Finding info on installed OS

[ralph]

Hi all

I bought a Dell PC off a guy advertising in the local paper. It runs XP
Pro SP2, and he appears to have cleanly installed it prior to the sale.
The thing is, my partner owns a Dell laptop and she has a Dell Support
icon on her Start menu as well as a 'Dell' folder under C:. I don't have
either, so does it mean my PC is not running the Dell version of XP that
came with the system?

How can I find out if my version of Windows is legit? Is there a way to
find out anything about my installed OS, e.g. if it's an OEM, retail or
corporate version, full or upgrade and so on? And would Dell provide a
new copy since I'm using their hardware?

I didn't get any Windows CD with the system.

Thanks in advance

 

[Guest]

You can get most info by going to run,type:WinVer After type:Msinfo32
W/o a cd,reinstalling xp is out,also,recovery console,etc.etc...Even with a
cd,it would be registered under former owner name,dell might sell one to
you but,thier support deals with original owner.

 

[T. Waters]

I didn't get any Windows CD with the system.
Oops! Big mistake. Essentially, you did not get the OS you ostensibly paid
for. Your seller has pulled a fast one on you. Without media, you will have
to borrow your partner's XP disk in the event you have to repair or
reinstall your XP. There is also the issue of activation. I am not sure how
Dell handles that.
I hope the seller was more honest with regard to the hardware than they were
with the OS.
As far as the version of your operating system, it would appear that you are
running an illegitimate copy of XP. No, the cops won't come to your door,
but you are in violation of the EULA.
Solution:
Either buy a new copy of Windows XP, install another OS, or just live with
it.

 

[T. Waters]

PS: Since your partner has a laptop, her OEM laptop version of XP will not
work on your desktop machine. Sorry.

 

[Rock]

Oops! Big mistake. Essentially, you did not get the OS you ostensibly paid
for. Your seller has pulled a fast one on you. Without media, you will have
to borrow your partner's XP disk in the event you have to repair or
reinstall your XP. There is also the issue of activation. I am not sure how
Dell handles that.
I hope the seller was more honest with regard to the hardware than they were
with the OS.
As far as the version of your operating system, it would appear that you are
running an illegitimate copy of XP. No, the cops won't come to your door,
but you are in violation of the EULA.
Solution:
Either buy a new copy of Windows XP, install another OS, or just live with
it.

How in the world do you know he's running "an illegitimate copy of XP"?

 

[T. Waters]

Educated guess.
Second-hand Dell machine with XP SP2 Pro (not Dell) and no media or COA.
SP2 is about one year old. Doubt the machine is that young.

 

[Rock]

Educated guess.
Second-hand Dell machine with XP SP2 Pro (not Dell) and no media or COA.
SP2 is about one year old. Doubt the machine is that young.

The OP didn't mention anything about the COA. The fact that the DELL
specialty software was stripped out when XP was installed doesn't mean
it didn't come from a Dell CD - slipstreamed with SP2.

 

[Steve N.]

PS: Since your partner has a laptop, her OEM laptop version of XP will not
work on your desktop machine. Sorry.

Not necessarily true. I have several OEM CDs from different makers of
both laptops and desktops and they have worked in various combinations.
The only ones I've encountered that haven't or won't are BIOS locked,
but they would still work for a desktop or laptop of the same manufacturer.

Steve

 

[Rock]

Hi all

I bought a Dell PC off a guy advertising in the local paper. It runs XP
Pro SP2, and he appears to have cleanly installed it prior to the sale.
The thing is, my partner owns a Dell laptop and she has a Dell Support
icon on her Start menu as well as a 'Dell' folder under C:. I don't have
either, so does it mean my PC is not running the Dell version of XP that
came with the system?

How can I find out if my version of Windows is legit? Is there a way to
find out anything about my installed OS, e.g. if it's an OEM, retail or
corporate version, full or upgrade and so on? And would Dell provide a
new copy since I'm using their hardware?

I didn't get any Windows CD with the system.

Thanks in advance

Ralph download the free Belarc Advisor from here:
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Run it and it will tell you the key used to install XP. Check it
against the COA sticker on the computer case if there is one. Also
check it against this web site.

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC.mspx

 

[Jim Macklin]

The icons are not indicative of what software is installed.
Did the guy who sold you the Dell supply you with the dozen
or so CDs that Dell supplies with a computer? There should
be a full set. You can use the Dell "service tag" number on
the sticker to log in to Dell and check exactly what was
shipped with THAT computer, even who bought it.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


| ralph wrote:
|
| > Hi all
| >
| > I bought a Dell PC off a guy advertising in the local
paper. It runs XP
| > Pro SP2, and he appears to have cleanly installed it
prior to the sale.
| > The thing is, my partner owns a Dell laptop and she has
a Dell Support
| > icon on her Start menu as well as a 'Dell' folder under
C:. I don't have
| > either, so does it mean my PC is not running the Dell
version of XP that
| > came with the system?
| >
| > How can I find out if my version of Windows is legit? Is
there a way to
| > find out anything about my installed OS, e.g. if it's an
OEM, retail or
| > corporate version, full or upgrade and so on? And would
Dell provide a
| > new copy since I'm using their hardware?
| >
| > I didn't get any Windows CD with the system.
| >
| > Thanks in advance
|
| Ralph download the free Belarc Advisor from here:
| http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
|
| Run it and it will tell you the key used to install XP.
Check it
| against the COA sticker on the computer case if there is
one. Also
| check it against this web site.
|
| http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC.mspx
|
| --
| Rock
| MS MVP Windows - Shell/User
|

 

[T. Waters]

Great news! I stand corrected.

Not necessarily true. I have several OEM CDs from different makers of
both laptops and desktops and they have worked in various
combinations. The only ones I've encountered that haven't or won't
are BIOS locked,
but they would still work for a desktop or laptop of the same
manufacturer.

Steve

 

[T. Waters]

OK, a possibility to be sure. Wonder why a Dell disk was not provided?
And when the OS needs to be repaired or reinstalled, let us hope that the
poster is still with his partner.

 

[T. Waters]

Wondering if Dell would be willing to provide the disks to the OP, since
media was not provided by the reseller ("I didn't get any Windows CD with
the system.")?

 

[Steve N.]

Great news! I stand corrected.

Well, not necessarily "corrected", perhaps "ammended" would be a better
term.

The bottom line is whether it actualy works or not.

Steve

 

[Jim Macklin]

Certainly, for a fee. With the service tag number and a
valid bill of sale on the machine, Dell would (should)
follow their replacement media policy.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


| Wondering if Dell would be willing to provide the disks to
the OP, since
| media was not provided by the reseller ("I didn't get any
Windows CD with
| the system.")?
|
| Jim Macklin wrote:
| > The icons are not indicative of what software is
installed.
| > Did the guy who sold you the Dell supply you with the
dozen
| > or so CDs that Dell supplies with a computer? There
should
| > be a full set. You can use the Dell "service tag"
number on
| > the sticker to log in to Dell and check exactly what was
| > shipped with THAT computer, even who bought it.
| >
| >
| >
| > | >> ralph wrote:
| >>
| >>> Hi all
| >>>
| >>> I bought a Dell PC off a guy advertising in the local
paper. It
| >>> runs XP Pro SP2, and he appears to have cleanly
installed it prior
| >>> to the sale. The thing is, my partner owns a Dell
laptop and she
| >>> has a Dell Support icon on her Start menu as well as a
'Dell'
| >>> folder under C:. I don't have either, so does it mean
my PC is not
| >>> running the Dell version of XP that came with the
system?
| >>>
| >>> How can I find out if my version of Windows is legit?
Is there a
| >>> way to find out anything about my installed OS, e.g.
if it's an
| >>> OEM, retail or corporate version, full or upgrade and
so on? And
| >>> would Dell provide a new copy since I'm using their
hardware?
| >>>
| >>> I didn't get any Windows CD with the system.
| >>>
| >>> Thanks in advance
| >>
| >> Ralph download the free Belarc Advisor from here:
| >> http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
| >>
| >> Run it and it will tell you the key used to install XP.
Check it
| >> against the COA sticker on the computer case if there
is one. Also
| >> check it against this web site.
| >>
| >> http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC.mspx
| >>
| >> --
| >> Rock
| >> MS MVP Windows - Shell/User
|
|
|

 

[Steve N.]

The OP didn't mention anything about the COA. The fact that the DELL
specialty software was stripped out when XP was installed doesn't mean
it didn't come from a Dell CD - slipstreamed with SP2.

My experinece with Dell is that the Dell specific software is not
included on the OS CD but is contained on a seperate driver & software CD.

Steve

 

[T. Waters]

Well, not necessarily "corrected", perhaps "ammended" would be a
better term.

The bottom line is whether it actualy works or not.
Indeed!

 

[Jim Macklin]

Correct, they have CDs with both McAfee and Norton, you can
change your mind and install the other if you want. Ditto
for printers, sound cards, etc.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



| Rock wrote:
|
| > T. Waters wrote:
| >
| >> Educated guess.
| >> Second-hand Dell machine with XP SP2 Pro (not Dell) and
no media or COA.
| >> SP2 is about one year old. Doubt the machine is that
young.
| >>
| >
| > The OP didn't mention anything about the COA. The fact
that the DELL
| > specialty software was stripped out when XP was
installed doesn't mean
| > it didn't come from a Dell CD - slipstreamed with SP2.
| >
| >
|
| My experinece with Dell is that the Dell specific software
is not
| included on the OS CD but is contained on a seperate
driver & software CD.
|
| Steve