OEM Windows license
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From: Ben Myers on 20 May 2010 22:52 On 5/20/2010 8:30 PM, E wrote: > > I realize that I cannot transfer a Windows XP license from a Dell PC to > a different brand or 'white box' PC. And that I cannot replace a failed > motherboard in a Dell PC with an off the shelf motherboard (even if it > works physically) and use the same CD Key/license with the non-Dell > motherboard in there. > > But can I replace a failed motherboard in a Dell PC with a Dell > motherboard from a different Dell model, different chip set etc... and > use the same Windows license? > > For example: replace failed motherboard in Dell model XYZ-5000 Desktop > PC with motherboard from Dell Model XYZ-7500 Desktop PC, and still use > the Windows CD key associated with the Dell XYZ-5000? > > Thanks in advance > Eddie If you replace the failed motherboard in a Dell system with another model of motherboard, and the Dell chassis has a Windows XP (or Vista or Windows 7) sticker, you sure can install Windows on the system and Microsoft would be hard-pressed to say it does not meet their licensing terms and conditions. For the older black Dell P4 systems (and some similar XPS ones), I have made a spreadsheet over the years that describes the Dell motherboards, whether mounted on a plate or not, what types of connectors, cables and fans there are. Knowing which motherboards are similar to one another allows for some upgrading while replacing. For example, a few months ago, I replaced a failed Dimension 3000 motherboard with a Dimension 4600 one. I did not even reinstall Windows, because both motherboards have the same Intel 865 chipset which allows the system to boot right up from the hard drive, and no BSOD. On the other hand, if I had replaced a 2400 motherboard (845 chipset) with a 3000 motherboard (865 chipset), booting the hard drive would result in a BSOD, when Windows tried to load the drivers for the old chipset. Without considerable handwaving and registry editing, a reinstall would be necessary. Let me know what sort of replacement you are considering, i.e. what is the current model of motherboard? I can provide you with some useful info about which boards fit in the chassis. For the most part, except for the Mitac case, you can't really install a non-Dell motherboard in a Dell case without considerable pain and case mods. With the Mitac, you have to give up the front panel audio and do some other minor mods. So, as they say in the old neighborhood, forgetta bout it... Ben Myers
From: E on 21 May 2010 00:21 Christopher Muto wrote: <snip> >> >> So the Dell OEM Windows XP license can be installed, activated, and >> receive updates, with a non-Dell motherboard in there? And it will >> work until MS stops supporting XP? >> >> It's just that they don't want you to, but will not try to stop it? >> >> Eddie > > you got two response telling you that technically you can indeed install > the dell oem windows xp cd on any pc that you wish. you will have to > activate it and windows oem cds require windows oem activation codes so > you will need the one that came with the system/cd. the issue of > legality is for you to figure out yourself, but i find it at best > ambiguous what they mean by the license being tied to the machine... is > the machine the processor, the motherboard, the memory, the disk, the > video card... the box?!? and when you switch these components which > component does the windows license follow? if you change every part one > by one because of no other reason than system failure is it the same > machine according to microsoft? i don't think anyone honestly knows, > not even microsoft. there is an adage about george washington's axe > where over the years the head was replaces a couple of times and the > handle four times, yet it is still called george washington's axe. > bottom line is that the only difference between the retail edition of > windows xp with product ccode and the dell oem edition of windows xp > with product code is wording of the license. they function exactly the > same. Ok. I kept reading things about trying to use an OEM license on a PC that was not manufactured by said OEM. I guess there is much dis-information out there. They give the impression that it will halt sometime during the install, or it won't activate. This will knock ~110 off the total repair, since I can just use the original product key that shipped with it originally Your question, "what is the machine?" is funny. I have wondered the same thing. Since I was able to change several components in a home built PC and never had a problem with activation. The processor, hard drive, and dial-up modem, were the only things left in the box from the original build. I've never tried to use the same product key on more than one machine with WinXP. I assumed they would catch the second one when it tried to get an update. Here we are two operating systems later and I still don't know what would happen. . Thanks Eddie
From: E on 21 May 2010 00:38 Ben Myers wrote: > On 5/20/2010 8:30 PM, E wrote: >> <snip> >> >> For example: replace failed motherboard in Dell model XYZ-5000 Desktop >> PC with motherboard from Dell Model XYZ-7500 Desktop PC, and still use >> the Windows CD key associated with the Dell XYZ-5000? >> >> Thanks in advance >> Eddie > > If you replace the failed motherboard in a Dell system with another > model of motherboard, and the Dell chassis has a Windows XP (or Vista or > Windows 7) sticker, you sure can install Windows on the system and > Microsoft would be hard-pressed to say it does not meet their licensing > terms and conditions. For the older black Dell P4 systems (and some > similar XPS ones), I have made a spreadsheet over the years that > describes the Dell motherboards, whether mounted on a plate or not, what > types of connectors, cables and fans there are. Knowing which > motherboards are similar to one another allows for some upgrading while > replacing. > > For example, a few months ago, I replaced a failed Dimension 3000 > motherboard with a Dimension 4600 one. I did not even reinstall > Windows, because both motherboards have the same Intel 865 chipset which > allows the system to boot right up from the hard drive, and no BSOD. > > On the other hand, if I had replaced a 2400 motherboard (845 chipset) > with a 3000 motherboard (865 chipset), booting the hard drive would > result in a BSOD, when Windows tried to load the drivers for the old > chipset. Without considerable handwaving and registry editing, a > reinstall would be necessary. > > Let me know what sort of replacement you are considering, i.e. what is > the current model of motherboard? I can provide you with some useful > info about which boards fit in the chassis. Thanks, I may take you up on that. I have already retrofitted a non-Dell mATX board into an XPS 600 case. I took the back plate out of an old mATX case I had laying around. Worked out great, but... > > For the most part, except for the Mitac case, you can't really install a > non-Dell motherboard in a Dell case without considerable pain and case > mods. With the Mitac, you have to give up the front panel audio and do > some other minor mods. So, as they say in the old neighborhood, > forgetta bout it... Ben Myers ....like you mention, I may have to give up the front panel audio/USB/Firewire ports. They are all together soldered onto a common circuit board (as I imagine you are familiar with). They still had to run a separate cable from the appropriate headers on the MB up into that location. I don't see the purpose of having all of that on one board other than to make it difficult to use a non-Dell MB. I have run across pinouts for the audio ribbon cable in searches but I don't really feel like f'ing with that right now. I think I have figured out how to use the front panel switch/LEDs board. But the USB/audio etc... I may have to improvise. Or tell my user to do without. Front panel USB is all they really need. I need to get a cable with a female USB port on one end that will plug into the USB header on the board and maybe mount it in there somewhere. Thanks Eddie
From: Christopher Muto on 21 May 2010 01:51 E wrote: > Christopher Muto wrote: > > <snip> > >>> >>> So the Dell OEM Windows XP license can be installed, activated, and >>> receive updates, with a non-Dell motherboard in there? And it will >>> work until MS stops supporting XP? >>> >>> It's just that they don't want you to, but will not try to stop it? >>> >>> Eddie >> >> you got two response telling you that technically you can indeed >> install the dell oem windows xp cd on any pc that you wish. you will >> have to activate it and windows oem cds require windows oem activation >> codes so you will need the one that came with the system/cd. the >> issue of legality is for you to figure out yourself, but i find it at >> best ambiguous what they mean by the license being tied to the >> machine... is the machine the processor, the motherboard, the memory, >> the disk, the video card... the box?!? and when you switch these >> components which component does the windows license follow? if you >> change every part one by one because of no other reason than system >> failure is it the same machine according to microsoft? i don't think >> anyone honestly knows, not even microsoft. there is an adage about >> george washington's axe where over the years the head was replaces a >> couple of times and the handle four times, yet it is still called >> george washington's axe. >> bottom line is that the only difference between the retail edition of >> windows xp with product ccode and the dell oem edition of windows xp >> with product code is wording of the license. they function exactly >> the same. > > Ok. I kept reading things about trying to use an OEM license on a PC > that was not manufactured by said OEM. I guess there is much > dis-information out there. They give the impression that it will halt > sometime during the install, or it won't activate. > > This will knock ~110 off the total repair, since I can just use the > original product key that shipped with it originally > > Your question, "what is the machine?" is funny. I have wondered the same > thing. Since I was able to change several components in a home built PC > and never had a problem with activation. The processor, hard drive, and > dial-up modem, were the only things left in the box from the original > build. > > I've never tried to use the same product key on more than one machine > with WinXP. I assumed they would catch the second one when it tried to > get an update. Here we are two operating systems later and I still don't > know what would happen. . > > Thanks > Eddie regarding "reading things about trying to use an oem license on a pc that was not manufactured by said oem..." i think what you may have heard is that most oem windows cds are not full copies of windows like dell has historically supplied but rather what are called recovery cds that are an image of the original hard disk configuration for the specific machine. this has its advantage, namely a simple to reload a machine to its original 'factory fresh' state without having to install any drivers or applications, but it has the disadvantage of only working on a specific machine. some vendors that do offer full working versions of windows had modified the installation routine to check the manufacturer of the machine before proceeding (gateway was notorious for this) but not all do. dell actually did this 'bios check' with windows 2000 but there was a workaround for it by replacing a single file... as for using an activation code multiple times that would be a problem. you can google tons of info about it. first time it activates online, second time it might too, by the third time you have to call for automated activation after typing in a ton of numbers, after that they make you talk to someone to explain why you have installed it so many times and though they state in their license agree that they will not collect any identifiable information about you during the activation process they actually ask you your name and phone number and refuse to proceed if you don't give it. i learned this when a new machine when through three disk failures in a row before it was determined that it was a defective motherboard... the silly part is that after a certain period of time the whole process is reset and online activation is available again... research it if you really care to know the precise details.
From: Brian K on 21 May 2010 06:27
"Ben Myers" <ben_myers(a)charter.net> wrote in message news:ht4sgu$i1d$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... > On 5/20/2010 8:30 PM, E wrote: >> > > On the other hand, if I had replaced a 2400 motherboard (845 chipset) with > a 3000 motherboard (865 chipset), booting the hard drive would result in a > BSOD, when Windows tried to load the drivers for the old chipset. Without > considerable handwaving and registry editing, a reinstall would be > necessary. > Ben, We discussed the TeraByte OS Deployment Tool Script Pro last year. It's a lot more sophisticated these days and also supports Win7. It only takes a minute or two to get an OS booting after the first BSOD. You don't need to use TeraByte software to restore the image to the new hardware. Any image/restore app is fine. From the userguide.... "A typical scenario for using the script would be to first restore an image of Windows to new/different hardware, and then run osdtool.tbs to make the necessary changes so that the restored OS partition will boot and run successfully. These changes are all made while the target Windows OS is not running. Changes needed to get a restored Windows OS to boot on new hardware can include installing a storage driver for the boot device (hard drive controller), as well as changing the HAL (hardware abstraction layer) and the CPU type (AMD vs Intel). In some cases it may be necessary to first remove all installed drivers, which osdtool.tbs can also do. " |