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Dell Win XP Installation disk

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by camper29

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I just bought a new Laptop w/Windows Vista Home Edition installed on it. I am presently using a Dell 4600 Desktop. I am not really thrilled with Vista although it is probably a better program than XP, I would like to install XP on the laptop. My question is, I have an installation disk that came with the 4600 desktop. Is the windows serial number imbedded on that setup disk so that it cannot be installed on a different computer? Thanks for the help. Bill email:wcm555@nycap.rr.com

6 replies

by mayhem1969

What it sounds like you have are two OEM reinstall discs that contain important OS files. They are not full blown installation discs. These allow you to return your computer to its original factory specifications, but do not allow a clean "install" of the OS on the original computer or another one. These are not capable of being used on a computer other than the OEM one it came with.

by camper29

Thanks for your reply. No, my XP disk has only Win XP on it. It is not a setup disk.
(With all of the add on programs that usually come with a new computer. It only has Win XP on it. The concern that I have is, I was wondering if Dell makes that disk so that it can only be installed on that particular computer. Thanks for your quick response.

by ic-it

You may check with the manufacturer to determine if they allow a Downgrade of the new systems OS to XP.
If they don't then they will likely not have drivers for many of its components.

by mayhem1969

First off it should be mentioned that the license for that software most likely allows for it to be placed only on the computer with which it came and certainly on only one computer at a time. That being said.

I have never known an OS CD from one OEM computer to work on another OEM computer.

by chris910

Most of the Dell Disks will only work on a Dell Computer from my experience. I am not shure how the checking is accomplished. The disks that came with the Dimension 4600's worked with the optiplex, inspiron and latitudes of similar vintage though you had to provide the appropriate drivers for some machines.

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