OEM" version, and therefore the valid product key won't work.

I understand that I can create a bootable XP Pro disk and change the setupp.ini file to make it an OEM PID vs. Retail or Corporate, and try to install that way. But is there an easier way to do this? Are there more steps? In other words, does Dell use a Volume License Key in addition to the Product Key? I can't remember ever having to activate a Dell online.

Does anyone know that if I can prove ownership (there is a "Change Ownership" website at Dell where you can take ownership of a previously owned unit) that Dell will send me an actual Restore CD with Windows XP Pro on it?

If someone here has a Dell Inspiron laptop with XP PRO on it, can you check your CD or I386 folder and look at setupp.ini and copy/paste the info? I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A PRODUCT KEY! Just the info inside setupp.ini where it mentions the "Extra Data" and the PID info. The PID info is what determines what product keys will be accepted for activation.

Tia.

 

[bruceb]

This web page may have what you need

http://wiki.djlizard.net/Product_IDs

It lists all the correct PID numbers

 

[RebateMonger]

If all else fails, in the past there've been lots of eBay auctions selling Dell XP Professional Install CDs.

 

[MrChad]

If you can get a hold of an OEM XP Professional disc with the correct OEMBIOS files for Dell's pre-activation, you can use the product key listed here.

 

[Slikkster]

Interesting info, all, and thanks.

My update is that with a bit of persistence, I was able to "Change Ownership" of the laptop at Dell's website. It didn't change in everyone's records immediately, so the CSR I spoke with next was still looking for the previous owner's address, etc., from me.

I had to point out to the CSR by linking to the specific Dell web page that all that's needed to change ownership of a Dell product without the previous owner's info is the Service Tag and the Express Service Code. (that sure doesn't seem to be much of a defense against theft!) Anyway, once I did that, the CSR pushed my ownership change through immediately, vs. probably waiting for some administrative type to manually do it from the web forms.

The CSR gave me a tech support number to call to get the replacement disc. I called that person, and he was fine. He really wanted to know mostly whether I had troubleshot my system well, and I just told him that I was no novice and that I was installing a new hard drive, so I needed my lost Dell Restore CD. Not far from the truth. He was most interested, of course, in not blindly sending out media when something simple might have remedied someone's system. I also told him I was not "sitting at the laptop", as he wanted me to go through some routine to troubleshoot.

So.....

He set up a dispatch for me to send out the replacement OS Restore disc(s). It's definitely going to be the original for this laptop, as it has XP Pro SP1 on it. No update. I'll have a CD with hotfixes/lappy drivers ready to go (with no internet connection until I'm done updating) .

Between filling out the change of ownership web form, online chat, and phone call, it took about an hour to get this done.

Anyway, that's the deal. We'll see if/when it comes to me. Thanks for the assist and info.