I really hope I can get a clear answer to this question. I think I've asked in other forums, but nobody seemed to know. I custom build PC's and lately I "acquired" some XP Pro CD's with accompanying COA's (stickers) from another fellow in the PC support business. He claims these were pulled off of old Dells, HP's, etc. before the computers were to be thrown away or moved to a corporate XP license. I am paying for these keys and CD's, but here is the "problem" which I've noticed long before I bought these particular XP licenses.
Dell factory XP re-installation CD's seem to require no activation OR license key entry. Now, for years I thought this was because of some rumor that the product key was stored on the accompanying computer bios or something crazy like that. However, I am noticing for the first time that these CD's do not require key entry or activation no matter what PC you install them on. I'm about to try to check for the key using something like jellybean, but I'm not sure that's going to answer my question. To keep it legal, I have been sticking whatever COA I got with the CD's onto the machine chassis, but I fear the actual key that is in the Windows registry does not match what I am sticking on the computer. Can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks much in advanmnce
Dell factory XP re-installation CD's seem to require no activation OR license key entry. Now, for years I thought this was because of some rumor that the product key was stored on the accompanying computer bios or something crazy like that. However, I am noticing for the first time that these CD's do not require key entry or activation no matter what PC you install them on. I'm about to try to check for the key using something like jellybean, but I'm not sure that's going to answer my question. To keep it legal, I have been sticking whatever COA I got with the CD's onto the machine chassis, but I fear the actual key that is in the Windows registry does not match what I am sticking on the computer. Can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks much in advanmnce