Scooby Soon!

I need to do a full reinstall of XP but cant find the manual with the code on the front, is there an easy way round it or do I have to phone microsoft or similar?

I have the original disc that came with the computer (Dell) but dont want to risk putting it on if i HAVE to have the code.

greyarea

Dell PC's usually have the code on a sticker somewhere on the main box, or underneath on a laptop. Look for the Microsoft 'Certificate of Authenticity' sticker.

mike1210

was my reply vaped????????

wwp8

is it the bit where you need to input code before you get to the desktop.

or is it the irritating popup with the 30 day acivation thingy,


(if it is the latter i MAY can help)

TyPe~~R

and mine, i suppose we mentioned bad things

Scooby Soon!

No sticker on my box looks like my mrs has cleaned off unless its inside, Theres one on my dell laptop but its for win 98 so its no use!

I have got the 30 day activation key in the taskbar (I have never seen it before and I have done other installs of XP?) What do I need to over ride it I can post a photo of the genuine XP cd if it keeps the mods happy, or PM me if you know the name of the thing I need!

Markus

Probably was thought of as piracy. Thing is, if a key is used and someone was to re-enter it, yes, it might enter, but the Windows Activation thing probably would not accept it, and even if it did I doubt the new WGA would accept it when you use windows update.

Scooby Dooby Blue

Your Windows disc is worthless, it's the unique product key that you're paying for.

It won't have been 'cleaned off' the machine as they are difficult enough to remove intentionally.
Dell have never shipped PCs without a licence as far as i'm aware so it would definately have been on the rear of your tower at some point.

Your only (legitimate) hope is to contact Dell support with the serial number of your base unit, again on the rear of the tower, and they should have a record of your COA from the time of purchase. Whether or not they will now disclose this is another matter.

Good luck

Scooby Soon!

Had the unit since new and theres definetly not a sticker on it, just checked my second PC and thats got a win 2000 license on it but not XP

Just sent an email off to tech support with my product code sticker hopefully they can help

SeanT

I have exactly the same problem at the moment to, if anyone could email a solution Id be very grateful....

Thanks
Sean

Scooby Soon!

Just got a PM,

Take the name of a citrus fruit and add it together with an alternative word for cable......

but i still dont know what i am looking for!

Scooby Dooby Blue

LMAO

Honest opinion mate, don't bother trying to run a patched/cracked/validation bypassing install as it will give you nothing but problems (I see it every day with customers PCs).

At the end of the day, you've paid for an OEM licence and it's not as if you're trying to install it on another machine...you just want it to work on the machine you bought.
If you don't get any joy from Dell, you could buy another OEM licence for about £52 and save the headache of playing the Microsoft cat & mouse validation game.

Just my 2p

The Rani

The first computer I got never had a code on it - you could see where it had been ripped off the case. I never even realised it needed it until Windows needed reinstalling but I just spoke to the suppliers and they gave me a number over the phone. There is supposed to be a way you can get the number by going into a file on the PC but I couldn't tell you which one or whether it would apply to XP.

aqua

There are genuine software utiities that will interogate your system for license keys so you can reinstall software. Try the following website Belarc which has a utility which should work providing you haven't already formatted your system:

http://www.belarc.com/ad_link.html?/...desk.pcmgt.cgi

Stueyb

If you have a Dell XP install disk, it will not ask for a code because its BIOS locked to only work on Dells, put it this way, I have installed XP on DELL machines that werent designed for it without a key.

mike1210

ay now, all I mentioned was a link to view your key not change or get around it