Dimension 4400

[James]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

What about the Dimension 4400 is propritary? Thinking of getting a new case
and full size mb and moving everything over. Is the OS somehow tied to the
BIOS? (XP Home). I realize that I would probably have to activate again but
I have read that I would need a new retail copy. Any other probs I would run
into?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The OS will require activation on a non-Dell board. Whether MIcrosoft
accomodates that is open to question - you can try, but if they won't,
you're in for a new copy of Windows.




"James" <howa1151@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:xs%Vc.8672$_h.6386@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
> What about the Dimension 4400 is propritary? Thinking of getting a new
> case
> and full size mb and moving everything over. Is the OS somehow tied to the
> BIOS? (XP Home). I realize that I would probably have to activate again
> but
> I have read that I would need a new retail copy. Any other probs I would
> run
> into?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

that case and motherboard have a proprietary front panel connector. since
you are replacing both this is not an issue for you and leaves your old
case/motherboard combination perfect for you to sell together. some (all)
of the sound cards have a proprietary connector to connect to the front
panel headphone port. a windows xp installation using the dell cd will not
require activation if installed on a dell and if the installation started
from booting from the cd. when installed on a non-dell system (or some old
dell models, or old dell models with old bios revisions for that matter)
activation will be required. like all windows xp serial numbers, the first
time it is used it will be accepted for activation 'over the internet.'
additional uses of the serial number will require you to call microsoft on
the phone for an activation code to enter into the pc. technically
(legally) speaking, my understanding is that the windows xp license is
specific to 'the computer' and can not be moved. but what exactly that
means is unclear. certainly they did not mean the box. did they mean the
cpu? did they mean the video card? did they mean the hard drive or memory?
etc? and if they mean everything the way it came from the manufacturer then
all the people that every added memory or another hard disk to their system
are in violation... my sense is that they (microsoft) simply don't want you
to run multiple copies of the software and it seems to me that you have no
intention of doing so. so you have to decide how you interpret the spirit
of the license agreement. let your conscious guide you.

"James" <howa1151@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:xs%Vc.8672$_h.6386@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
> What about the Dimension 4400 is propritary? Thinking of getting a new
case
> and full size mb and moving everything over. Is the OS somehow tied to the
> BIOS? (XP Home). I realize that I would probably have to activate again
but
> I have read that I would need a new retail copy. Any other probs I would
run
> into?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

James wrote:
> Is the OS somehow tied to the
> BIOS? (XP Home). I realize that I would probably have to activate again but
> I have read that I would need a new retail copy. Any other probs I would run
> into?

If you never activated (no reason to if you either never have done a
reinstall or reinstalled by booting from the CD) then you can use the
activation number on the certificate of authenticity to activate with
your new motherboard. That number is not used for the original factory
install. The Dell OEM XP CD will install just fine.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

You can move hard drives and CD-ROM drives and maybe memory to a new case and
motherboard. The floppy diskette, if any, lacks a plastic front bezel and would
need to be replaced.

The Dimension 4400 case has the following proprietary connectors to the
motherboard:

1. The rear fan uses an unusual 3-pin connector to the motherboard. If there is
no fan connected to the motherboard, the BIOS refuses to allow the motherboard
to boot.
2. The cable from the front USB ports to the motherboard is not the standard
9-pin (5-4 arrangment in two rows) connector.
3. The cable to the other front panel stuff (on-off switch, power LED, hard
drive active LED) is not standard.

In short, keep the Dell case and motherboard together along with the rear fan,
and maybe you can sell it for some decent bucks, to offset the cost of the new
mobo and case... Ben Myers


On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 07:33:15 -0400, "James" <howa1151@bellsouth.net> wrote:

>What about the Dimension 4400 is propritary? Thinking of getting a new case
>and full size mb and moving everything over. Is the OS somehow tied to the
>BIOS? (XP Home). I realize that I would probably have to activate again but
>I have read that I would need a new retail copy. Any other probs I would run
>into?
>
>

 

[sparky]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Edward J. Neth wrote:

> The OS will require activation on a non-Dell board. Whether MIcrosoft
> accomodates that is open to question - you can try, but if they won't,
> you're in for a new copy of Windows.

If the target computer is licensed for Win XP just enter that Product
Code when asked (I did this recently with my ThinkPad - IBM has been
unable to get me a set of recovery CD's that work (3 sets so far), so I
reinstalled Win XP from my Dell CD). Otherwise, what Edward said.