Can I use the product key on my old laptop to install XP on my new DV5T?

Bottom line is Vista seems sluggish without any benefit that I can see.

I have an old laptop with a product key for windows xp and a xp disk. I would like to format all this bloatware and Vista and install XP.

Can I basically just format and install off the disk?

What would prevent me from doing this?

 

as long as you only have one xp activated I dont see a problem with this, just make sure u have all the xp drivers.

 

Personally I'd stay with Vista, l like it and I can't see much of a difference in the speed from XP to Vista (if your running aero, don't that will help speed up things) that would warrant a change and I have computers here that run either.
The only problem I can see is that your old laptop will have no O/S and will become useless and worthless without an O/S to sell.
BTW If you are going to replace Vista with XP make sure you make the recovery disc for the Vista first just in case something goes wrong.

 

Yes it will work but i dont like xp.

 

As HT_Flyer said, so long as there is only one activated copy of your xp you will be fine. Also the xp disk needs to be a retail version. If it's recovery it won't work. Also, you may get a "cd key in use" error when you try to activate in which case you need to ring the microsoft activation number and get an activation code. I've had to do that before and so long as you have only 1 hdd with xp on it you will be fine. I'm dual booting xp and vista on my laptop. Vista is like a big fat luxury car that is set up by default for those who are computer ignorant. It guzzles ram, introduces annoying nanny rubbish like user account control, takes up a lot of space and makes you burrow to find the real settings. I've gotten pretty in depth with vista, while I've had it, turning off this and that, and it's good in some areas but offers me nothing significant as yet. XP is a lean mean sports car by comparison. Before you format go through your device manager and make sure you know the names of your hardware and try and find the drivers.

 

Actutally, the likelihood is that it won't work since the key is tied to a specific configuration that takes into account a few distinct things like CPU, Mobo, etc. The notebook Xythil used with the XP code is radically different than the dv5. That poduct key on the old notebook is likely OEM and is therefore "married" to that system.

You can ring up Microsoft, but they likely will deny your request.

A VLK[volume license key] (Student/Enterprise - XP Pro) would be able to work on multiple computers since it doesn't require activation.

A Retail version would stand a better chance of being able to transfer to another computer as legally that's ok. So long as you delete XP off the old unit.

 

Yeap it depends on the disk. I've transferred a retail purchased oem xp from a desktop to a laptop fine after ringing microsoft and getting another activation code. The requirement is that xp be installed on one drive only. If it's a recovery disk xp the chances are it won't even boot from the disk.

 

You know that's exactly how I see it, a sports car verses a luxury car, yes the sports car will give you better performance but at what cost? Some Ferrari's don't even have door handles rather a piece of cord or a radio to reduce the weight for better performance, as if going without handles will make that much of a difference , is it really worth getting there a couple of seconds faster?
When I was a younger man I use to think speed now I think luxury because when it comes down to the bottom line, its useless having speed when you can't even use it, there's no restriction on luxury!
Vista is a far more intensive program for my money with many more features you can't and shouldn't expect it to perform the same, only those who are ignorant can't see that, I'm sure the guy's at Microsoft who developed Vista don't consider themselves ignorant!
I hear many 'say you'll get more productivity out of XP than Vista', but they're mostly the type of person who would spend half the day walking around talking or getting coffee, well gee guys you might get more done if you actually sitting at your computer!
I didn't like Vista at first I must admit, but the more I use it the more accustom I have become to it. Now whenever I use XP it feels simple, not simple as in easy rather as in plain, to go back to the start of my rant where I liken the difference between XP and Vista to sport verses luxury. I also liken it to going out with a simple chick rather than a more complicated one, to me you'll always get more out of a relationship with a complicated person than someone plain!
If some rather XP over Vista, I say go ahead it's your coin you use it how it pleases you, because I would never call you ignorant or stupid for doing so, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking it!

 

Actually, this is against Microsoft's EULA, since the key on the bottom of your old laptop is an OEM license, which is tied to the notebook/computer it's used on for the first time.

Maybe you can try a clean install of Vista, and tweak it some using the Vista tweaks thread in the windows section?

 

I've been using vista a while now, and yes xp looks plain, but in the end I want substance and fail to be fooled by a flashy new gui which is merely a superficial glossy coat covering a vastly larger install and ram guzzling system that doesn't offer better performance. Is vista worth upgrading to so you can have the excitement of disabling user account control, dealing with indexing, windows defender, annoying search behaviour, irritating programs menu and alternative locations for downloads? I can apathetically deal with vista fine but I would skip to the functionality of xp in a heartbeat if I could get my audio working under it properly.

 

Hi.

What happens when your notebook is pre-activated with a manufacturer common key and the key on the bottom is never used.

And the notebook is scrapped, could you use the key on the bottom on another notebook that was bought without an OS?

Regards

John.

 

>>if I could get my audio working under it properly<< That's just one reasons I wouldn't go to the trouble of downgrading to XP and you can disable most of what bugs you about Vista. As for the ram, I have 4 gigs and I don't find it a problem.
I agree for the high end user (professional) some programs execute quicker with XP, but to me that's like saying race car drivers need faster cars. (DER!) But IMO the average computer user, really doesn't have anything to complain about because there isn't that much in it, that one should go to the trouble of downgrading.
Once again it's you coin, you spend it how you wish.


P.S. You say you're dual booting XP and Vista and I'm guessing you run Vista to use your audio.
I really don't get how you can complain about some of Vista's protocols when you go to the trouble to switching O/S just to use audio, don't go there dude because that's hardly productive and way more of a hassle then anything in Vista.

 

I'm dual booting so I can have a functioning machine while I work out drivers for xp and if I am eventually successful in getting sound to work under xp I will still retain my dual boot functionality to maximise my laptop's compatibility. Vista is overall a satisfactory os, but it doesn't come standard like that. You have to adjust it extensively to bring it into a satisfactory state. Therefore I will probably do one more format and install of vista, tweak and an update everything and image the drive so I never have to do it again.