Touble with Dell XP pro key

I am refurbing an old Dell with an XP pro product key sticker. (keeping all original dell internals, but put in more memory and a vid card)

This comp was in a Dr's office, so I deleted the partitions and reformated, so there is no going back.

I don't have the Dell disks, and quite frankly don't want dell bloatware installed.

I slapped in a XP pro SP3 install disk, and it doesn't like the key?

Most likely you are mixing Retail and OEM Product Key and Install Discs.

The Dell Product key will likely work if you use an OEM XP Pro Install Disc. I am thinking that the Disc you used is a Retail or Volume License Install Disc

Maybe. It is real hard to say something can't be done with computers, but I know that I have the same issue with HP products when the client can't find their disc or the hard drive restore can not be done because the drive completely dies. I always have to grab the OEM version to reinstall and use their Product Key. This also happens in organizations that have volume licensing version. You have to use the volume licensing disc with the volume licensing key.

Cheers!

The Dell COA needs to match the same version of XP that you've installed.

That's true Grumpy9117, unless you try to use that Dell Windows XP Pro CD on a non-Dell computer. Then it will ask you for a key.