I have been given a second hand Dell Dimension 2400 that has WINXP Home
Edition installed. I want to re-install the OS but the Dell CD set did not
come with the unit. I talked to Dell and they could not help me since the
unit was out of warranty. The unit does have the orginal WINXP product key
label on the side of the case. Can I re-install the OS from another CD set,
say WINXP Professional and use the attached product key to make sure that the
software will continue to run and be validated by Microsoft? Or can I try to
find a WINXP Home Edition install CD and then use the same product key that
is still on the case label for validation? The system is so slow that a
reload is my last attempt to get any performance back. Will either of these
ways work?
Ken wrote:
> I have been given a second hand Dell Dimension 2400 that has WINXP
> Home Edition installed. I want to re-install the OS but the Dell
> CD set did not come with the unit. I talked to Dell and they could
> not help me since the unit was out of warranty. The unit does have
> the orginal WINXP product key label on the side of the case. Can I
> re-install the OS from another CD set, say WINXP Professional and
> use the attached product key to make sure that the software will
> continue to run and be validated by Microsoft? Or can I try to
> find a WINXP Home Edition install CD and then use the same product
> key that is still on the case label for validation? The system is
> so slow that a reload is my last attempt to get any performance
> back. Will either of these ways work?
General advice - when it comes to a second-hand computer (one you did not
purchase new yourself) --> always wipe it and start fresh. This way you
know what you have and you have no 'left-overs' from the prior owner.
Given this:
"The unit does have the orginal WINXP product key label on the side of the
case."
You can *maybe* do this:
"Or can I try to find a WINXP Home Edition install CD and then use the same
product key that is still on the case label for validation?"
The trick will be to find a Windows XP Home Edition *generic* OEM CD. Even
then - there is no guarantee it will work. (A Retail or Upgrade type of CD
will not work. It needs to be an OEM license type and the generic is to
ensure there has been no modifications that 'BIOS Lock' that CD to a certain
make/model of computer.)
Also... Dell has a recovery partition on their systems which you could try FIRST...
On the bios splash screen hold CTRL and hit F11, hit it several times so that you don't miss it... If the recovery partition is still there and it works you should have the options "Restore" and "Reboot".
This will reset the system to how it was when the it was first bought, Windows XP, Installed drivers and the trial versions of various softwares.
If this work I would suggest you try to burn the recovery cd's if they are available for it.
If not, Like Shenan said above getting your hands on a generic OEM CD of Windows XP could work.
If neither works we're stuck with one thing left. Install the system using a regular Windows XP Home CD.
However... This would probably be the worst decision you could make so make sure you try the other suggestions FIRST.
By using a regular Windows XP Home CD you will install XP and nothing else so make sure you download the drivers for the system FIRST and store them somewhere else.
Make sure you get ALL the drivers for the system cause NOTHING will be installed when you boot for the first time.
Make sure that you install the desktop system software first and 2nd should be the chipset drivers... Besides these two you should be able to install the other drivers in any order you wish.
WINXP re-install 
Linear Mode
