The problem you may run into is the activation. It will install just dandy, but you may not be able to activate since you theoretically already have it installed on your Dell. Supposedly you can use the "I'm not connected to the internet" option and call up Microsoft and just say you are re-installing it or something, but no guarantees that that will work or if that is "legal" (Mods: read: don't boot me for saying that)
I think that some versions of XP will check your unique hardware ID's on the Microsoft servers to assess if you really are "just re-installing" if you do choose the internet authentication option. It varies though, some disks I've done that with tell me to piss off, others happily activate. Sometime you may need the code from the sticker on the side of your old dell (shiny one with all the numbers on it) Sometimes that is all you need to "prove" to the disk you are just re-installing. It really is a minefield. Good luck.
My advice: if it doesn't work for you (i.e. it won't activate) either purchase a serial code (I think you can still do that), buy a new box copy, or steal it. Of course I am not condoning doing the latter option, I'm just saying that there are plenty of people that do and it
is an option, though illegal, of course
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so could i use the serial number on the sticker on the bottom of my dell to activate it?
lol you beat me to it while I was typing. Yes, with some disks you can do that. Otehrs that won't work. Really depends. (read the second paragraph)
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