Trying to reinstall Windows - licensing.. :\

Scam · 21 Jun 2007 at 20:54

I'm trying to reinstall XP on my sister's old Dell machine. It has a product key on the side so i (foolishly*) used my XP Pro OEM CD to format and start the install. *Foolish, because the product key was for XP Home. Hence i got as far as putting the key in, then it didnt like it. So i found out that i need an XP Home OEM disc to work with that key. I couldnt find one through friend's etc. but eventually one of my mother's friends gave us an XP Pro OEM CD with it's own key. I thought i was onto a winner with that, but it doesnt like the key that came with that CD either. I continued the install with my CD and then tried to enter the new key.

Now, my stupid question is -- does it not like the key because i started the install with *my* disc, and i'm entering a key for another disc? I'm sure it doesnt work that way, but it's worth asking! If so, how do i get back to the beginning of the install, as everytime i boot it just asks for the CD to continue the install.

My second stupid question is; what happens if i just use my key?

Short of that, would Dell send me a new disc for free? If so, would information do they normally need? It was my sisters PC so she's lost anything and everything to do with it - i've literally just got the box itself!

Thanks for any advice

mrochester · 21 Jun 2007 at 22:28

Just download XP Home from your favourite P2P. This is perfectly legal. As long as you use your own key, there is nothing wrong with doing that.

the-void · 22 Jun 2007 at 08:25

mrochester said:
Just download XP Home from your favourite P2P. This is perfectly legal. As long as you use your own key, there is nothing wrong with doing that.

It is not perfectly legal to download XP Home from p2p.

mrochester · 22 Jun 2007 at 09:00

the-void said:
It is not perfectly legal to download XP Home from p2p.

Whyever not? As long as you own your own product key, it doesn't matter where you actually acquire the software from.

Burnsy2023 · 22 Jun 2007 at 12:52

mrochester said:
Whyever not? As long as you own your own product key, it doesn't matter where you actually acquire the software from.

The license agreement states:

You may not rent, lease, lend or provide
commercial hosting services to third parties with the
Product.

Therefore you cannot distribute the software via uploading on p2p.

My advice is to get Dell to send replacement media. They will generally do this for the price of the postage. It didn't work because Dell lock their media to a certain pool of product keys. Also, you can't use you're key as it won't activate and would be illegal.

Burnsy