Hi Dr

The Dell Factory installed xp is Bios locked and will work only on the system it came with..

I forgot to add, this does not happen every time, but does happen about 1 in 10 boots. Please see if you can help me, i hjave to know if its windows xp cuasing this problem on my new Non-Dell mobo. Also, does Dell somehow customize the HD or optical drives to also only work with  Dell systems, and making it canflict with a Non-Dell motgherboard?

Navin, thank you for your quick response. I no longer Habe the same motherboard, its not even an intel mobo, and i got a new chip as well. Windows XP was isntalled without any problem, so your saying that it Does cuase a conflict that leads ot instability of my new system? Also, Dell havign the BIOs inside the XP cd, does that account for flaky instability, making windows stable sometimes and not others?

Message Edited by DrDemonic on 11-20-2003 08:11 PM

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DrDemonic wrote: Navin, thank you for your quick response. I no longer Habe the same motherboard, its not even an intel mobo, and i got a new chip as well. Windows XP was isntalled without any problem, so your saying that it Does cuase a conflict that leads ot instability of my new system? Also, Dell havign the BIOs inside the XP cd, does that account for flaky instability, making windows stable sometimes and not others?

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what do u mena by saying it could be the BIOS as its configured the run original mobo? you mean they have the BIOs on the XP cd, and it is installed on my new system? The system i installed it on is an ABIT NF7-s mobo and an amd cpu. The BIOS version on my new mobo i believe is a phoenix 6.00, somethnig like that. But im not too sure whebn u say that i could have chnaged it ot urn on my new mobo, what do u mean, change what? the XP CD? if that is so, how would i do it? I belive the BIOs on my Dell was a Dell Bios. And also, to be clear, Dell does make the XP CD work with the BIOs of the Dell pc>? if so, then that is probbably my problem

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 11-21-2003 02:27 PM

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 11-21-2003 01:36 PM

I really dont get what ur saying. I no longer have a Dell system, i built myself a custom pc fro mscratch. i have a totalty new system excpet for the HD and CD drives that came with my Dell. I am using the Windowx XP cd that originally came with the DELL pc to install windows on my new custom pc. At random times when  iboot, windows will not load correctly for a reason i do not know of. I want to know if using the DELL XP Cd is cuasing this problem, and if so, how? is it Deisgned only to eork with Dell Systems?

 

the pc i jave now is totaly Diffrent, has nothing to do with my old Dell pc. I have all new -nonDell parts, all Brand name top of the line products. The only parts i salvaged was the HD and cd drives that were in my old Dell system, so my new custom pc has nothing to do with any sort of Dell bios, and has nothing to do with getting it upgraded.Does Dell make their windows XP cd's to only work with Dell systems or certain hardware?

Message Edited by DrDemonic on 11-20-2003 09:22 PM

Message Edited by DrDemonic on 11-20-2003 09:25 PM

The Bios version of my abit mobo is 6.00, and is Phoenix technologies, It appears as that in both the system info and In the bios menu at startup. I dont see wha trevelence this has. the Bios type i have now has abosoultly nothing to do with my previous Dell bios, since its a totaly new motherboard, unless Dell customizes its XP Cd to only work with Dell's.

The BIOS isn't loaded by the XP CD its in a CMOS chip on Motherboard I think.
You can update the BIOS of some DELL computers by downloading new version of BIOS from DELL site & it isn't altered by reinstallation of XP CD.
As you changed the Motherboard you changed the BIOS & as my DELL BIOS was made by PHOENIX & your new BIOS is PHOENIX this is probably why reinstallation of XP worked.

Did you get your new BIOS version from System Information which I found isn't updated by update of BIOS or did you press F2 during startup to get into BIOS menu where it shows the current BIOS version.

Can you still access BIOS by pressing F2 during startup. ?
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Edit:
My System Information shows PHOENIX BIOS version AO6  but I have updated BIOS to AO7 &  BIOS Menu accessed by F2 shows version AO7 which is correct.

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 11-21-2003 01:23 PM

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 11-21-2003 01:24 PM

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schootre wrote: I was under the impression you could put XP PRO on a desk top and a lappy(thats why I got it).

So I installed it on my Medion(desk top)and it worked fine.When I called BILLY for a number he just laughed.

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You can put Microsoft XP PRO or HOME on a Desktop or Laptop but you should only use the DELL reinstallation XP CD on a DELL Computer.

I have lost the thread, but here goes.  BIOS is not loaded from any XP CD.  It is installed when the system is manutactured, and most if not all can be upgraded independently of the OS.  I have installed, at different time, on a XPSD300 with the latest BIOS, A09 1/14/1999, Windows NT4.0, Windows 98, Windows 2000 Pro, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Red Hat Linux 9.0, SUN Solaris 9.0 and IBM OS2 Warp 4.  All my other Dell PCs have been loaded from retail versions of Microsoft software.   From this I conclude the their is nothing unique on Dell PCs the prevent them from running standard software loads.  Considered all those have updated the O/Ss.  Another conclusion that can be made is thet any non Dell system can be loaded from a Dell disk.  Note - it has been reported that non USA Dells may have different reinstallation disk.  Also, I think I have read the the license agreement does not allow system swaps.  

He's confusing Windows with Office. Retail editions of Office can be put on a desktop and a laptop. Windows cannot be legally installed on anything but the one original computer it came with or was purchased for. The hardware check in Product Activation will fail if it is installed on a different computer. It's always been one operating system for one computer and with Product Activation, it can be enforced.

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 11-21-2003 03:09 PM