98SE to XP Home question-Please help

[Vellamint]

I want to make sure I can do this before I start....I dont think it is illegal because I thought I read somewhere that you are allowed to use your XP disk for 6 reinstalls or 2 home computers or something like that....please let me know if I am incorrect in that regard.

I have a Dell preloaded with XP but have the disk which states "only use this CD to reinstall the operating system on a Dell computer. This CD is not for reinstallation of programs or drivers".

I want to reformat my old computer and install XP....can this be done.

Is everything I need on this disk from Dell or is it computer specific information?

I have the key (thank you for the little program that showed it to me)....but what about and activation key ???? Is this the same thing or is this something else.

I already have the 6 disk bootable floppys but will try to change to boot CD.

Anybody help???!!!!

Thanks

 

[vikenk]

Probably not. The I know a couple of people with Dell computers who tried to do what you want to do and have failed.

 

[mikesgroovin]

I'm sure it depends on the disc, but I have done this sucessfully now with CDs from Dell, Gateway and Compaq. I would create a windows98 boot disk first. Then you will have to boot from the 98 disk and re-partition. The second time you boot to the disk, make sure to choose the option to start with CD-ROM support and then re-format. After you reformat, change directories to the CD-ROM drive containing the CD from Dell and switch to the directory containing the i386 directory. Switch to the i386 folder and type "winnt" to start the installation. The first question you will be asked is where to locate the installation files. It will default inside of the i386 folder...just remove the i386 portion and hit enter. This should start the install.

-Michael

 

[bhoney]

with dell computer restorations xp disk they have it were you can only use it on a dell computer because of the oem copy of the software . If you try and install the xp on another dell it is fine but if you try to install it on any other computer not dell it will be unsuccessful and once you get past the lock on the oem copy it is the same as a retail version of it and doesnt include drivers. (those would be on your dell resource cd)

 

[mrdinkel]

Well, my argument against that is a friend of my family decided to drop XP from his laptop onto an older machine of my cousins. Screwed up everything except file system. Got data backed up, and then got Windows Reinstalled.

Just my experience though. Don't know if it was Dell or Gateway, but it was some sort of a restore CD.

 

[mikesgroovin]

I can most certainly tell you that I have got this to work using the steps above. If you just place the CD in the drive and hope it'll boot into a setup util...then it won't you have to manually start the install as stated above.

-Michael

 

[Apokalipse]

I know somebody who has used his laptops "use only on laptop" XP CD to install on his main computer but I don't think it is legal

XP is so much better than 98 is though, when I first upgraded to XP it was soooo much more stable, not to mention it performed better even with the old files and stuff on it