My wife brought home a Windows XP add on so I can put it on my machine…I am currently using ME (aka satan-ware) and I want to upgrade to XP. But this software she got from work and it says it is for use on new Dell PC’s only. Apparently it came with every Dell provided to people in her department…Is this the actual program? It say’s windows XP. but when I put it on my machine and entered the product key given it would not accept it.
Do I have to completely uninstall windows to install this? I have a back-up of everything already created. What should I do?
It sounds like an OEM install disk. These vary greatly in what they will and will not allow you to do. If you don’t have a Dell PC, it’s at least possible that the install program detects that and won’t allow you to use that key. If it won’t accept that key, then you’re SOL as far as anything I could tell you here.
Go buy XP, ya bum! 
If you’re machine is not a Dell, I don’t think you can install it. I think what you have is a Reinstallation CD, is that correct? I have one in front of me, it says: “Only use this CD to reinstall the operating system on a Dell Computer.”
We’ve tried to use these to rebuilt machines and they do indeed check to see if the machine is a Dell and will not work.
Q - I do have a Dell…does that matter?
Um, you are aware that the question you’re asking is this, yes?
Not really, no. As far as the installation program is concerned, your PC doesn’t qualify. Again, if it won’t accept the key, there’s nothing you can do about it.
That said, do upgrade. ME is the original OS From Hell.
Bill I believe the software is licensed to be multi-user But I am not sure. it came with my wifes machine…Oh well. I’ll just buy one I guess.
Phlosphr, I know it’s an innocent error, but when you buy a Dell with Windows on it, it’s for that machine only. I’m fairly certain as I’ve bought several dozen Dells in the last few months.
I concur that XP is what you want and ME is what you want to be rid of.
I worked for Dell for a couple of years and they gave all the tech support guys and gals a Dell OEM XP disk. I built a new system a couple of weeks ago and decided I’d thow that disk in to see if I could install. Worked like a charm. However they never gave us product keys so I was pretty much up the creek at that point.
Yes, a Dell OEM disk will install on a non-Dell system. But if that product key has ever been used before, then you wouln’t be able to activate XP with Microsoft and it will be useless in 30 days anyway.
it likely simply didnt install because A: It detected the existance of a prior operating system and it is NOT an upgrade version, (to fix this delete your boot partition or erase coomand.com and c:\windows\win.com and boot with the xp cd. NOTE* this will render your current windows inoperative.)
or B: Your machine does not have the processor speed, memory, and/or disk space necessary.