Welcome to the forums :emotion-21:

 

 

It's a rather grey area with Windows XP.

Officially, OEM OS are tied to the system on which the OS is first installed.  But try it, and see what happens? 

 

If you're asked to contact Microsoft to request a new activation key (it's a free-phone number), simply advise them that the hard drive failed, and you had to buy a new one :emotion-55:

It's a 'little white lie' - in that you're not telling them the whole truth (i.e. you're actually installing the HDD on a completely different system).

But 'little white lies' like that have worked for others in the past, so I see no reason why it shouldn't work for you as well :emotion-2:

 

That's assuming you're advised to contact Microsoft in the first place of course.   You may not be?

I'm afraid that what you would like to do is a violation of the End User License Agreement (EULA), unless the computer you are installing to is also a Dell and has a COA for the same version of Windows on its case.

Dell OEM installation CDs are pre-activated; the BIOS contains a signature that is used along with a check program on the CD to tell Windows setup that the installation has been properly activated.  This signature won't be found in a computer not manufactured by Dell, or on a Dell that was originally ordered with no operating system, or on a Dell in which the motherboard was replaced with a commercial non-Dell motherboard.

If you use a Dell Windows installation CD to install Windows on a non-Dell computer, even though the hard drive was originally installed in a Dell, you will be requested to activate the installation.  OEM installations cannot be activated on-line.  If you call Microsoft to attempt activation by phone, you will be directed to call Dell for help as they don't normally provided activation codes for OEM installation CDs.  Dell is unlikely to help you with an installation of the software on a non-Dell machine.