Windows windows cd-key inside the cd anywhere?

ok i have a cd i used for my homebuilt, its from my old dell, and i dont have the papers with the cd-key and its gonna make it so i cant use windows, but i tried to use a keygen and utin works but the one on the cd help?

 

The OS from your Dell has already been registered to that machine so I doubt it would work on your new build anyway.

 

The CD key is not stored on the CD in any way. The only other way to get it is from the machine the OS is installed on. There are some programs around (google for them) that will pull the CD key from a running XP installation. Run that on the Dell (if its still running) and you will get the key used to install XP on that machine.

 

You have another problem anyway; Dell uses disks that will only install on Dell boxes (I tried using a Dell disk to install XP Pro and it wouldnt let me). Dell is very good at preventing piracy of the sort.

 

Yeah this is true, the only way I have found around that is to use a regular disk and the Dell COA code.......but you dont have it so it looks like your screwed on both counts.

 

The CD key should be on your Dell. The last 3 dells i had all have the key on the side or rear.

 

Every Dell I have seen doesn't ship with an OS disk, they ship with a system restore disk with all the extra crap on it. And they have a way of ensuring that it is only used in their barely upgradeable systems. I'll let others explain how exactly they do this, but I am fairly certain that you can't use it on other systems. And it's not just the OS either, they lock all the additional software too. Although Froggy is right, the CD-key is usually on a sticker at the side of the case.

 

It must depend on the system, All the Dell's I've installed latley (optiplex desktops and lattitude laptops) come with a windows XP Pro CD that will install on any system (not just a dell ) it just prompts you for your CD key when you activeate it. The CD key is always stuck on the case.

 

Or not. All of our PCs here are Optiplex (all laptops are Latitudes) and they have ALL arrived here with Dell specific XP CDs.

I agree though that all the Dells I've seen (and that's quite a lot) have had the Windows XP CD Key on the machine somewhere.

 

They are all dell labled but they seem it install just fine of my system at home (it's a Athlon XP 1800+, on a asus motherboard, so not even slightly dell)

 

Actually, I did use a Dell XP pro disc on a home built. That's how I got my first copy on my older P3 machine. Worked like a charm. Maybe they made revisions to their install disc sometime after I was able to install it.

 

Removed piracy reference - Fly

There should be one of those hologram stickers on the box somewhere that has the key on it. On an old dimension I have it was on the left side panel towards the bottom-rear. Or maybe right panel. In any case (pun intended), towards the back.

 

I know the difference between having a Dell label & whether or not it works on another brand/build machine

I tried a few of the CDs from the batches we had in and they all halt on boot-up with "This is not a Dell PC" or some such warning & then reboot. It's a shame really cos we have loads of them in the skip at work