Hello,

I've been using my standard xp pro volume license CD for my unattended installs. After obtaining a few new Dell workstations, I was wondering if there's any difference from a standard xp pro volume license install CD and the Reinstallation OS CDs given by Dell.

Any replies are appreciated,

thanks

If it's anything like the Gateway XP cd's we get with every machine we order, YES. They'll only install on Dell machines (Gateway machines in our case).

1boredguy,

From what i've read [mostly from this site] there are three main differences between a standard OEM disk and the OEM disks from Dell.

1. the Dell disks have some drivers added to them, usually chipset or mass storage.

2. they have modified files to bypass Activation [with the right BIOS]

3. they have alot of crap and trialware on them, like the PC's when they arrive.

As your using a VLK version, the only real difference is the added drivers.

Which you can add to your own Unattended disk.

The Reinstallation disks are more like Ghost images, and tend to be locked to the PC's BIOS as LiquidHonesty said.

1boredguy,

From what i've read [mostly from this site] there are three main differences between a standard OEM disk and the OEM disks from Dell.

1. the Dell disks have some drivers added to them, usually chipset or mass storage.

2. they have modified files to bypass Activation [with the right BIOS]

3. they have alot of crap and trialware on them, like the PC's when they arrive.

As your using a VLK version, the only real difference is the added drivers.

Which you can add to your own Unattended disk.

The Reinstallation disks are more like Ghost images, and tend to be locked to the PC's BIOS as LiquidHonesty said.

1. From my experience, the Dell OEM installation disk itself doesn't have the drivers added. The drivers are part of another CD, geared more towards your particular system, whereas the OEM install disk is more generic.

2. It does not have "modified files to bypass activation." It has the proper files to preactivate Windows if you have the correct BIOS. (See www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx for an explanation.

3. Once again, from my experience the "crap and trialware" is part of additional disks, not the OEM installation.

And LiquidHonesty isn't quite correct - the Dell OEM CD's will install on other systems, but you'll have to activate.

Edited June 5, 200620 yr by jrf2027

1. From my experience, the Dell OEM installation disk itself doesn't have the drivers added. The drivers are part of another CD, geared more towards your particular system, whereas the OEM install disk is more generic.

2. It does not have "modified files to bypass activation." It has the proper files to preactivate Windows if you have the correct BIOS. (See www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx for an explanation.

3. Once again, from my experience the "crap and trialware" is part of additional disks, not the OEM installation.

And LiquidHonesty isn't quite correct - the Dell OEM CD's will install on other systems, but you'll have to activate.

Yes, this is also how it is with my Dell OEM installation disk.

And LiquidHonesty isn't quite correct - the Dell OEM CD's will install on other systems, but you'll have to activate.

Good to know! My only experience was with the Gateway CD's.....and that was some time ago. Wouldn't allow you to install to a non-gateway machine.

Mmmm.....

I'm either gonna have to read alot more, or buy Dell's.

I just tried my Sony disk in my Thinkpad and its error'd out saying it Can't be used on this computer. Confirm model type ???

Check out this thread for converting a Royalty OEM installation from one manufacturer to another (for instance, you have a Gateway computer, that was preactivated, but only have a Dell OEM installation disk):

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=71016