Can I use my Windows XP reinstallation CD to install Windows XP on my other Dell PC?

zoe

I have a Dell desktop which I purchased new from Dell about 2 years ago and it has Windows XP Home installed on it. I have the original Windows xp reinstallation CD which came with the PC when new.

If I purchase a 2nd hand Dell desktop which also has Windows XP Home installed on it, but no Windows XP installation CD, will I be able to use the CD which I already have if I want to do a clean install of XP on the 2nd hand PC?

The 2nd hand PC has a COA sticker on it.

Thanks

Ruu_Old

Don't think so, it is probably tied to the Dell desktop you had at first.

Voipjunkie

Yes you will be able to

kaizersoze

As Voipjunkie says, you can.
If asked for the product key during install (you probably won't), use the one on the laptop COA. If not it will fail activation but will give an option to enter a different code and you can then enter the laptop key.
If it still fails to activate, ring the freephone number and they'll activate it manually.

jahalpin

The Dell reinstallation discs will install on any Dell so there wont be a problem there.

The licence key is the important thing, if the second computer has a licence key sticker on it, it is legal is install the version of Windows XP named on the sticker eg Windows XP home (The SP number isn't important to the licence

Baraboo

The reinstallation disk will work, but you might be better installing from a standard XP install cd and using the serial of the COA. This will avoid installing all the dell crap you get with a standard re-install and allow you to put your own crap in its place.

Capt'n Midnight

If the PC has a COA then all you need to do is get a CD that matches the brand and Home/Pro. The Dell CD is locked to a setting in Dell BIOS so won't work on other brands or on very old Dell's.

if you use a restore image have a look at the Dell decrapifier to remove some of the stuff you don't want

zoe

Thanks guys

kaizersoze wrote:

If asked for the product key during install (you probably won't), use the one on the laptop COA. If not it will fail activation but will give an option to enter a different code and you can then enter the laptop key.

Both are desktops. Do you mean the COA from my PC, which was purchased new, or the 2nd hand PC I'd be installing XP onto?

jahalpin wrote:

The licence key is the important thing, if the second computer has a licence key sticker on it, it is legal is install the version of Windows XP named on the sticker eg Windows XP home (The SP number isn't important to the licence

What's the SP number? I know the COA number is a sticker on the PC, but what's SP?

Baraboo wrote:

The reinstallation disk will work, but you might be better installing from a standard XP install cd and using the serial of the COA.

Do you mean this sort of thing?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Windows-XP-Home-Reinstallation-CD-For-Dell_W0QQitemZ170127088422QQihZ007QQcategoryZ41887QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

if you use a restore image have a look at the Dell decrapifier to remove some of the stuff you don't want

Was just going to use the CD, I don't know what a restore image is.

kaizersoze

zoe wrote:

Thanks guys


Both are desktops. Do you mean the COA from my PC, which was purchased new, or the 2nd hand PC I'd be installing XP onto?



What's the SP number? I know the COA number is a sticker on the PC, but what's SP?


Do you mean this sort of thing?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Windows-XP-Home-Reinstallation-CD-For-Dell_W0QQitemZ170127088422QQihZ007QQcategoryZ41887QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Was just going to use the CD, I don't know what a restore image is.

Sorry, don't know where I got laptop from:o . When you're installing onto the secondhand pc use the product key on it's COA, not the one on your existing pc.

The SP number is the Service Pack version (SP0, SP1, SP2). The XP cd you have probably says 'Windows XP with Service Pack 2'. It shouldn't matter if the COA on the secondhand PC is for an earlier version. The important thing is the COA and cd are for XP Home.

The item you linked to on Ebay is just a Dell branded copy of XP and probably the same as what you have.

Voipjunkie

The Dell install disk does not have the crap that the original install comes with there are no sample programs or antivirus or any of that ****e

You will not have to input any key and it will activate itself

The activation key is in the bios on the dell this is how the vista hack works by replicating a bios oem key like dell or lenovo use.

While it is only legal to install the version of windows that you have the COA for or that came with the PC originally the dell will install and activate other versions of windows as well


Basically do not bother looking for another disc use the dell one it is fine.

zoe

Okay, thanks very much for the info. It's appreciated!

Voipjunkie

Voipjunkie wrote:

The Dell install disk does not have the crap that the original install comes with there are no sample programs or antivirus or any of that ****e

My Dell laptop came with an MCE DVD that installed a load of junk. I very quickly obtained the original unbranded discs.

Voipjunkie

Karsini wrote:

My Dell laptop came with an MCE DVD that installed a load of junk. I very quickly obtained the original unbranded discs.

What junk specifically.

I can't remember off the top of my head, this was March 2006, but I recall several installation programs auto running after the main setup and rebooting the laptop twice. Took about double the time the generic discs did.

Voipjunkie

Karsini wrote:

I can't remember off the top of my head, this was March 2006, but I recall several installation programs auto running after the main setup and rebooting the laptop twice. Took about double the time the generic discs did.

Was it a Dell manufactured reinstall disc or a disk you created from the recovery partition

I have a vista and an XP running here both were installed from the dell disks and there is absolutely nothing on them there are no other programs installed with the dell reinstall disk and it takes exactly the same amount of time to install as any other install.

If you made a reinstall disk from the recovery partition then you would have all the crap that was on the original install

It was an actual pressed disc. I chose the recovery media, which added a whole €6 to the cost of the laptop lol. If I had it with me I'd check it out but it's still down in Kerry.

It didn't install McAfee or anything like that, all I can recall was that it added two Media Center games. Those things are usually tiny, they wouldn't have explained the reboots.