xp install

[festus]

I need to format motherinlaw computer. Problem is she has no xp cd should of
got one with new dell computer claims she did not can I use my disk and her
cd id code from sticker on computer case?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Ask Dell Support how to access the hidden Recovery partition, festus.
That'd be your best bet (short of getting a divorce).

 

[Big_Al]

I need to format motherinlaw computer. Problem is she has no xp cd should of
got one with new dell computer claims she did not can I use my disk and her
cd id code from sticker on computer case?

Not unless you have a Dell CD. Dell PC's are usually an OEM and may
be keyed to the motherboard bios.

If you contact Dell they should be able to send you all restore CD's.
You might even have a recovery partition. Hitting some F## key at
reboot sometimes brings up a restore program.

 

[Ken Blake]

I need to format motherinlaw computer.

Why? And how do you know that you *need* to?

Problem is she has no xp cd should of
got one with new dell computer claims she did not can I use my disk and
her
cd id code from sticker on computer case?

That depends entirely on what kind of CD you have. It needs to match hers
with respect to Home vs. Professional, OEM vs. Retail, and Full vs. Upgrade.

 

[Alan]

Big_Al,

Actually in Dell machines that do have the hidden recovery partition, the
key combination is CTRL + F11. See
http://support.dell.com/support/top...d=58E26A65A4388E4FE040AE0AB7E107E3&l=en&s=dhs

Alan

 

[Bill in Co.]

That's probably the easiest solutuion, assuming she has backups of anything
else she's added since then. During bootup, press Ctrl-F11, and if you
get that Dell System Restore screen option, you're good to go.