Can anyone upload a dell XP home cd?

I have an inspiron 600m I'm working on for a client and they don't have a restore cd.

I've tried all methods to restore or fix windows but a format and reinstall is the only option.

I have an OEM XP home cd that I tried installing on the system but the dell cd key would not validate with it (meaning the key does not match the disk).


Since the cd itself is useless without a valid cd key (which I have) there should be nothing illegal about such a request.


If you have a dell inspiron 600m (I don't know if the cd's look for a particular model or just the dell bios) and are willing to upload it to me please pm me asap.

I know my client can order a new cd but they wont get it for at least 2-3 days

Please help.

 

I think Microsoft would see your request as otherwise even though you see it as harmless enough. I see your point though, you do have a legal key and license from Dell, just not the reseller version of the OS. If I had a copy of the Dell Home I'd dump it for you.

Whats wrong with the key for your "OEM XP home" CD you already do have? By OEM you mean a packaged store bought copy of the OS, if thats what you have and thats what you installed just use the key for it and don't worry about the Dell key.

There's only 3 types of CD's for the OS Microsoft put out, the OEM you mention, the reseller version like Dell uses, and corporate versions. The keys aren't interchangeable amongst the three, so if you installed an OEM version you need to use a OEM key. If you have an OEM version with a key just use that key, doesn't matter that it's on a Dell laptop.

I'm also guessing that all the original data on the drive is now gone? If not, look for a I386 directory on the drive, just copy the ENTIRE I386 folder to a CD made bootable and you can install from that I386 directory with the Dell key you have and without the need for an actual installation CD.

If you can copy that I386 folder to a CD bootable in DOS, then boot into DOS from the CD, go into the I386 folder and run Winnt.exe

This will do the install just as if you had a regular install CD.

 

The key for the cd I used is already in use.

Unfortunately after searching the internet, conclusion was that an OEM cd would work with a dell cd key So I formatted and reinstalled only to be told that the dell key was invalid.

I'm pretty sure MS has no problems with copying their cd's since what you are paying for is the license. If they really had a problem with it they would add some sort of copy protection to them.



Thanks for the info, I wish I had it earlier
Most likely though the files would have been corrupt.

 

It can be purchased from Dell. Costs 10 dollars at the time of purchase, wouldn't imagine it would cost anymore after.

 

I know but time is important.

I already have a dell cd being shipped out to me but for the client to be out of a computer for 2-4 days would not be good.

 

If your still here, don't give up yet, I may have an idea you can try, it's been a while so I'm going to need a few minutes to go into my own system and look first on where in the OS you need to go to do this...

Be right back

 

I'm still here.

But believe me when I say I have tried everything. I only reinstall as a last result.

 

Call Microsoft and ask them if they will validate it. They should as long as you have a valid COA which I am assuming you do.

 

The problem is that because it's my own key it will validate but I need it to validate with the dell key and it wont. Doing a "change product key" does not work. Calling them (unless you know a way) only gets me an automated response and ends the call.

 

Try this, you'll first need to install the version you have with it's "already used license key", just don't register it yet. Do the install, use the key you have, the install will work, leave the computer off line (unplugged from any internet connections for now).

Once you finish the install, go into the registry. Click START go to RUN and type in REGEDIT, click OK.

Go into the registry under...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

\Software

\Microsoft

\WindowsNT

\Current Version

\WPAEvents

In the right pane, right-click OOBETimer, and then click Modify.

Just change one of the digits in there under that value to anything, just has to be one digit different.

Close out of the registry editor, the key you used for the install will be deactivated at this point.

Now click START go to RUN and in the RUN box type in (exactly)...

%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a

and hit ok.

Click Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows, and then click Next. (no need to actually call anyone)

Click Change Product key.

Type the Dell product key in the New key boxes, and then click Update. If you are returned to the previous window, click Remind me later, and then restart the computer.

I'm thinking this may get you around having the wrong key for the install, but still end up with the install done and a legal copy of Windows running.

 

Yeah I tried that too

 

What it did do when you did that? I'm just curious.

Well then, if no one has a copy (I'd suggest they PM that info to you and not post it here) I'd run an illegal copy myself with the recycled key for 3 days waiting on the CD rather than going without. I doubt in 3 days Microsoft is going to seek you out and send you off to prison for life. If you did end up in court you do legally have a license, just not a key that works.

I'd still suggest sending a PM if someone can help you with the offer and not posting it publicly. If it was about the license and not the software Microsoft would have the download available on their web site already for you, so would Dell.

 

When you do that reg edit it simply unactivates windows and requires you to reactivate, thus giving you the chance to change the cd key. The catch is that the cd key still needs to match the original install type, ie oem, retail, volume license.

The problem with running an illegal copy is that I would then have to take the laptop away from the client and reinstall the OS as well as all the apps (and it takes a while to do that), let alone back up their newly created data again

 

I'm just thinking though, even doing all that is better than being down 3-4 days with no system at all waiting on the new disk. If it's just a temp install no need to bother with the headaches of updating anything or installing more than they need just to get by.

It's certainly not your fault your client didn't order the $10 install disk, you can only do for them what they give you to work with. I'd charge them by the install, one install to get them up and running, a second install to get them legal.

I do think I have a copy of Windows 3.11 around here somwhere I could upload for you if I can find it. It's on like 6 floppy disk's which I could probably convert to a single CD ISO and make available in a download size that wouldn't eat up a months worth of bandwidth on my server like an XP ISO would. The good news is I don't think it requires any installation key at all and I'm pretty sure Microsoft doesn't check in any way the registration of it. At least they never use to, you'd be up to about SP10million though if continual update patches were still available.

Seriously though, if I had a copy of XP Home, I'd likely toss you out an ISO of it. I do have a new Dell B130 I recently bought and copied all the files of from Dell before blowing it out to install XP Pro on at work. Never bought the install disk for it though because I know I was going to blow it out as soon as I got it. It's at work, so I can check it in the morning and see if I got the I386 folder in the Dell recovery directory. If so, someone who isn't me may have an I386 directory you can pull down.

 

There is something feeshy going on here. How come Dell's key is not working. Did you call Dell? I am sure you did not.

 

goga,
Dells key isn't working because he was trying to use it with a Retail Version of XP Home you get in the box from the store. Read one of my posts further up, there's actually 3 different versions of Windows XP Home or Pro, Retail, Resale and Corporate, the keys are not interchangeable amonsgt the 3, only each other.

The only time it really matters is when you go to use the Windows update website, in which case, last I had heard even then the only time that matters is if your trying to use one of the "leaked" Corporate version keys that allowed alot of pirated illegal versions of Windows XP (mainly Pro) to be installed.

Microsoft made an effort to stop any further updates on these pirated versions before allowing the SP2 update to install. There is a workaround (crack) out somewhere for that effort that made the attempt in vein and still allowed the SP2 update on the leaked Corporate versions of XP Pro.

The latest effort stops a person from after even using the SP2 crack from being able to get any further updates, well sort of from what I hear, the updates are still leaking out if you know how to do it.

Personaly, I don't see where it's worth the time on either the crackers or Microsofts part to try and prevent or get around this any further. If you search the Internet you can buy a legal copy of XP Pro for $83 being the cheapest I've found. XP Home about $30, I can see ivwshane's frustration, $30 isn't the point I'm sure, it's just about having to pay again for something you've already paid for. If you pay for a copy of windows when you buy a new system you should get a copy of Windows without even having to ask for it and at no additional cost, 10 extra dollars even isn't much but when you consider that's for a 5 cent CD you already paid for any how it leaves you feeling like people are actually trying to get you coming and going.

 

Money isn't the main issue. Time is the issue.

And there is nothing fishy about it. An MS OS cd is useless without a cd key so unless I already have a valid key (which I do) I'd be better off just downloading a corp ISO off the internet and patching WGA so that the system will get updates but that is illegal and it's something no one should have to do when they have a valid key.

 

Of course I called dell, how else are they going to ship the cd's? I called them because none of the recovery methodes on their web site work. I told them what I had done and they said the only option was to send me the cd's. That's great but that's another 2-3 days of my client not having their laptop.

 

Well, he/she will just have to understand... he/she broke it, and it takes time to fix it. 2 - 3 days sucks, but had he/she ordered the CD to begin with, and if the restore partition had not been blown away, there would be no time issue.

 

i would say just order the dell cds for free which is what i did (ordered friday, got them tuesday)

 

They didn't break it, faulty memory (oem) caused the initial problems. Before formatting and reinstalling I tried using the boot partition and it did not work.
System restore did not work, and doing a repair install did not work.

Hindsight is 20/20.

 

As I said before, I have already ordered the cd's.

 

That stinks, but the long and short of it remains... they'll almost undoubtedly have to wait, and also will need to understand the importance of the OS disk in the future.

 

Lol

So dell managed to ship the cd to the wrong address and it wont be here till monday, nice! How they could of got the shipping wrong I have no idea (I gave it to them via chat).


It doesn't matter though, I managed to get a hold of a disk and I got the clients computer up and running.
Good thing I didn't just rely on dell.