Will a dell OEM windows XP home work on any system?
- Thread starter aphex
- Start date
You're a crackhead.
I'm quite sure that its not legal, even if you could get it to install on a non-dell pc......
I'm quite sure that its not legal, even if you could get it to install on a non-dell pc......
Hrmmmm, well it probably would. As long as it comes with a valid license (or you have one) and it isn't really a dell system restore disk or anything of that nature.
Some have said it will not install on a non-Dell - period.
Some have said it will install but activation would be enabled - no activation needed if installed on a Dell machine.
No one seems to know for sure.
Some have said it will install but activation would be enabled - no activation needed if installed on a Dell machine.
No one seems to know for sure.
The dell only versions (as far as I remember) may only boot from CD on dell systems. Also on Dell's they don't require you to enter an activation code. If you run the install on a non dell machine you'll need the COA and will need to enter the activation code.
Bill
It's not illegal if you own the rights. MS LA only states that you cannot run it on more than one PC at a time -- not that you have to run it on a Dell.
I don't know if that is entirely true. Don't forget that MS has the right to change the user agreement at anytime (even after you purchase and agree to it, they can spontaniously change it and you've pre-agreed to it, they don't even have to notify you.) So I suppose that OEM's like dell will have a slightly different user agreements then other OEM's or retail versions. The only way to tell the difference is to examine the agreements carefully, or if you want to know for sure (safest bet) just call MS. All that taken into considuration, I wouldn't realy give a damn one way or the other, you bought it, you use it. The only thing is don't use it on more than one computer and the worst that can happen to you is that they just refuse to authenticate it or it just won't work.
As far as the actually XP working on a different computer. It's probably a toss up. I wouldn't be suprised if different OEM disks (unless its a regular retail disk with a extra line of print on it or something) from Dell would react differently. Different bios's on different computers chipsets have different capabitlities and different types of hardware combinations require slighty different preconfigurations to work. I wouldn't be suprised if a OEM disk from one dell wouldn't work on a another dell, but the other Dell's disk would work on anything. Due to legality issues nobody other then Dell would even care to know much less create a chart of piratable XP software and their possible applications.
The only way your going to know for sure is just to try it out. Otherwise you just going to get conflicting replies at best or flamed at worst.
As far as the actually XP working on a different computer. It's probably a toss up. I wouldn't be suprised if different OEM disks (unless its a regular retail disk with a extra line of print on it or something) from Dell would react differently. Different bios's on different computers chipsets have different capabitlities and different types of hardware combinations require slighty different preconfigurations to work. I wouldn't be suprised if a OEM disk from one dell wouldn't work on a another dell, but the other Dell's disk would work on anything. Due to legality issues nobody other then Dell would even care to know much less create a chart of piratable XP software and their possible applications.
The only way your going to know for sure is just to try it out. Otherwise you just going to get conflicting replies at best or flamed at worst.
techs
Lifer
- Sep 26, 2000
- 28,559
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Actually I have read legal opinions that the EULA on MS oem software states the OS in essence is being rented by you for use on that particular machine. I also read that the machine "owns" the software, not you. You therefore legally can't put it on another machine. This raises the question of when a machine is no longer the same machine. If I replace the mobo, cpu, memory, hard drive, cdrom but keep the modem is it the same machine? What if I replace the case?
Anyway, in the past oem "recovery style disks" only worked on the machines they were sold with, or very similiar models. The recovery cd reads a bios code or other hardware built in identifier to enable it to install. Dell used to include standard windows 98-me, etc disks that could be installed on any machine. The dell Windows XP disks don't look like the standard windows disks and are labeled "recovery software" so unless anyone has tried it and finds it will work on another machine I would assume not. MS are not dummies. They wouldn't go thru this whole Activation thing only to allow the oem disks, which don't need activation to work on any machine.
Anyway, in the past oem "recovery style disks" only worked on the machines they were sold with, or very similiar models. The recovery cd reads a bios code or other hardware built in identifier to enable it to install. Dell used to include standard windows 98-me, etc disks that could be installed on any machine. The dell Windows XP disks don't look like the standard windows disks and are labeled "recovery software" so unless anyone has tried it and finds it will work on another machine I would assume not. MS are not dummies. They wouldn't go thru this whole Activation thing only to allow the oem disks, which don't need activation to work on any machine.
Your right in reference to the consumer sku's, but the vendor ones can tie it to a certain 'box'. The 'legal' explanation is that your given a discount on the version in exchange for it being tied/non-transferable. Not all OEM's do this (I don't know in the dell case, I haven't looked), but they can.
Bill
No, it will not. If it's anything like their oem win2k, disks that is. They will boot off the cd and say "this is for dell systems only."
The issue is the difference between DELL OEM CD or the Dell Restore CD. The Restore CD will only install on Dell machines whereas the Dell OEM CD will install on any.
Windows XP from Dell will only work on the machine it shipped with. It is tied into the BIOS of that machine. The EULA is changed so that it is clear you are obligated to use XP on that machine (COMPUTER in the EULA) only.
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