Review by cyharriscat

Dell OEM Windows XP Professional RTM through SP1a is almost exactly like retail except for one small and one big difference. Windows XP of this type can install on multiple Dell PCs with minimal effort (provided you have stuff like drivers, and need a base service pack and not full updating. Full updating spoils the trick, because Microsoft grew wise to it. To explain this miracle to you, I have 4 Dell business PCs, a Dell OptiPlex GX400 from August 2001, running the RTM version (which does include the Microsoft Runtime for Java-Wikipedia is wrong on that) and it is only one of four PCs to run XP in this fashion. Windows XP Professional is installed using the same CD but updated to SP1a (but with the RTM having the Microsoft Runtime for Java, it’s virtually SP1 original) on a Dell OptiPlex GX270, one of the ones that is supposed to have bad capacitors, but hasn’t failed me yet, but then the fun continues. The GX270 has some updates for Firefox 3.6 to run on it, and it was no problem installing those updates.

Windows XP Professional is installed via the same CD onto a Dell Latitude D505 I bought to be my vintage laptop after the Clamshell iBook G3’s hard disk died, and it is upgraded to SP2 flawlessly.

Windows XP Professional is lastly installed from this same CD onto a Dell OptiPlex 745 with a Pentium D CPU at 3.4GHz, and it is updated to base SP3 plus .NET Framework 2.0 on the 745, and they all installed and self-activated and as long as I don’t do Windows Update on them, they all don’t require their Windows XP CD-keys affixed to their cases (the GX400 had a $150 Microsoft OEM System Builder Windows XP Professional CD-key stuck on him as insurance should full updating be required in the future.

I am a computer nut, and I like tracing the history of a given OS back through the ages. Therefore, with my Dell OEM Windows XP Professional RTM CD, I can sit there and use the computer brand, models, and types out of that brand with those models I already desired to use.

Believe it or not, I am typing this review using one of the machines thus configured, specifically the GX270 Dell OptiPlex running Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 1a.

Oh, and the browser I am using is Internet Explorer 6 SP1, so you know it’s vintage.

This discovery is simply the most revolutionary thing to happen since XP was released. Oh, and by the way, here’s the time for the little tidbit:nnDell OEM CDs of Windows XP Professional SP2 and later don’t do this. They require a CD-key like any other version of XP. And if you get one of the XP Professional discs compatible with this money and effort saving trick, you can rest assured that like a Microsoft version of XP with only one minor exception-a Dell Solution Center button in the lower right corner of the Start menu above the Shut Down or Turn Off Computer button, again except for the fact that in order to get self-activation, you must be using Dell OEM hardware with a Dell BIOS (when the computer shows the progress bar, if it has a big Dell logo on it, you are good to go).

Again, with this CD trick, Microsoft can’t fuss about what hardware you have changed or not, as long as the BIOS remains Dell branded-or if you update Windows, to where Windows is automatically updated.

This gives you leeway to run that cantakerous old peripheral (say a HP LaserJet 6P or a vintage weather monitoring system) that Windows Vista/7/8 just doesn’t support.

Same way with software. If you want to run a vintage copy of Adobe Acrobat-say 7.0 or below, or a vintage copy of Adobe Photoshop (say 7.0 or below), you can, and buy a Vista/7/8 computer or a Mac for what they are good for, which is being modern Internet terminals.

So while this may not be retail, given the appropriate precautions, it’s infinitely better than retail, unlimited installs given Dell hardware with Dell BIOS, and unlimited hardware changes (again, given Dell BIOS) and no bloatware. You are off and running with nothing more than the CD and burnt discs of the appropriate service pack or packs.