Dimension 8400 - Dual Boot Limitations - OS

Hi flash - nice to see you again. :emotion-5:

BTW - I ordered an new Optiplex 790 straight from Dell - it will eventually replace my 8400 - you guys all led me correctly in that direction, and it was very good advice indeed - thank you again.

:emotion-21:

Back to this latest issue: The 4100, (original OEM OS disc is long gone). It originally came with Windows 98 anyway. Why do I even use SP1? Long story short; I've got a few web pages I maintain with obsolete software that will only run in SP-1. After I get the new 790, I thought I could use the 8400 to replace the 4100 and continue to maintain those web pages. If I try to re-use/re-install the 'retail-bought' SP1 Disc in the 8400, I know it will not activate. My only hope is call Microsoft, (talk to someone in the Philippines, or India), and ask for mercy. I'm not sure this will work.

:emotion-9:  

Hi Mike,

The XP SP1 disc should install on the 8400 with no problem. It's an OEM disc and will install on any Dell that came shipped with XP.

What's up Mike ...

The license dies with the system.  The OS CD is not tied to anything special; it can, in theory, be used on any Dell system without issue (although SP1 could be an issue).

Taking a working XP HDD out of one system and putting it into another system - unless the systems are identical, or nearly so - will be fruitless MOST of the time, depending on how similar the systems are.  Windows 7 is a different story, as its driver store is very impressive and can detect many more types of hardware than can XP, including the all-important storage drivers, which XP is terrible with, having no native support for SATA devices.  Taking the drive from a 4100 and putting it into an 8400 will likely not even boot.  If you are really lucky, it will boot and you would have to install appropriate drivers and re-activate Windows anyway.  Even if it did work, you would ONLY have the right to run that OS on the target system IF it too was licensed for the same version of Windows (not counting Service Pack or bit-level).

That said, you could use the original XP disk that came with your 4100 to reinstall XP on the 8400 (again, IF it is licensed for the same version as the disk is installing).  If it doesn't automatically activate, then you could enter your Product Key and activate it.

Ok, sorry, Mike. Yes, once that 4100 was retired, the license can be used on another machine but as you said may need to be activated.

Hi osprey4 - nice to see you again :emotion-21:

The older 4100 was not originally shipped with Windows XP - it came with Windows 98. The SP1 XP Retail Disc is a FULL Install Hologrammed Disc. Unless I'm missing something, I don't believe it can be re-activated in another different system?

Thanx again for your advice with regard to the Optiplex - looking forward to using it.

Mike

Yes, that changes things ... as osprey said, if it is a retail copy of XP, then yes, it can be moved and activated on a new machine using the license that came with the retail CD.

Thanks again flash - but we'll see how smoothly things go when I call the Philipines, or India  LOL