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October 8th, 2010 18:00
Reinstall XP
Hello I am sure this must have been covered somwhere but i cant find what to do i have been searching for weeks.
I have an inspiron 1501 that came with xp installed, my problem is that I had to replace the hard drive as it failed this meant i had to reinstall windows xp to the new drive.
I could not access windows on the original drive as it was faulty and out of warranty. Having no disks supplied by dell I had a problem, My computers windows product key said it was windows XP media centre edition so I got a loan of windows xp media centre back up discs from a work mate and tried to install the system. This didnt work as it said I had an invalid key. I have since read that the key on my computer may have no relation to an actual code due to the way dell package the system by storing it in a partician.
Please advise me what i can do to get my computer running I dont beleive I should have to pay for a new opperating system as I have already paid for the system.
thanks james.
jackshack
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October 9th, 2010 02:00
Do you mean Media Direct or is it actually Media Center? I believe there is a slight difference between the two. If it is Media Direct, which is the software that was usually shipped with a laptop, I found the following article: How to Reinstall MediaDirect 3.0 or 3.3.
Whichever software you have, there is no alternative to having the installation media, and for it to install properly, the media must be that published by Dell and having the Dell logo on the label of the installation DVD or CD. Dell installation media will self activate on a Dell computer; media having any other label requires a valid product code from a Microsoft COA sticker. The product code from your computer will not suffice because it is an OEM code from Dell which will not be valid for a commercially purchased disk.
In order to get replacement disks from Dell you will need to call Dell Tech Support for your region and request them. There will likely be a charge for this service. There is a form you can use if you live in the U.S.: Dell Replacement Disks. Even if you cannot use the form, however, you can use it as a worksheet to have answers to the questions that the Dell technician is likely to ask.