[iamloco724]

im going to buy a new desktop and the one i want only comes with vista i have windows xp dell oem cds from my old pc can i format the new pc and use one of the old oem cds to put xp on my new pc without a problem?

[[t..o..m]]

nope, the old dell CD will only contain the OLD drivers for the PC that it came with. Im pretty sure that using different dell cd's with different computer's doesn't work. Plus it's only an OEM version so you will only have an OEM serial number.

Worth a shot maybe? At least you will have the Vista dell CD that should come with your new computer which you can reload if you run into troubles.

[Mak213]

Hello,

No. This is in violation of the EULA and TOS from Microsoft. It is technically illegal to due this. Not to mention the fact that you wouldn't have any drivers for the PC.

Cheers,
Mak

[iamloco724]

Originally Posted by Mak213

Hello,

No. This is in violation of the EULA and TOS from Microsoft. It is technically illegal to due this. Not to mention the fact that you wouldn't have any drivers for the PC.

Cheers,
Mak

well the drivers i can easily download from dells site

[Mak213]

Hello,

Dell along with every other Manufacturer as of July first no longer support or supply XP Drivers. OEM support was dropped as of July first when they had to stop selling it. So i highly doubt you will find drivers on the Dell site. they have stopped their XP Driver support a while back. Most of the systems sold from them for the last few months have had no XP Drivers.

Cheers,
Mak

[Keyboard Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Mak213

Hello,

No. This is in violation of the EULA and TOS from Microsoft. It is technically illegal to due this. Not to mention the fact that you wouldn't have any drivers for the PC.

Cheers,
Mak

Actually that is where you are. Microsoft does give you downgrade rights. HOWEVER, these downgrade rights are only avalable with Windows Viista Business and Ultimate.

Windows Viista Business and Ultimate can be downgraded to Window Xp Pro.

Here are links to MS website in regard to this issue.
Australian Website
https://partner.microsoft.com/Austra...17?PS=95000124
US website
https://partner.microsoft.com/US/40066417?PS=95000124
UK Website
https://partner.microsoft.com/UK/40066417?PS=95000124

What software versions qualify for downgrade rights?
Not all versions of software contain downgrade rights. The chart below shows the OEM desktop
operating system software versions that contain downgrade rights in the product License Terms
and the version of software the end user can downgrade to.

The OEM vesions of Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate include downgrade rights
to Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Customers may not downgrade to Windows 2000
Professional from Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate.

WINDOWS VISTA BUSINESS / ULTIMATE
↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
WINDOWS XP PRO / XP TABLET / XP PRO x64

If you happen to have a copy of Vista Home Starter/Basic/Home Premum, then you can not take advantage of this.


The only problems is that you will need to find drivers. Dell will be unlikely to have XP drivers, so you will need to go to the chipset manufacturer's website and find (fingures cross) the drivers there. Check to make sure you have XP drivers for every thing before starting to install Xp.

The other thing to keep in mind is that there is a good chance that Dell will not support you on any thing as you have changed the supplied operating system.

[EricB]

when vista came out dell and hp refuse to release xp driver for their vista machine. you use to have to go to driverspack.net to get them. Dell has change their position on this and has since released xp drivers for those vista machines since so many people are going back to xp. hp has not. you will only get xp drivers if they put xp on those same machines (I.e. they sell the dv2500 with either xp or vista)

[Mak213]

Eric with OEM software not being able to be sold as of June 30th i highly doubt that they will continue this practice. Epically since they do not have to do it anymore cause XP will no loger be a option from them at all.

Cheers,
Mak

[iamloco724]

ok just wanted to update you all i ordered a vista dell system inspiron 530 formated it upon arrival and used my old xp oem disk and worked smoothly not asking for activation,updating successfully and dell.com still offers the xp drivers

[splinter-69]

if you call the manufacturer, you can order the computer with XP.

-nick