Windows Vista activation question

My brothers Dell Inspiron 6400 stopped booting into windows, so I formatted the OS partition and reinstalled Windows Vista Business 32-bit.

During this process, it did not ask me for the serial number or anything of the sort. After the install when I started up windows, I found that it had already been activated. Pretty sure I noticed this before I connected to any network at all as I hadnt started up the wireless until after this.

How did this happen ? And does this mean that if I install this copy of Windows on another Dell laptop, it will also be activated ? That is not to pirate it or anything, but I just want to know whats going on.

 

In XP, some OEM versions are set to recognise the supplier's BIOS code and don't need online or phone activation. I guess your Dell Vista is the same.

So all the "Dell" version XPs sold on eBay will work as the second paragraph.

It works the other way too, one of the programs bundled with my bro-in-laws Dell wouldn't install on my system.

 

Some of the Roxio software that came installed on the Vista was incompatible and kept causing crashes. Needless to say it didnt make it on to the computer this time around.

There is one app I would really like to have, its not on the downloads, and I am not sure whether it came installed in Vista or not - its the controlling utility for the 3945ABG wireless card. In XP on my laptop, the utility is great and works well. In Vista, there seems to be no such utility.