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Vista Activation?
Hi. I am supporting a customers Dimension E520, that had a corrupt Windows XP installation that wouldn't boot.
It was delivered with XP originally installed, and TWO re-installation DVDs: one for XP and one for Vista, as this PC was new about the change-over time from XP to Vista.
With the demise of support for XP, I backed up, then re-installed Vista from the Dell-supplied DVD. This Installation completed OK.
However, Vista now requires activation, and yet the sticker on the case refers to XP.
Please can anyone advise where/how to activate Vista?
DELL-Shrikanth G
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April 23rd, 2014 03:00
Hi mooblie,
I would request you to install XP and activate it. Then you need to boot from vista upgrade cd and do an upgrade within the operating system. Let me know how it goes.
Philip_Yip
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April 23rd, 2014 05:00
If the system came with Windows Vista Business with downgrade rights to Windows XP Professional then you should have a Windows Vista Business COA and not a Windows XP COA. The installation media should be Dell branded like shown:
The system locked preinstallation mechanism of the Dell Windows Vista Reinstallation DVD likely won't work on that model unless it has the latest BIOS installed: http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/DM061-020400.EXE but should not be used unless the system is correctly licensed.
If it was a free or promotional upgrade to Windows Vista the media should have a Windows Vista product key, also the upgrade media should be Microsoft branded and not Dell branded.
mooblie
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April 25th, 2014 04:00
Thanks for the replies, guys. I actually found another Vista key on a dead computer in my computer-junkyard which I entered, and that activated Vista OK. Seems fine now, without BIOS or other problems.
Later, the owner then also found a card in the documentation with the Vista key label stuck to it!! But we decided to leave it as it was.
Thanks again.
DELL-Shrikanth G
618 Posts
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April 29th, 2014 06:00
Hi mooblie,
Glad to know that. Reach out to us if you need any assistance in future.