Dell Laptop Vista Upgrade.

So, i bought a Inspiron 6400 and it came with Vista Home Premium. It came with a dell branded black vista disc. The laptop got stolen and is history. I just ordered my GF a laptop and it comes with Vista Home Basic. My question is, can i use my old vista DVD from my stolen laptop on her new one to upgrade her home basic to home premium?

keep in mind i'm assuming the original home premium is still installed on that laptop and being used by somebody. most likely the jackass who broke into my place. (If i find him, i'm willing to go to jail for what i'd do)

 

wow... that, really really suck

And no, Windows Vista have something called "activation" and it is by machine per key, and if that jackass activated Windows Vista with your key (assuming you know em), you can install Vista with it, but you can't activate it with the key you had.

And, if you could prove that the dell 6400 was yours, and if you know the key from your old machine, try calling microsoft =P... they would know which machine with which connection activate the vista

and all, that's assuming he is using your key.

 

well, i'm assuming he's using that key cause it was installed on the laptop he stole. i doubt it was reformatted/a different key was used.

So basically i guess without attempting to see if MS can do anything, i have a copy of vista home premium here that is useless? great.

It was an idea. just wanted to boost her up to premium.

 

1. no you can't. OEM os is for the system it came with only

2. notify MS that your notebook was stolen, they can stop the activation for the jackass

 

If this helps...

My notebook came with XP pre-installed, and I was looking to upgrade to Vista Home Premium once I started college.

Turns out, a guy that lives on the same floor in my dorm got an Inspiron 1720, and it came with the same Dell branded black Vista OS disc, Home Premium, of course.

So, I ask him if I can borrow it so that I could install it on my laptop.

Ever since I haven't had any problems at all with my istall. I still get Windows Updates, no weird messages concerning activation or anything. During the install, I wasn't even prompted for an activation key.

BTW, the guy I mentioned used the same OS disc to do a clean install on his 1720.

It's like the disc came with my machine.

Keep in mind: The Dell branded OEM OS will most likely only work on a Dell computer.

 

hey, thanks. there basically the same make and model anyway. the original 6400 and the new 1501 are almost identical except the first one had media direct and the new one does not.

I think i'll give it a try. if it doesn't work, i can just put basic back on i guess.

Also, does anybody know the best way to contact microsoft regarding reporting/listing my old OS as stolen? (I will only do this if the install doesn't work)

Thank you for that reply.

 

As said it is illegal to use a OEM version on a different computer. Even when you uninstall from original computer. And Matt is Pro, what is your name and address you are totally illegal.

 

I'm definitely not illegal. I'm using a Dell OEM OS disc on...oh wait...

You should look at my sig....what's there?

Oh, damn....a DELL.

All Dells use the SAME key when installing the Dell OEM OS. The OEM disc recognizes the Dell BIOS thus making the installation legal.

EDIT: I could have went through the trouble of calling Dell and requesting it, which I would have gotten free anyway. I just made it easier on both me and Dell.

 

This is true. All the OS does is recognize the BIOS is a Dell Bios and then it installs and activates it on it own.

 

Thank you.

 

by the way... Matt is Pro's address is as follows

1234 Fake St.
Springfield, Il 62701

 

Awesome, so i can upgrade to home premium. good to know, thank you.

 

You're very welcome. Glad I could help.

Merry Christmas, guys!!