Installing Software from Dead Machine

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@LevVolkov wrote:

I purchased an fully-loaded Inspiron about 2 years ago. The motherboard burned up, and last rites were given along with my $2000+. I think that a company was able to retrieve my data files

 

I am now in the market for a desktop from Dell, but I don't want to pay again for all of the software I loaded on my dead computer, including XP Professional and Microsoft Office. I have all of the original disks that came with my Inspiron.  

 

If I order a new computer, probably the E510, how can I transfer the license from my dead computer to my new computer.  If I get XP Home, would I be able to use my old XPProfessional diskettes to upgrade--or should I just bite the bullet and get the XP Professional installed on the new computer.

 

Technical service with Dell is almost non-existent, so anything that anybody can do to enlighten me would be very much appreciated. Thank you very much.

Any CDs that came with your old computer are OEM software and cannot be transferred.

Any retail licenses that you had for software can be transferred.

Thank you for your prompt reply. All of the software was installed by Dell. So the Microsoft XP Professional ($149) is OEM. But what about the Microsoft Office Small Business Edition ($279)--would that be a retail version. This is all very frustrating--not only did I have a computer that didn't last for even 2 years, I have the cost of replacing all of the software--$428 because of a poorly made computer. Again thank you for your input.

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@LevVolkov wrote:
Thank you for your prompt reply. All of the software was installed by Dell. So the Microsoft XP Professional ($149) is OEM. But what about the Microsoft Office Small Business Edition ($279)--would that be a retail version. This is all very frustrating--not only did I have a computer that didn't last for even 2 years, I have the cost of replacing all of the software--$428 because of a poorly made computer. Again thank you for your input.

 

All of that is OEM software.  If you read the CDs, you'll see it says that.

 

You can try to install the MS Office, then when it won't activate and makes you call MS you can give them the key (assuming you have it) and explain what happened and they MAY activate it.  If you lost the key (it's with the Office CDs), then you have no options.