Re: XP Media Center Key Code Question

JS wrote:
When I inserted the CD I did not notice
it was labeled XP Home. So when it asked
for the key code I simply entered the code printed
on the case label. Only found out I had installed
Home after the install completed and then I looked at
the CD label.

I'm surprised you were given a prompt to enter the Product Key. That's
not normally supposed to happen with Dells!

So it did ask for a keycode and I enter a Media Center
key code and it accepted it as being valid.

The big question is why did Dell ship the PC
with a Home CD when Media Center was installed, the
factory goofed I guess.

Are you sure this is what they did? In your other post, you stated:

Installed the Dell Windows CD he gave me
(box of all Dell CDs and applications)

Perhaps the XP Home CD was to a *different* Dell your friend (or someone
he knows) once had. Those CDs are ubiquitous!

Since your friend has a license to run XP MCE (which has a few more
features than XP Home), you should really perform another clean install,
using *that* OS. Check again for a CD (sometimes it's a DVD). Or maybe
that particular Dell has a hidden recovery partition. (Since the hard
drive is failing, that would be a big problem.) Or maybe you need to
contact Dell (that's what I would do).

Since I'm waiting for the replacement drive to arrive
I can always try the install again and see what happens.

Thanks for taking the time to reply Daave :-)

YW. :-)

"Daave" <dcwashNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eZP1ivgxJHA.4012@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
JS wrote:
I'm repairing a friend's computer.
His hard drive is failing. It's a Dell 8400.
Restore partition is kaput.

Installed the Dell Windows CD he gave me
(box of all Dell CDs and applications)
and did a "Clean Install" as any attempt
of a "Repair Install" failed using either his or
my Windows (Retail) CD.

Clean install completed without any issues.
winver showed "XP Home" was installed.

Double checked the sticker on the case and
it labeled Media Center.

How in the world did a Media Center key code
work on a "Dell" Windows XP Home CD?

That's not quite what happened.

Dell CDs simply install on Dell PCs (they look for specific
motherboards; notice there is no need to enter the Product Key --
this is what is known as System-Locked Preinstallation). What you
describe is not permitted by the EULA, but apparently it can happen.
:-)


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: replace key code ?
    ... the key code on the bottom or other places on ... You know that it will be a Dell OEM version. ... the seller give you a hologram Windows XP install CD? ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: XP Media Center Key Code Question
    ... It's a Dell 8400. ... Installed the Dell Windows CD he gave me ... and did a "Clean Install" as any attempt ... How in the world did a Media Center key code ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: RESTORE CD Reinstalling Win XP
    ... |> Several DELL CDs are not true XP install CDs. ... | Can I delete the partitions on the HD so, ... For a short period, on some models, Dell provided only Restore Disks. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Re: Can I use XP on another computer
    ... People wrongly say that DELL cds won't install on non-dell systems. ... I manage nearly 1000 systems and I have installed DELL and HP Cds on non dell systems and I have had no problems thus far. ... Vista will not be used on the HP ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Fresh Install went Wonderfully
    ... Dell diagnostics can be accessed from your Dell utilities CD if you need to ... Internet connection working so you can download additional drivers. ... Chose the main partition to install Windows on. ... Now I plan on doing fresh install on my other laptop. ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)