[Bigaggie06]

I posted in the hardware section and only got one response so I think here may get more opinions. I am looking to upgrade my Dell system which means I need to get a new mb, a friend told me that I would have to reinstall XP which makes sense, could I do that with my Dell XP CD would I have to have a Microsoft CD, I have a valid CD Key I suppose but I'm not sure if I can get my hands on a non-OEM disk.

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no, you cannot usually use a dell oem disk, but to say that with certainty is tricky since Dell changes their methods from week to week it seems.

I can say that Dell has in the past used cd's that are keyed to dell hardware, and attempts to reinstall often fail.

Also, a warning...Dell often uses a proprietary motherboard hook up that is unlike others....by this I mean the multitude of little wires that hook up the power led, power switch, hd led, speaker, reset switch.

Unlike most cases, where the wires are separate and identified, Dell has a combined molex connector so that assemblers have only one thing to plug in and they can do it quickly.

If you are going to put a new motherboard in these cases, you need to remove the molex and figure out what wire is what part, add connectors and plug them in accordingly (not so easy since they are not identified. You need a circuit diagram

Also, Dell motherboards are often oddly sized, so a new motherboard may not fit the case.

[gerryf]

no, you cannot usually use a dell oem disk, but to say that with certainty is tricky since Dell changes their methods from week to week it seems.

I can say that Dell has in the past used cd's that are keyed to dell hardware, and attempts to reinstall often fail.

Also, a warning...Dell often uses a proprietary motherboard hook up that is unlike others....by this I mean the multitude of little wires that hook up the power led, power switch, hd led, speaker, reset switch.

Unlike most cases, where the wires are separate and identified, Dell has a combined molex connector so that assemblers have only one thing to plug in and they can do it quickly.

If you are going to put a new motherboard in these cases, you need to remove the molex and figure out what wire is what part, add connectors and plug them in accordingly (not so easy since they are not identified. You need a circuit diagram

Also, Dell motherboards are often oddly sized, so a new motherboard may not fit the case.

[Bigaggie06]

I am basically moving my system to a new case with a different mb, vid card, and more memory, the only reason I need the new mobo is because dell doesn't give you an agp slot. If I can obtain a retail XP disc will my OEM cd-key still work on it?

[gerryf]

no....oem keys are meant for oem installs.


You could burn your own cd and alter the setupp.ini file, which may -- MAY --allow you to use the OEM cd-key with the retail cd. This process is erratic when moving from RTM, to sp1, to sp2.

So, you generally need a retail cd with the same service pack as the oem cd you have, for this to work


Here is a quick article on this process

http://www.webtree.c...ows_xp_tips.htm

[Hemal]

You might be able too...its tricky, sometimes dell only keeps their keys to work with their own windows xp disks but ive had their support lines tell me that it is ok to use the cd key with a disk

anyone else have thoughts on this?

[gerryf]

those keys that dell supplies are actually for a pre-activated windows install---if you were to extract the cd-key from your current installation, it will not match the cd-key on the sticker on your box.

The cd-key with the Genuine Windows Product, is a Microsoft certified cd-key and--ironically, will not always work with the oem cd they supplied you (if it is a preactivated one).

Dell, HP, Compaq have a special setup that can be very irritating.

[Bigaggie06]

I can get the XP Pro Upgrade for cheap via school, so if I knew someone who no longer was using Win 2000 Pro or 98SE I could load that then upgrade correct?

[gerryf]

yes, you could technically, but not legally--sadly you are in a tricky gray area where you are technically a licensed user but the legality is the problem, since OEM installs travel with the machine, not the user....the gray area is when does the original machine stop being the original machine? Motherboard? NIC? Videocard? New drive?

I always advise people against upgrades, though....instead, you would load with the windows xp upgrade disk, and then wait--it asks for proof, you pop in the windows 98 disk, then you pop the windows xp disk in again.

[Bigaggie06]

Ok thanks for all your help, and I would just like to take this time to say I now officially hate Dell, you have a great site going here, if I have any more questions I will make sure to check here first.

[gerryf]

Well, don't hate dell---they are doing what they do under the licensing obligations that Microsoft imposes (which is not to say hate Microsoft either).

It is just a tricky situation -- MS agrees to provide OEM software to Dell at a reduced price, and in return, they offer no support (dell must provide it). Dell, conversely, should not have to support computers they did not provide.

The problem is that end users are caught in the middle