[Snake]

I got a copy of windows 2000, but it is a dell reinstalltion cd. I tried to put it on my PC, but it said "Only for dell computers.....". So I used a Hex editior to change the bchk32.exe file which tells setup if the computer is a dell or not, to allow setup to continue on my PC. so after all that, i tried installing it again, and I was sucessful to the point where it rebooted, the setup stopped again giving me that "only on dell comps" message.

Can anyone help me, or give me any clue as to what file is preventing me from installing windows??

Thanks

[basketofkittens]

Haha, resorting to a hex editor is pretty ambitious. Anyone here is going to tell you to pirate a version off the internet. Those Dell CD's are so full of bloatware anyway...

[funkgab]

erase oem folder..

[Snake]

Originally Posted by funkgab

erase oem folder..

there isn't one.

[TK6500]

Are you serious, you're going to reinstall with a dell cd.

[hans5849]

you could just use the S/N if it works, it didn't with my gateway serial

[Snake]

Originally Posted by hans5849

you could just use the S/N if it works, it didn't with my gateway serial

i entered it once I changed the "Pid" code in setupp.ini so that it takes retail keys. But thanks anyway for the idea.

I recently tried altering the Winnt, and Winnt32 files, but they didn't work; i think there is another file that double-checks bios, to see if i have a Dell Mobo. That's why i was asking if anyone knew of other files that might be the source of the problem

[hans5849]

wait, how do i make XP take keys like that.

[Snake]

Originally Posted by hans5849

wait, how do i make XP take keys like that.

when you open the setupp.ini file, you will see two codes, the ExtraData code and the Pid code. It will look sorta like this:

ExtraData=dsnlfndslfnBLAH BLAH BLAH
Pid=51882335 <-- it won't look bold and underlined like that.

the last 3 digits of the Pid are what determines if the software is retail, corprate, or OEM.

Retail = 335
Corprate (volume license) = 270
OEM = OEM

so all you have to do is change the last 3 digits to whichever one desired, like so:

Pid=51882OEM

then Burn the ISO image, and Ta-Da! you have a copy of windows the way you want! I think this pretty much works for any version of windows.