upgrade my hardware, but couldn't find my winXP cd came with it.

  • Thread starter Thread starter keen2know
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keen2know

I've an old DELL p3 with winXP in it. I decided to upgrade my pc to P4.
All parts are bought seperately from local PC retailer. But the problem
kick in after I put everything together the relize that I need to
activate my WinXP again. How do I do that since I couldn't locate my
winXP CD nor have the registered serial in the Dell box. Please help.
 
You need to purchase a new copy of Windows XP
and perform a "repair install". The Dell OEM Windows XP
license that originally came with your Dell PC
is no longer valid with a non-Dell motherboard.

Many major PC manufacturers use "System Locked Pre-installation,"
or SLP. Dell uses this same technology.

SLP uses information stored in an OEM PC's BIOS to protect
the installation from casual piracy. When installing a Dell OEM
version of Windows XP, the Dell CD compares the PC's BIOS to the
SLP information. If it matches, Product Activation will succeed.
If it does not match, Product Activation will fail. Using a new Product
Key will also fail because the Dell BIOS does not exist with
a non-Dell motherboard.

Direct quote from Microsoft OEM licensing:

Q. If my customer asks me to upgrade his PC with new hardware components, when does a new operating system need to be acquired? When
would the PC be considered to be "new"?

A. Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on your customer's computer and the end user customer may
maintain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software, with the exception of an upgrade or replacement of
the motherboard. An upgrade of the motherboard is considered to result in a "new personal computer" to which Microsoft OEM operating
system software cannot be transferred from another computer.

From the OEM Windows XP EULA:

"The SOFTWARE is licensed with the COMPUTER as a single
integrated product and may only be used with the COMPUTER. If
the SOFTWARE is not accompanied by HARDWARE, you may not use
the SOFTWARE."

Thus, by installing a non-Dell motherboard, the original "hardware"
(the motherboard) no longer exists and the original Dell OEM
Windows XP license becomes invalid and will never activate.

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with XP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

Enjoy all the benefits of genuine Microsoft software:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/default.mspx

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I've an old DELL p3 with winXP in it. I decided to upgrade my pc to P4.
| All parts are bought seperately from local PC retailer. But the problem
| kick in after I put everything together the relize that I need to
| activate my WinXP again. How do I do that since I couldn't locate my
| winXP CD nor have the registered serial in the Dell box. Please help.
 
It depends. If the Win XP CD-ROM is actually an OEM DELL version, then,
accoding to the EULA (End User License Agreement) you are not "entitled" to
transfer to software off your old computer onto your new one. If that's the
case obtain a retail copy and install it.

Furthermore, the if the CD-ROM you already have is a DELL OEM, it is
versioned to DELL computers. You'd be better off with a generic boxed copy
of Windows XP SP2 disc available from any office or electronics store. You
can also find copies online (both OEM and retail), but be *very*careful not
to be duped if you shop for such a thing online.

Just for your information - and this is not a recommendation - you can
perform a clean install with the boxed "upgrade" retail version of Windows
XP - both Home and Pro. During the install process you might have to supply
verification media (an old Win95/98/98se/Me CD-ROM disc) to the install
routine to show eligiblity for the upgrade. But otherwise it goes on the
same as a generic OEM disc.

Have fun, enjoy.
 
1st thank you all.

Now, I am going to staple to get a copy of winXP, what happen to my old
hard-drive and applications? will it resume as it used to? I am asking
thise because a couple of these software origin CD also couldn't be
located at the moment because the pouch I stored my CDs may be
somewhere in the garage ore in the garbage long ago.

Could you please tell me which version of winXP pro is better soloution
in my sitiuation?

may thank in advance, again.
 
If you know what the the parts are (who manufactured them and what model
numbers they are) then you should be able to download drivers from the
manufacturers' websites. If Windows doesn't detect everything, just use the
downloaded drivers for those components Windows didn't get. Best to download
aburn those drives to CD-R BEFORE doing the installation.

Windowx XP Home and Windows XP Pro should do an equally good job at
detecting what devices compose your computer system. The reason one might
get Pro over Home is if one wants Pro's advanced networking capabilites
(join active directory, remote, advanced file sharing, IIS 5) or advanced
granular control over file permissions. Most small business, gamers and home
users don't, so XP Home is sufficient. Had your new computer been a laptop I
would hae advised Pro, but since it is a desktop/tower, then Home is
probably OK. But check for yourself, here's a comparision chart:

[Windows XP Comparison Guide]
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx
 
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