hello all,
need a quick bit of advice from the collective... I want to do a clean install of XP Home on a Dell Inspiron 1200 laptop. However, I dont have the XP install disc that came with it. I do however a XP reinstall disc that came with another Dell laptop. Can i use this CD to do the install? I am thinking yes as the key input will be the one on the laptop so it's not like I will be using the same key on 2 laptops. I just want to make sure as I have never had dealings with any of Dell's products before and don't know if their reinstall CD's have product specific material that might cause upset on a different machine.

regards,

mads

most times this will work. check that the licence key is for XP home too.

The only way to be sure is to try it.

Dell disks are generally full OEM install disks
If it is XP Home on both PCs it should be no problem just use the license key on the case of the PC you are installing to --- 100% legal although you may have search for drivers.

The key thing is the XP version as to be the same as the Version on the CD key -- for example you can't use an XP Home key and XP Pro CD or vice versa.

cheers folks. it's the answer I was hoping for.

BT - yes, both the laptop key and the CD are XP Home. As for drivers, I am hoping Windows will find most of them for me and then I'll just need to download the odd one.

You have to be really careful because the drivers can be specific to dell hardware and microsoft dont have them.

I had this problem before and i took me ages to hunt down the right drivers.

Also make sure you write down all the hardware you have within the laptop because when i reinstalled xp it gave some of it different model names and it didnt work.
It's best to find all the drivers first on the dell website BEFORE doing anything. After is too late because dell dont have all the drivers the websites crap...

[Edited on 28/12/09 by Ben_Copeland]

Mads - U2 sent.

All the best

Try this site if you have trouble finding drivers: http://devid.info/

Enter the device ID from device manager and it should show who made it, so you can go and find drivers.

Ed.

If its a dell CD Windows does not ask for the key when installing !