I was interested in another Latitude C640 as backup or if it's in better condition,use as a primary. But I see on Ebay Dell has them up for auction without O/S? What does that mean
It means there's no operating system on it. or what can I do to get it working?
Buy and install an operating system. Do I have to go to Dell for drivers?
You will for any that the operating system doesn't automatically install. Can I use the XP from my other C640?
No. Unless you've purchased multiple licenses (not an option with the OEM version installed at the factory), Windows XP can only be installed on the system it originally accompanied. Or do I have to buy XP from someone?
You do if you want to install it on another PC.
Plus why would they sell it that way ?
They may be thinking that they can install the original copy on some other PC, which is the seller's mistake, or they may have lost the CD.
I have another question. If I take my hardrive out of my C640 I'm using now and put it in the 640 would it work? Or would XP know it's in another and make me get a key. If so where can I get the key ? at MS? or buy cd onliner,bestbuy,etc?
Windows XP installations are tied to the individual system BIOS (not multiple similar-but-different system models), so your drive sharing idea is out. Just buy a new copy of Windows XP (Best Buy, Comp USA, etc.), and install it on the new system. Once you activate it (a required formality), it's "married" to that system. You can make subtle changes within a limited scope to a system without having problems, but if you start swapping motherboards and drives and everything else under the sun, the Product Activation feature is going to know about it and cut you off. All this came about as a result of the rampant piracy that went on with previous versions of Windows, and you can expect to see similar limitations with future releases.
They sell that way because they probably sold the OS cds seperately and or it may NOT have a hard drive. You can get dell restore cds from 98SE/ME/2000/XP on ebay also along with resource cds etc. If it has a COA sticker just get the same OS as the COA sticker and its perfectly legal to us that OS on that machine.
I'm seeing it clearer now. My main goal that I would like to do is be able to take my hard drive with all the programs,settings,etc. that I've built up in the last 4 years and put it in the new (used) C640 and just go. Hopefully without having to buy a key. At the same time take it from there and put it back into my orignal one I bought new actually, and use it in there if any hardware goes amiss in that one until I can get it fixed.
Basically I want to have one ready to go if one fails.
I do have a 2nd. harddrive modual that I use to clone my primary too incase of a problem. I use Acronis Migrate Easy for that. I have Acronis True Image as well.
I wonder if theres a way to use these programs to send all of the folders and files over to the other C640 and replace the ones in there with the changed ones as I go on. That way there I dont' have to worry about problems with XP if I keep switching a cloned image or harddrive from one to another.
I know this sounds complicated and maybe I'm wording it that way cause I don't fully understand XPs. nature. But I do know I will have to keep hardware very similar between the two or it will need activation every swap.
Do you guys get what I'm want to do? I won a bid on ebay and the new (used) one should be here in a week.
It is coming from Dell Financial Services. So I don't know if the sticker is there for the original o/s I doubt it would be coming from them.
Jim
Message Edited by captcaper on 02-19-2006 10:37 AM
No not really. Dell sells refurbed PC with and without a OS. Most of the time IF it has 98/SE or XP home it doesn't include the OS. If it has W2K or XP it MAY include the OS but that depends if they have a CD to ship with it. If they have NO CD then they list it as NOT including the OS.
Flooby
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captcaper
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Thanks for the reply.
I have another question. If I take my hardrive out of my C640 I'm using now and put it in the 640 would it work? Or would XP know it's in another and make me get a key. If so where can I get the key ? at MS? or buy cd onliner,bestbuy,etc?
jim
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speedstep
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captcaper
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I'm seeing it clearer now. My main goal that I would like to do is be able to take my hard drive with all the programs,settings,etc. that I've built up in the last 4 years and put it in the new (used) C640 and just go. Hopefully without having to buy a key. At the same time take it from there and put it back into my orignal one I bought new actually, and use it in there if any hardware goes amiss in that one until I can get it fixed.
Basically I want to have one ready to go if one fails.
I do have a 2nd. harddrive modual that I use to clone my primary too incase of a problem. I use Acronis Migrate Easy for that. I have Acronis True Image as well.
I wonder if theres a way to use these programs to send all of the folders and files over to the other C640 and replace the ones in there with the changed ones as I go on. That way there I dont' have to worry about problems with XP if I keep switching a cloned image or harddrive from one to another.
I know this sounds complicated and maybe I'm wording it that way cause I don't fully understand XPs. nature. But I do know I will have to keep hardware very similar between the two or it will need activation every swap.
Do you guys get what I'm want to do? I won a bid on ebay and the new (used) one should be here in a week.
It is coming from Dell Financial Services. So I don't know if the sticker is there for the original o/s I doubt it would be coming from them.
Jim
Message Edited by captcaper on 02-19-2006 10:37 AM
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