Dell XP Home OEM cd packs

borgboy · 25 Oct 2007 at 09:44

Hi folks,

I wondered if anyone could help with a quick question I have?

I've just acquired approx 40 x Dell branded XP Home OEM cd packs.
Can these be made to work on non-Dell PCs?
They don't have COAs with them, so are they really any use to anyone?

Many thanks,
Borg

something daft already!! · 25 Oct 2007 at 10:05

From what I recall, they need to be installed on a Dell PC. I think it does some BIOS check and wont install on any other PC type.

sidethink · 25 Oct 2007 at 10:08

They need to see Dell hardware - and if you don't have the CoA labels then they are legally useless.

Burnsy2023 · 25 Oct 2007 at 10:40

You have aquired 40 lovely new coasters; use them all over the house to prevent stains and burns on expensive wood veneers

Burnsy

Cuchulain · 25 Oct 2007 at 10:49

Heh, 1 of them would be useful for me! I've got a Dell Laptop with the XP Home license key on the base but no install CD's (had to resort to running linux)

borgboy · 25 Oct 2007 at 12:48

Cheers for the advice. Looks like they'll only be useful to people like Cuchulain, who already have a valid COA (or working product key) but need to re-install XP, and don't have a disc.
Hmmm... maybe I should try car-booting them

borgboy · 25 Oct 2007 at 12:51

...and if you don't have the CoA labels then they are legally useless.[/B]

Legally useless? Is that true? I thought it was just the CoA (ie the license) that couldn't be transferred? Surely it doesn't matter which media you use to install XP, as long as you have a valid & legal CoA?

sidethink · 25 Oct 2007 at 12:57

The installer on the Dell CDROMs will look for a Dell motherboard and BIOS - won't work on anything else.

apatia77 · 25 Oct 2007 at 13:45

it will work on not dell computers but you will get a message that you need to activate it or it will stop working after 30 days,

you dont enter any key numbers while os install from these cds, dell pcs has something in bios so it can recognise it as legit software and no activation needed at all ever which is nice,

swinnie · 25 Oct 2007 at 14:06

borgboy said:
Hi folks,

I wondered if anyone could help with a quick question I have?

I've just acquired approx 40 x Dell branded XP Home OEM cd packs.
Can these be made to work on non-Dell PCs?
They don't have COAs with them, so are they really any use to anyone?

Many thanks,
Borg

If you have machines that you want to install XP on and you have COAs just use an XP CD and do it that way saves a lot of mucking about with drivers, wrong installs removing Dell Software and other rubbish that Dell load your computer with.