product key

[Guest]

recently ,i had some problem with my window XP with this dell system,i am
thinking of reformatting my current IDE hard disk holding the window XP home
set to a secondary drive while i buy a new SATA hard diskto install my window
XP on.my question is,can i use the product key given from dell for the
activation process or must i talk to a customer support represantive for a
new product key?

 

[HeeroYuy]

recently ,i had some problem with my window XP with this dell system,i am
thinking of reformatting my current IDE hard disk holding the window XP
home
set to a secondary drive while i buy a new SATA hard diskto install my
window
XP on.my question is,can i use the product key given from dell for the
activation process or must i talk to a customer support represantive for a
new product key?

Because you are installing Windows on the same computer, you shouldn't have
a problem. Adding hardware such as a hard disk drive won't make Windows
twitch. This is because all of the rest of the hardware is the same. Worry
only if you replace too much at the same time, or you replace the
motherboard and processor with one of a different chipset.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Have a word with Dell. It would all depend on which kind of XP CD they
supplied you with.

--


Will Denny
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Ted Zieglar]

No problem. Changing hard disks won't require you to reactivate Windows.

However, I'm not sure why you'd want to format your existing hard disk. When
you buy your new disk, it should come with software and instructions to copy
the contents of your old hard disk onto the new one. It's really not
difficult to do, and the manufacturer's web site should have plenty of
additional help for you.

 

[Guest]

Hi

Have a word with Dell. It would all depend on which kind of XP CD they
supplied you with.

--


Will Denny
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups




according to my manual,it stated there that it is an OS reinstallation CD with the product key in the back of my PC,btw i am not adding a new hard disk,i am reformatting my current one and plan to install the new window to another hard disk

 

[Guest]

No problem. Changing hard disks won't require you to reactivate Windows.

However, I'm not sure why you'd want to format your existing hard disk. When
you buy your new disk, it should come with software and instructions to copy
the contents of your old hard disk onto the new one. It's really not
difficult to do, and the manufacturer's web site should have plenty of
additional help for you.

--
Ted Zieglar
"You can do it if you try."



my current hard disk is a 80GB,so i decide to make it as a secondary drive while i get a new 200GB type

 

[Kerry Brown]

If your Dell came with a restore partition rather than a set of restore
disks you will also have to copy this hidden partition to the new drive.
Some of the programs to copy or clone drives that come with the new hard
drive will not be able to copy this partition. You may need 3rd party
software like Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost.

Kerry

 

[HeeroYuy]

If your Dell came with a restore partition rather than a set of restore
disks you will also have to copy this hidden partition to the new drive.
Some of the programs to copy or clone drives that come with the new hard
drive will not be able to copy this partition. You may need 3rd party
software like Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost.

Kerry

An easier thing to do would be to call Dell and have them send you the
restore discs. When you get them, boot to CD and watch them put the recovery
partition on the new drive almost automatically.