Window XP question

[Wimbish2003]

I'm not much on computers, but I have two. I have a Dell and a Gateway. I've been wanting to format the hard drive on my Dell and reinstall windows. Well the windows xp cd has a huge crack in it. So I was going to use the cd for the gateway, but it says for gateway computers only. Can I use it on the Dell anyway?

 

[Celegorm]

it'll be iffy.... some times you can but other times you can't.


unfortunatly i don't know of any way of finding out without trial and error...

you might be better off contatcing asia (dell) to see if you can get a new copy of the cd.

 

[Raffaz]

I personally wouldnt take the risk, geet in touch with dell (as mentioned above) or buy yourself a new xp disc

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

I used my old XP disc off my gateway in my new computer build. I know you can't use a dell disc in another system. If its a newer gateway maybe the joined dell locking it to 1 system. Mine was bought in 01.

 

[Raffaz]

You probably can use it but ya more likely to encounter problems as it isnt designed for that system

 

[joxley1990]

Gateway's discs only work with the chipsets on gateways, in a past experince in college.. (don't want to talk about that - very bad day!)

If you still have the CD key for the DELL (CD-Key should be stuck on the side), looks like this...

If you still have the CD key, you can use any disc, just not any other key, you must use your key.

 

[Raffaz]

OEM keys are different to standard keys mate

 

[joxley1990]

Whooops.. learn something new every day (embarrasment)

 

[Raffaz]

Dont know if ya know this, so might aswell mention it aswell. But different versions of the OS have different keys aswell eg an SP1 key will not work on a SP2 disc

 

[joxley1990]

So maybe, you might be better off just buying a new disc haha