i desparetly need to run windows on my new macbook for college (architecture student needs cad). i have a few xp cds from my old dell including a "reinstallation cd" but it says "only to be used with a dell computer". i pray to god this will work it's urgent. can i use this?
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i need windows on my mac, can i use xp from my old dell?
- Thread starter iwantmymacnow
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If it has sp2 on it mostlikly can becasue ive used a dell cd and hp on different macs.
Right i forgot about there strictness on this site basically they don't want you to but you can, im surprised i havent gone to jail yet 😉
was the cd a green dell one? so it can work on other computers than dell? i'm scared of screwing up my new macbook lol!
if you have fusion it has the ability to 'suck' (for lack of a better term) your instillation of windows out of your old computer and run in fusion.
ryannazaretian
macrumors 6502a
No, you cannot just stick in your Dell CD with Windows on it that Dell gave you, start the bootcamp assistant, and follow the instructions given. It's against the OEM license agreement you didn't read (yea, that 200 page long one).
If you do, you will surely go to jail. Definitely... No questions asked. 😛
If you do, you will surely go to jail. Definitely... No questions asked. 😛
bruinsrme
macrumors 604
Contrary to what some mac lovers will tell you, Dell disks will not kill your drive and eat you Mac memory.
brad.c
macrumors 68020
Then don't install Windo- Just kidding. 🙂
You will find out the "can" soon enough. As far as whether or not you "may" could very well be a EULA question similar to installing OS X on a PC. Read the fine print, and you may find that you are breaking an agreement, vs breaking an actual law. Personally, if you still own the Dell, I wouldn't see what's wrong with using the CD on another piece of hardware, but I'm not Dell.
MR admin has decided not to police threads that delve into the transferring of an installation that was acquired via purchase, and not as a pirated download.
Of course I do not speak for MR, or its management, on how they would view your situation.
illegallydead
macrumors 6502a
The problem you may run into is the activation. It will install just dandy, but you may not be able to activate since you theoretically already have it installed on your Dell. Supposedly you can use the "I'm not connected to the internet" option and call up Microsoft and just say you are re-installing it or something, but no guarantees that that will work or if that is "legal" (Mods: read: don't boot me for saying that)
I think that some versions of XP will check your unique hardware ID's on the Microsoft servers to assess if you really are "just re-installing" if you do choose the internet authentication option. It varies though, some disks I've done that with tell me to piss off, others happily activate. Sometime you may need the code from the sticker on the side of your old dell (shiny one with all the numbers on it) Sometimes that is all you need to "prove" to the disk you are just re-installing. It really is a minefield. Good luck.
My advice: if it doesn't work for you (i.e. it won't activate) either purchase a serial code (I think you can still do that), buy a new box copy, or steal it. Of course I am not condoning doing the latter option, I'm just saying that there are plenty of people that do and it is an option, though illegal, of course 😀
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I think that some versions of XP will check your unique hardware ID's on the Microsoft servers to assess if you really are "just re-installing" if you do choose the internet authentication option. It varies though, some disks I've done that with tell me to piss off, others happily activate. Sometime you may need the code from the sticker on the side of your old dell (shiny one with all the numbers on it) Sometimes that is all you need to "prove" to the disk you are just re-installing. It really is a minefield. Good luck.
My advice: if it doesn't work for you (i.e. it won't activate) either purchase a serial code (I think you can still do that), buy a new box copy, or steal it. Of course I am not condoning doing the latter option, I'm just saying that there are plenty of people that do and it is an option, though illegal, of course 😀
[EDIT]
lol you beat me to it while I was typing. Yes, with some disks you can do that. Otehrs that won't work. Really depends. (read the second paragraph)
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