Putting old XP drive into new PC

[Andy]

Sorry for x-posting but I didn't know which group would be best to answer
this question. I am getting a new Dell PC soon replacing my old Dell. Both
new and old have 160GB HDD - however old one has Windows XP Home Edition SP2
and obviously new PC will have Vista (which will be home basic if its any
bearing). If I want to carry on using my old/present Hard Disk Drive and put
it in the new PC and carry on using Widows XP instead of vista apart from
obviously changing all the drivers to match the new PCs mainboard and
components will my XP still run / activate or re-activate OK or will it as I
am guessing it might, detect the new PC and wont activate?

I am guessing it will know I am putting the drive into another PC and it
wont activate but then again they are both Dell PC's not two different
manufacturers of PC and the old/present hard drive has the Dell OEM version
of Windows XP not a retail XP version. - If it does go ahead smoothly do I
use the 25 digit CD key (on the side of the PC) from the Old Dell PC's Case
or from the New Dell PC's case? (if it even asks me for a CD key that is).

Sorry about all the questions, can anyone tell me if what I want to do will
work? - I tried googling and yahooing but could only find conflicting
information nothing really helpful.

Oh, I just though of something else. My new PC will have onboard SATA and
SATA Drive whereas my old Dell has IDE sockets and IDE Hard drive but I
suppose I could always get a SATA to IDE connector could I not or maybe add
in a PCI IDE card? - What do you reckon?

Many Thanks,

Andy.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Sorry, but the Dell OEM Windows XP license will only be
valid on the original computer it shipped with. It will
not activate on a different Dell PC because the motherboard
BIOS would be entirely different. OEM Windows licenses
are non-transferrable to a different computer.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

----------------------------------------------------------------------

:

Sorry for x-posting but I didn't know which group would be best to answer
this question. I am getting a new Dell PC soon replacing my old Dell. Both
new and old have 160GB HDD - however old one has Windows XP Home Edition SP2
and obviously new PC will have Vista (which will be home basic if its any
bearing). If I want to carry on using my old/present Hard Disk Drive and put
it in the new PC and carry on using Widows XP instead of vista apart from
obviously changing all the drivers to match the new PCs mainboard and
components will my XP still run / activate or re-activate OK or will it as I
am guessing it might, detect the new PC and wont activate?

I am guessing it will know I am putting the drive into another PC and it
wont activate but then again they are both Dell PC's not two different
manufacturers of PC and the old/present hard drive has the Dell OEM version
of Windows XP not a retail XP version. - If it does go ahead smoothly do I
use the 25 digit CD key (on the side of the PC) from the Old Dell PC's Case
or from the New Dell PC's case? (if it even asks me for a CD key that is).

Sorry about all the questions, can anyone tell me if what I want to do will
work? - I tried googling and yahooing but could only find conflicting
information nothing really helpful.

Oh, I just though of something else. My new PC will have onboard SATA and
SATA Drive whereas my old Dell has IDE sockets and IDE Hard drive but I
suppose I could always get a SATA to IDE connector could I not or maybe add
in a PCI IDE card? - What do you reckon?

Many Thanks,

Andy.

 

[Charlie Tame]

Sorry for x-posting but I didn't know which group would be best to answer
this question. I am getting a new Dell PC soon replacing my old Dell. Both
new and old have 160GB HDD - however old one has Windows XP Home Edition SP2
and obviously new PC will have Vista (which will be home basic if its any
bearing). If I want to carry on using my old/present Hard Disk Drive and put
it in the new PC and carry on using Widows XP instead of vista apart from
obviously changing all the drivers to match the new PCs mainboard and
components will my XP still run / activate or re-activate OK or will it as I
am guessing it might, detect the new PC and wont activate?

I am guessing it will know I am putting the drive into another PC and it
wont activate but then again they are both Dell PC's not two different
manufacturers of PC and the old/present hard drive has the Dell OEM version
of Windows XP not a retail XP version. - If it does go ahead smoothly do I
use the 25 digit CD key (on the side of the PC) from the Old Dell PC's Case
or from the New Dell PC's case? (if it even asks me for a CD key that is).

Sorry about all the questions, can anyone tell me if what I want to do will
work? - I tried googling and yahooing but could only find conflicting
information nothing really helpful.

Oh, I just though of something else. My new PC will have onboard SATA and
SATA Drive whereas my old Dell has IDE sockets and IDE Hard drive but I
suppose I could always get a SATA to IDE connector could I not or maybe add
in a PCI IDE card? - What do you reckon?

Many Thanks,

Andy.

If your new PC has only one CD or DVD drive you may have a spare IDE
connector or be able to install a new cable with two connectors, however
Carey is right about the licence being non transferable and most likely
it wouldn't run at all. This is why I never buy OEM installations,
always get a "Proper" Windows CD.

Trying this is likely to result in all kinds of stupid irritations - I
think you'd be better to keep both PCs for a while if that is possible
and see which system best suits your needs, then remove the Vista drive
connectors before even trying anything else. If your Vista is OEM too
you could find yourself with neither working. It's one of those things
that "Should not" do any harm but usually when you assume that the worst
happens

It is very easy to fit slide in drive bays for SATA drives on generic
cases, not sure if Dell case would be suitable but if you haven't got it
yet that might be an option for you, then you clone the XP drive onto a
new SATA drive and play as much as you want - but if it should happen to
work then legally you must not use the old XP or sell the machine with
XP on... I'm pretty sure it won't work anyway though.

 

[Paul Randall]

Hi,Carey
I think these parts of your response are true:

Sorry, but the Dell OEM Windows XP license will only be
valid on the original computer it shipped with. and
OEM Windows licenses
are non-transferrable to a different computer.

This part may be wrong:

It will
not activate on a different Dell PC because the motherboard
BIOS would be entirely different.

For testing purposes, I have installed a 2004 Dell laptop WXP Home Edition
on a 1998 Dell desktop computer, using the laptop's key, and it installed
properly and booted up repeatedly without asking to be activated. It was
happy just knowing it was installed on a Dell. I reformatted the hard drive
and reinstalled the WXPHE, using the key from a Sony laptop. With this
arrangement, I was asked to activate. Upon completion of testing, I
reformatted the hard drive.

I'm just guessing here, but I think that if the OP goes into device manager
on the old Dell, perhaps he could remove all drivers just before shutting
down. On boot-up after putting the drive in the new Dell, it should use
generic drivers and scan for new hardware, and ask for drivers. I haven't
tried this -- hopefully some expert will jump in with real knowledge.

-Paul Randall

 

[Dave]

If your new PC has only one CD or DVD drive you may have a spare IDE
connector or be able to install a new cable with two connectors, however
Carey is right about the licence being non transferable and most likely
it wouldn't run at all. This is why I never buy OEM installations,
always get a "Proper" Windows CD.

All my 'proper' versions of windows have been the free ones. The best to
buy

Dave