Help with Dell Install

I was working on an old Dell Dimension machine, terrible condition, forever to boot, couldn't open anything in control panel, at least 2 antiviruses that I could see, just pathetic. And the owner had just installed some PC total care package bought for 30 bucks at the local Walmart, and that's when she said everything just really went to hell.

So my first step was to try to restore to a point b/4 this garbage. After about 45 minutes of trying to restore, very slow progress bar, she said she didn't have any data to speak so I reformatted and did a fresh install. Got to product key screen, and the label on her machine had been double struck, maybe triple! So only first box of key legible! Can't possibly decipher the rest, even with a magnifying glass. I do have a Dell service pack number.

Who do I call to get the key, Dell or MS?

There is another similar Dell, dead and stripped, nearby, would that key work?

I used my own install disks. She had the drivers disk and my install is good through SP2, saves a little time. The machine did have a 8 Gig partition, I assume for a reinstall, if I crtl 11 and use that, would I still need a key,(I think so)?confused:confused

Any other suggestions, (yes, I'm considering ubuntu).

 

Can't help on this, but if you get it going again, grab a copy of SIW and go to Licenses on the left.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/SIW_System_Info_d4387.html

 

Thanks hrlow.
Certainly in the future I'll make certain that not only is the key label there, but that is also legible!

 

Masking tape and a pen works if the machine can be booted.

 

if you use ctrl + F11 it will reinstall windows from that recovery partition & no product key will be needed

 

I'll try that on Monday! :wave:wave

 

If you use a dell restore cd (for xp) you wont need the validation nrs. It will auto validate.