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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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 Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:42 pm Post subject: using recovery/os disks |
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| this is probably a stupid question, but can you use dell system disks from a laptop on a generic build desktop? i know; please don't make fun of me. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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I guess you mean the drivers disc supplied by Dell?
In that case, no. It's almost certain that the drivers (audio, video, LAN etc) for the Dell laptop will NOT be the correct drivers for a random desktop.
To get the correct drivers for the desktop you'll have to work out the manufacturer and model number of the desktop's motherboard (take the side panel off the case and have a look) go to the manufacturers website, find the correct drivers, download and install. It's really not that hard.
If you mean that the disc is the OS, the operating system, like Windows XP or Windows Vista, then, yes, you can use that on the desktop to install an OS. But you'll still need the drivers for the desktop's motherboard after you've installed the OS. |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:21 am Post subject: |
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thanks eamo. i have both a reinstall disk for the os (it says that it only for reinstall on a dell pc) and a driver and utility disk that came with the dell laptop that i bought back home a couple of months ago (which i never use btw  ).
i want to upgrade the os on my desktop to 64 bit so that i can fully utilize more than 3gigs of ram.
do you think that this is possible? |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:36 am Post subject: |
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| Try it. Put it in, boot from it and see what it does. If it won't work, you will know long before you have trashed your current install. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| byrddogs wrote: |
thanks eamo. i have both a reinstall disk for the os (it says that it only for reinstall on a dell pc) and a driver and utility disk that came with the dell laptop that i bought back home a couple of months ago (which i never use btw ).
i want to upgrade the os on my desktop to 64 bit so that i can fully utilize more than 3gigs of ram.
do you think that this is possible? |
Only if you have a disc which is a 64-bit version of Windows.
It may not tell you on the disc itself if it is 32 or 64 bit. |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
| byrddogs wrote: |
thanks eamo. i have both a reinstall disk for the os (it says that it only for reinstall on a dell pc) and a driver and utility disk that came with the dell laptop that i bought back home a couple of months ago (which i never use btw ).
i want to upgrade the os on my desktop to 64 bit so that i can fully utilize more than 3gigs of ram.
do you think that this is possible? |
Only if you have a disc which is a 64-bit version of Windows.
It may not tell you on the disc itself if it is 32 or 64 bit. |
it clearly says:
reinstallation dvd
windows vista home premium 64 bit sp1 (it qualifies for the free upgrade to windows 7 when it is released as well)
if it is the case that i can use this with the product key from the laptop; will i run into verification problems later? |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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| byrddogs wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
| byrddogs wrote: |
thanks eamo. i have both a reinstall disk for the os (it says that it only for reinstall on a dell pc) and a driver and utility disk that came with the dell laptop that i bought back home a couple of months ago (which i never use btw ).
i want to upgrade the os on my desktop to 64 bit so that i can fully utilize more than 3gigs of ram.
do you think that this is possible? |
Only if you have a disc which is a 64-bit version of Windows.
It may not tell you on the disc itself if it is 32 or 64 bit. |
it clearly says:
reinstallation dvd
windows vista home premium 64 bit sp1 (it qualifies for the free upgrade to windows 7 when it is released as well)
if it is the case that i can use this with the product key from the laptop; will i run into verification problems later? |
Not sure. Does Microsoft allow the buyer to use the same serial number on more than one machine.......?
Having never bought Windows, I wouldn't know!! |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:02 am Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
| byrddogs wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
| byrddogs wrote: |
thanks eamo. i have both a reinstall disk for the os (it says that it only for reinstall on a dell pc) and a driver and utility disk that came with the dell laptop that i bought back home a couple of months ago (which i never use btw ).
i want to upgrade the os on my desktop to 64 bit so that i can fully utilize more than 3gigs of ram.
do you think that this is possible? |
Only if you have a disc which is a 64-bit version of Windows.
It may not tell you on the disc itself if it is 32 or 64 bit. |
it clearly says:
reinstallation dvd
windows vista home premium 64 bit sp1 (it qualifies for the free upgrade to windows 7 when it is released as well)
if it is the case that i can use this with the product key from the laptop; will i run into verification problems later? |
Not sure. Does Microsoft allow the buyer to use the same serial number on more than one machine.......?
Having never bought Windows, I wouldn't know!! |
 gotcha. i'll figure it out; i'm not that stupid. just thought i would give the experts a holler (demophobe doesn't count). |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:54 am Post subject: |
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| byrddogs wrote: |
| (demophobe doesn't count). |
Gosh, pseudonym for a complete stranger.....ouch! |
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juchangok
Joined: 15 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:43 am Post subject: |
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| You technically are not allowed to use the same cd key on multiple computers unless it is an Enterprise edition, which businesses have allowing multiple installs. This is however easy to get around. In regard's to the OP's question, I don't think you can do a clean install using the "reinstall" CD. |
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