The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Installing windows using another laptops vista disc

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Crazyal, Jul 9, 2010.

  1. Crazyal

    Crazyal Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Hi, I am in the middle of sorting out a relatives laptop and a reinstall may well be the easiest option as it is heavily infected.

    My question is can I use the vista disc that came with my brothers laptop, a dell inspiron 1525 on my relatives laptop which is an identical inspirion 1525 to reformat and reinstall windows with out any issues as my relative is having trouble finding their disc.

    The disc is a full OS disc and not a recovery disc. My real concern is when I reinstalled vista on my brothers laptop one time I don't recall it asking for a product key.

    How would I get windows if I did go ahead with a reinstall to use the key on the bottom of my relatives laptop COA?

    Thanks :D
     
    Crazyal, Jul 9, 2010
    #1
  2. lbohn

    lbohn Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    320
    Messages:
    235
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    In this case, yes.

    It believe your brother has a preactivated (volume) license key on that installation media. Since you are installing to identical hardware, the install and validation checks pass. However you would be in technical violation of the license agreement.

    You would need to update the license key in Vista using the one on your relative's laptop to be in compliance again.

    http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/01/28/how-to-change-windows-vista-product-key/
    ^^This is a guide to changing the license key in Windows Vista. The guide has two methods: the first uses the command line while the second method uses the Windows GUI. I recommend using the second method unless you feel comfortable using the command line.

    One caveat, the versions of Windows need to be indentical. For instance if your brother's laptop has Vista Enterprise/Ultimate but your relative's laptop has Home Premium (or vice-versa) this method will fail. You might be able to cross-grade versions using Windows Anytime Upgrade in that situation, but I've no experience to draw from in that unique case.

    --L.
     
    lbohn, Jul 9, 2010
    #2
  3. Crazyal

    Crazyal Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Thanks, your method worked a treat.

    FYI yes they both came pre-installed with vista home premium.
    My next task will be explaining to my relative the importance of backing up data!
     
    Crazyal, Jul 10, 2010
    #3
  4. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    2,844
    Messages:
    2,736
    Likes Received:
    896
    Trophy Points:
    131
    If Dell Vista Home Premium preinstalled VL key in laptop #2 was 12345-abcde-12345-abcde-12345 would changing it to key 12345-abcde-12345-abcde-12345 originally provided in laptop #1 actually change anything? :)
     
    KLF, Jul 10, 2010
    #4
  5. Syberia

    Syberia Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    596
    Messages:
    1,611
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    They may very well be OEM discs which are (I think) activated by a particular Dell key in the BIOS, in which case nothing needs to be done.
     
    Syberia, Jul 10, 2010
    #5