Windows downgrade / XP license

[Duncan Clench]

Fellow nerds,

 

The wife has a shite Dell laptop with Vista installed and I want to downgrade to XP or maybe upgrade to 7. I've got an XP reinstall disc from another Dell but they put the Product key on the machine rather than the disc (swines).

 

So; 3 questions:

 

First up, if I used a product key from an existing (but not used) XP laptop am I likely to encounter any license problems?

 

Second; has anyone downgraded through Microsoft, getting the Vista key registered to XP? If so, is it much of a hassle?

 

Third: I also have a Dell copy of Windows 7 Professional. Again, no product key. Same question I suppose... can I just use a key from an existing computer?

 

Thanks in advance. By the way, I have checked the it can run 7, and also that I have the 'right' to downgrade. Would prefer to upgrade but don't want to pay. Obviously.

 

Gav

[dirty_sanchez]

From a legal point of view, the license keys that are written on the laptops are OEM keys. That means that it licenses you to run that version of Windows on that laptop. Technically if you use that license key to install Windows on another laptop, you're in contravention of licensing laws. Realistically though, it's extremely unlikely that you'd have any problems.

 

Have you considered Linux? It's free.

[Duncan Clench]

Thanks mate. I would happily install Linux but as it's the wife's laptop, and she's a slave to Windows, I don't think it's an option. The learning curve that I'd have to put up with just isn't worth it!

 

I always wondered about OEM codes, thanks.

[dirty_sanchez]

Microsoft license Windows in 3 ways basically.

 

OEM - attached to a specific computer

 

Single license - This entitles you to use it once on whatever computer you like. This will either be in the form of a full install or an upgrade, in which case you need a license for a previous version of Windows. You're allowed to upgrade OEM licenses as well, so this would be your path if you wanted to upgrade to Win 7.

 

Volume licensing - This is typically sold to business users. You have a certain amount of copies that you are allowed to install using the same license key.

 

Microsoft's licensing is a bloody nightmare, I'm not suprised people struggle with it.

[Duncan Clench]

Yeah well from what I've read I can run an install of XP pro, and then I'd have to call the activation line requesting a downgrade of the key.

 

On a related note, I've found and old laptop at work and I'm chucking Linux on it. It's a slow day!

[RedinSweden]

Yeah well from what I've read I can run an install of XP pro, and then I'd have to call the activation line requesting a downgrade of the key.

 

On a related note, I've found and old laptop at work and I'm chucking Linux on it. It's a slow day!

 

Which version of linux are you doing? i just installed mint on a little notebook and it is very nice, apart from issues I have with the wireless adapter. The fact that it doesn't work. Everything else worked swimmingly and ubuntu had no problems when I installed that on the same one about a year ago, although it has been playing up, dropping signal and all that. Any ideas what this can be IT nerds?

[Duncan Clench]

Which version of linux are you doing? i just installed mint on a little notebook and it is very nice, apart from issues I have with the wireless adapter.

 

Good question... I somehow landed on the Ubuntu site and just hit 'download', and being a total Linux novice I'm installing that. I take it that the tree I'm barking up is not necessarily the correct one?! Having now done a tiny bit of research it seems that Red Hat is the thing for me.

 

Would I be right in thinking that they're all essentially the same but with differing specialities?

[dirty_sanchez]

Yeah, that's basically right.

 

Sorry Jim, I don't know shit about Linux.

[RedinSweden]

Good question... I somehow landed on the Ubuntu site and just hit 'download', and being a total Linux novice I'm installing that. I take it that the tree I'm barking up is not necessarily the correct one?! Having now done a tiny bit of research it seems that Red Hat is the thing for me.

 

Would I be right in thinking that they're all essentially the same but with differing specialities?

 

Ubuntu is fine. I really liked it.

 

Fair play to my daughter. I installed mint the other day, just with myself as a user and yesterday I saw that she had set up her own account on it. She seems to like it. Just got to get the wireless working and we are cooking on gas.

[bigguly]

Ubuntu is fine. I really liked it.

 

Fair play to my daughter. I installed mint the other day, just with myself as a user and yesterday I saw that she had set up her own account on it. She seems to like it. Just got to get the wireless working and we are cooking on gas.

 

I assume that you may have a Broadcom wireless card in your laptop. There are problems associated with these type of cards. Get the exact model details and Google the model with the Word Linux, and you should be able to get a driver. Or even better, have a look at the software repository and you might find the driver there. You will of course, have to have a Ethernet connection with you router/switch.

[RedinSweden]

I assume that you may have a Broadcom wireless card in your laptop. There are problems associated with these type of cards. Get the exact model details and Google the model with the Word Linux, and you should be able to get a driver. Or even better, have a look at the software repository and you might find the driver there. You will of course, have to have a Ethernet connection with you router/switch.

 

I seem to remember it being Atheros. How do i access the software repository?

[bigguly]

I seem to remember it being Atheros. How do i access the software repository?

 

Have a look in Synaptic or KPackagekit, depending on what you are using, either Gnome or KDE. Have a Google too. I personally have not heard of problems with the Atheros Cards.

[RedinSweden]

Have a look in Synaptic or KPackagekit, depending on what you are using, either Gnome or KDE. Have a Google too. I personally have not heard of problems with the Atheros Cards.

 

When i have a look at Hardware drivers from the menu, the list is entirely blank. I am going off memory here. it is quite possible that i have ballsed up the installation though.

[bigguly]

When i have a look at Hardware drivers from the menu, the list is entirely blank. I am going off memory here. it is quite possible that i have ballsed up the installation though.

 

Hi RiS,

Sorry for not getting back, I was answering your question during lunch... Now it's my supper time!

 

Try the following - MADWIFI | Download MADWIFI software for free at SourceForge.net

 

It's the driver file from the following website

 

Atheros Communications, Atheros, Wireless, WLAN, Wireless LAN, 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, 2.4/5-GHz, 802.11a/b/g, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11, Radio-on-Chip, Networking, Mobile, Semiconductor, System Solutions

 

I hope it helps sort out your issue.

[RedinSweden]

Hi RiS,

Sorry for not getting back, I was answering your question during lunch... Now it's my supper time!

 

Try the following - MADWIFI | Download MADWIFI software for free at SourceForge.net

 

It's the driver file from the following website

 

Atheros Communications, Atheros, Wireless, WLAN, Wireless LAN, 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, 2.4/5-GHz, 802.11a/b/g, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11, Radio-on-Chip, Networking, Mobile, Semiconductor, System Solutions

 

I hope it helps sort out your issue.

 

Cheers mate. I will have a look at the weekend as i have a gig tonight and won't be sober when I get home.

[Duncan Clench]

Well I'm going to install Mint this morning, and maybe Puppy a bit later. I tried to convince the missus to change and she was more open to the idea than I expected. As long as she can use MS Office.... which looks doable, although I haven't looked into Wine properly yet. You chaps got any experience with Wine? Apart from the usual vomit and wetting yourselves.

[dirty_sanchez]

Most Linux Distros are compatable with Star Open Office, which is almost identical to Office 2003, plus it's totally free. See if you can get her to try that, as it's much less hassle.

[RedinSweden]

Well I'm going to install Mint this morning, and maybe Puppy a bit later. I tried to convince the missus to change and she was more open to the idea than I expected. As long as she can use MS Office.... which looks doable, although I haven't looked into Wine properly yet. You chaps got any experience with Wine? Apart from the usual vomit and wetting yourselves.

 

As DS says, use Open Office and then you don't have to piss around with Wine. We had spotify running in wine on ubuntu no problem. I haven't tried in Mint yet, but wine is not too tricky really.

[Captain]