Windows OEM CD

[Jimbro727]

Hi! I'm a computer consultant and I often come across Dell machines
that have an OEM version of Windows installed, and I need to run repair
installs on them. I can't use my versions of XP Home or Pro with the
key on their case because it's not OEM. If I purchased an OEM CD,
would I be able to use their key? Does it have to be a DELL OEM CD to
work with a Dell key, or are all the OEM CDs the same? There are alot
of options for OEM discs, I can get with or without SP2, would they
have different keys? For instance, would a key from a Dell that had XP
Home with NO SP2 installed work with a Home w/SP2 OEM CD? I appreciate
the help -- thanks!

--Jimmy

 

[GreenieLeBrun]

Hi! I'm a computer consultant and I often come across Dell machines
that have an OEM version of Windows installed, and I need to run repair
installs on them. I can't use my versions of XP Home or Pro with the
key on their case because it's not OEM. If I purchased an OEM CD,
would I be able to use their key?
No

Does it have to be a DELL OEM CD to
work with a Dell key,
Yes

or are all the OEM CDs the same? There are alot
of options for OEM discs, I can get with or without SP2, would they
have different keys? For instance, would a key from a Dell that had XP
Home with NO SP2 installed work with a Home w/SP2 OEM CD? I appreciate
the help -- thanks!

An XP CD without a service pack would not do a repair Installation on a
machine that had XP with a service pack.

--Jimmy

You may find that the Dell XP CD's are BIOS locked to that particular
model of Dell computer so your best bet would be to get the customer to
bring in the CD that came with the machine.

 

[Clayton]

BIOS locked only means that you will not be prompted to activate windows, so
if you find any OEM CD it will prompt you to enter the product key , once
the OS is installed it will then ask you to activate, which will offcourse
fail as Microsoft has changed the rules on OEM systems such as DELL's, HP's
etc.
When you ring Microsoft to activate they will either turn you away and tell
you to go back to DELL or will allow you to activate over the phone, my
experience with activation on these machines is 50/50.

The product key will only work if the system was shipped with the correct
version of windows, if you use a XP OEM CD with SP-2 and the system came
with SP-1 it may not accept the key.

 

[Frazer Jolly Goodfellow]

The product key will only work if the system was shipped with
the correct version of windows, if you use a XP OEM CD with SP-2
and the system came with SP-1 it may not accept the key.

Incorrect. The product key is not related to the SP level.

 

[Clayton]

Most of the time it is

Incorrect. The product key is not related to the SP level.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Dell is OEM specific

 

[Frazer Jolly Goodfellow]

Most of the time it is

Does not reflect my experience. Never encountered it in dozens of
repair reinstallations on many different brands of PC.

Can you cite some examples?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Most of the time it is

Sorry, this isn't correct. If it were correct, the widely-practiced use of
slipstreaming to create a new CD by adding a service pack to an older XP CD
wouldn't work. Slipstreaming does work, here, and on many thousands, if not
millions, of XP systems all over the world.

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi! I'm a computer consultant and I often come across Dell machines
that have an OEM version of Windows installed, and I need to run repair
installs on them. I can't use my versions of XP Home or Pro with the
key on their case because it's not OEM. If I purchased an OEM CD,
would I be able to use their key?

Probably not.

Does it have to be a DELL OEM CD to
work with a Dell key, or are all the OEM CDs the same?

Major manufacturers, such as Dell, customize their OEM CDs to suit the
specific hardware that they use in their computers.

There are alot
of options for OEM discs, I can get with or without SP2, would they
have different keys?

No. Service Pack Level is not one of the items that are defined by
the Product Key. What is defined within the Product Key is the
Windows editon (Pro, Home, Media, Tablet), version (OEM, Retail
Upgrade, Retail Full Install, Volume License, etc.) and language.

For instance, would a key from a Dell that had XP
Home with NO SP2 installed work with a Home w/SP2 OEM CD? I appreciate
the help -- thanks!

Provided the SP2 OEM CD was also from Dell, yes.

Your best option would be to advise your clients that they need to
obtain the Windows XP CDs for their machines from Dell, and explain
why these are needed.


Most Dell OEM versions are BIOS Locked, meaning they are
self-activating when installed on a machine with a Dell motherboard
BIOS. When installed on a non-Dell machine these versions used to
require normal activation over the Internet but as of 1 March 2005
Microsoft has blocked this and will also normally decline telephone
activation requests in these circumstances.

To determine if an installed OEM Windows XP version is BIOS locked
look on the Accessories - System Tools menu for an "Activate Windows"
menu item. If that item is not present on an OEM system this
indicates that the Windows XP is BIOS Locked.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Guest]

Assuming you have a pre-SP1 BIOS locked OEM CD, can you slipstream an SP2 CD
that will work on the OEM machine to which the OEM CD is locked?

 

[Ron Martell]

Assuming you have a pre-SP1 BIOS locked OEM CD, can you slipstream an SP2 CD
that will work on the OEM machine to which the OEM CD is locked?

I haven't tried it, but it should.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Plato]

Hi! I'm a computer consultant and I often come across Dell machines
that have an OEM version of Windows installed, and I need to run repair

It's more than an OEM, it's a proprietary XP.

 

[Jimbro]

Hey thanks for all of the replies, guys! One of my clients had the OS
restore CD that came with the computer, so I used that to repair their
computer, and burned myself a copy for clients in the future who don't
have their disc. When it installed, SP1 wasn't on there, so I assume
it's XP Home w/o any SP.. It didn't even prompt me for a key, and
hasn't required activation. Will this CD (it's purple, and says
Operating System Reinstallation CD - Windows XP Home) work on other
Dell machines? Thanks!

--Jimmy