Windows XP install problems; yes, I got the floppies and they work

[Guest]

Alrighty...my friend has a spare (non-illegally-gained) CD key for Microsoft
Windows XP Home Edition (no SP's). We were trying to install it using the
Gateway Win XP CD (once again, no SP's) on an older computer, but it wouldn't
boot from CD. So I downloaded the app from MS's website that allows you to
make boot floppies (yes, I picked the right version). The floppies worked
(after they were formatted), but when it came time to use the CD, an error
occoured. After several attempts, all yielding the same error, I decided to
ask my dad to bring home his Win XP CD. It was from Dell, and came with his
computer at his office. So I re-downloaded the floppies ('cause his CD was
for Win XP Home SP2), and tried his CD. The floppy part still worked fine,
but when it got to the CD, it asked for the CD key. I confidently typed in
the key from my friend. It didn't work. I was confused, so I tried my own
key. It didn't work either. Puzzled, I looked at the CD sleeve; there it was:
you needed to use ONLY the key that came with the CD. So I asked my dad to
bring home the key, and then I'd change it to my friend's key using a
third-party application. He disagreed with this, saying that Dell and
Microsoft wouldn't like this. Any thoughts on either a.) explaining to my dad
that what I am doing is perfectly legal or b.) getting a (preferably free)
Windows XP install CD, whether SP'd or not? Thanks!

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

What you are doing is not going to work. Your Dad is correct in that they
(Dell and Microsoft) won't like it, and activating the system will be a
problem. But that point of licensing is moot, as you will not be able to
install the Dell version on anything but a Dell system anyhow. Nor would you
be able to change from the Dell key once installed without doing an
additional repair installation with a retail media disk.

You cannot mix Retail and OEM disks and product keys. This is why you cannot
install from the Gateway or Dell media with the retail key. You need the
retail product to go with it. The OEM media will only install on system they
are designed for most of the time, they will be looking at the system
hardware during setup to ensure that this is the case. If it is not the
intended hardware, setup will balk and exit.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org