Using Windows bundled with a Dell

[hunterjoules]

Hello,

Yesterday I ordered my first Mac (the older generation Macbook Pro from the Apple Clearance store), and I have a question about boot camp.

This laptop is meant to replace a Dell computer that came with Windows XP SP 2 (it has the license code on a sticker on the side). Is there anyway I can use that license to install Windows on my Macbook Pro?

I don't ever intend to use the Dell anymore; I will most likely cannibalize it for parts.

Thanks.

 

[TheCakeIsALie]

No you can't. The copy of Windows on your Dell computer is OEM (original equipment manufacturer) version, and technically it can only be activated on the machine it came with (it checks the serial number on your Dell's motherboard). Retail copies of Windows on the other hand, can be transferred from a machine to another one, but you need to call Microsoft activation to activate it on the new machine.

You could try calling Microsoft activation and explain your situation. Depending on the person you talk to, you may have a chance at getting an activation code for your Boot Camp machine. But strictly speaking, that's against OEM contract and Microsoft policy.

Hope that helps.

 

[cbrain]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone Pro: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone Pro; U; CPU iPhone Pro OS 3_0 like Snow Leopard; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.0 Mobile/6A016 MobileFirefox/625.00)

Sorry, this won't work, you need a fully licensed version, a normal Unused OEM would work, but Dell OEMs are different.

EDIT: Beaten to it!

 

[costabunny]

Rubbish! Sorry but I use my Dell SX270 XP Pro CD Key and Dell Install CD on my bootcamp without issue - yes you have to call to activate (8.4 minutes everytime as long as I only get to the automated method). I have re-activated this licence about a dozen times or more this year (I am always changing drives, and sometimes using it to test poorly PC's where the owner has lost there OS, before letting them spend money on a new copy of XP).

I don't mean to sound rude, but it is quite usable, and as long as you have it only installed on one computer (or vm) at a time there is little for M$ to care about.

 

[hunterjoules]

Thanks for everyone who replied!

So taking all of your comments into consideration, I may be able to use my Dell Install CD's and CD Key if I call Windows Activation and explain the situation to them.

Alternatively, if I wanted to run Vista, I could order a standard OEM version and use that to install?

I saw a copy of Windows Vista Home Premium OEM System Builder's edition for about $100 on NewEgg. Would that work on my MacBook Pro?

Thanks again!

 

[cbrain]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone Pro: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone Pro; U; CPU iPhone Pro OS 3_0 like Snow Leopard; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.0 Mobile/6A016 MobileFirefox/625.00)

I saw a copy of Windows Vista Home Premium OEM System Builder's edition for about $100 on NewEgg. Would that work on my MacBook Pro?

That should work fine. Just remember that Vista OEM ties itself to the machine it's installed on, so yo may have trouble running it on another machines in the future.